The elephant in the room

Tackled the last of the trees (five of them altogether) this morning. The wee shed is stuffed full. Should last me a lifetime, this lot of kindling! Did a bit of sweeping up and grabbing rubbish in the hedge - I got quite a haul. The grabber is terrific. I might take to carrying it with me everywhere.

I did a few chores, fiddled about out the back (found some nice pine cones for the fire) and eventually could ignore the elephant in the room no longer. The other shoe cabinet loomed. The house was full of little bits of polystyrene from the first cabinet, but I was loathe to hoover, as there was more mess to come. So there was nothing for it but to do the second one. It took me just over two hours. I reckon if I did a third one (NOOoooo!) I could get it down to an hour and a half.

Couldn’t screw it in place, as the light switch will need to be moved. Rang electricians, and they’re coming on Friday early. So the shoes should all be in place over the weekend, thus freeing up space in the spare room.

I popped out for some milk and passed several lovely little draggable Christmas trees. At least a dozen. I had to avert my eyes. I felt like a reformed alcoholic walking past a particularly inviting wine bar. In fact, a whole street of particularly inviting wine bars. Then I had to walk back along it…

But I made it. Tree-less.

It’s been a sunny, still, warmish day, too. I really should be out and about. But the shoe cabinet was holding everything up. And so I give you another indoor blip.These are the chunky, wonky wine glasses made by the deaf folk in Arusha. Every one unique. Apparently glass blowing is done by sound, but deaf folk do it by vibrations. We watched them making them for ages, and I kept getting in the way, trying to take photos. Had to add some fruit juice for a bit of colour, but a wee dash of wine might be in order tonight.

Last night we had an email telling us that an old friend in New Zealand had passed away. We’re very sad about this, but he had such good health all his life - never a moment’s illness, as far as I know. We have many of his of paintings to remind us of happy times. My heart goes out to his widow.

I think it would only be fitting to raise a glass to him this evening ...