Yes, well.  Errors.  Errors abound at work.  Things are flashing red diamonds that twizzle around in a pretty manner.  Not an awful lot I can/want to do about them: much will be sorted out overnight...  All terribly technical, with a bit of fudging at the edges.

Mmmm.  Fudge.

Slept diabolically last night.  Suspect more diabolical sleeping tonight: tomorrow, I meet the Intern, and I'm a wee bit unsure.  We've spoken on the phone, and he's very polite, and polite by email, and kind enough to send Christmas wishes, and has born the brunt of the phone call costs.  But, what if I take one look at him and hate him on sight?  What if he's allergic to yarn?  I shan't feel happy until I've met him and decided that he's an OK sort of cove.  And given me some rent in advance....

This is the problem with incoming Exchange Students.  They are from parts foreign.

Meanwhile, I still have heating woe.  And it's supposed to drop down below freezing and then some tonight: London is expecting to be entirely paralysed by snow in the next 24 hours or so.  OK.  Let me rephrase that.  London will be taken entirely by surprise, and therefore I am expecting London to be entirely paralysed by snow in the next 24 hours or so.

xxx

The downstairs neighbours' Amaryllis burst into glorious flower overnight: and opened up enough during the day to be photogenic:

(with flash)

(without)

Supper also felt photogenic (particularly the green and red salad).

(Am reading 'The Gentle Art of Domesticity' by Jane Brocket).

xxx

 (try two)

I'm sitting at my dining table, I have daffodils from Morrisons at 99p, and they smell glorious.  The Amaryllis in the kitchen still seems to be alive (my neighbours dropped it round before going away until Friday. I am terribly worried about it - it's a glorious shade of red and I'm convinced that it'll die before they return).  Prue Fish also seems to be quite happy and possibly feisty.  Perhaps she wants peas.

I have photos, but not as many as I'd thought, as much of the Christmas Knitting did not get photographed.  To be honest, it wasn't very photogenic...  First up, though, is Hanami, blocking on the spare bed before the Intern arrives.  It was nice not to have to use my bed, and also not to use the sitting room floor.

Then, the leftovers from Mum's Ascot.  Not much... but enough.

Christmassy Candles (bad use of candle setting on camera)

Then the babies' presents: Eli the Elephant for Robin, and Holly's Hat (both infants were born in the first week or so of January.  Hence the seasonal names).

The wobbly floors at my parents' house: none of that house is flat, and no floor is on the same level.  From sitting room (ground floor) to my room (second floor UK sense) was down one step, up the stairs, down a step, along the sloping hall, down another step, another staircase, then more wobbly floor.  Had I been aiming for my Mum's room, I could add another step up.  I kept forgetting things, so I became very familiar with that journey.

With the bathroom, you can just about see that the door is hanging in mid-air, and that the plinth that the basin sits in is by no means actually flat at the bottom.  Doesn't slope at the top. Dad has a set of toy cars on a dressing table, and it's quite a feat to arrange them so that they don't run off the edge.

My beautiful paper swop parcel arrived: so pretty!

Finally, a soggy Alpaca from our trip to the Zoo.  It's making kissy faces.

xxx

I've just discovered that the tune of 'Summer is Icumen In' is the same tune that the Mice in Bagpuss use for the "We will fix it" song in Bagpuss.  I've been singing each version to myself: the rhythm's different, which is why I never noticed before.  Isn't Wikipedia wonderful?

xxx