Post clean collage

A busy and successful day. The weather has taken a turn for the better, with temperatures rising up to 10 degrees, and a soft southerly wind, rather than the raking northwesterlies we were experiencing.

Taking advantage, Mr A and I headed out onto the front patio after breakfast, and cleaned the patio with the hose. So gone are the piles of mainly dry leaves we had when we arrived, and also the wet leaves stuck to the patio we've had for the last few days of ceaseless rain. For a few days at least, it looks quite smart! Imagine, also, our excitement when we discovered that it will be easy to join the two hoses we now have together in the summer and run them right round the cottage, rather than having to run the hose through the back vestibule in order to water the front garden (which needs a lot more watering than the back garden). It's been so warm and dry I've been able to open the window of the back vestibule and air (and dry) it out, which makes a lot of difference as it houses a lot of my damp swimming stuff.

After that burst of energy, we kept going and Mr A went to one supermarket and I went to a different one, in order to procure extra various bits and pieces we needed. After a quiet sit for a little while on the sofa, we then went out for lunch, courtesy of Mr A, at Platform 1864. Neither of us fancied cooking, given we had friends coming round in the evening. The food was excellent. We then prepared the house and sorted out the "substantial snacks" (mainly veggie sausage rolls and mince pies) for our guests, who all arrived together astonishingly promptly.... No sitting around wondering if people were coming! It was a lovely evening, very chatty, with some interesting personal connections unearthed (SW and L), and only finished rather late (well into Christmas Day). After the last of the people had gone (and L helped me kindly with some clearing up before she left), I lay on the sofa for a while, before going to bed. I think we all convene again in a different house tomorrow evening, so the conversations can be carried on.