19/12/2008 by Aileen.

It’s all coming together. M and F coming Boxing day, Kev and Mag overlapping by a day or two, then Ali and family coming on the 29th and will be here for Hogmanay. Pity they can’t all be here together. As well as the ensuite guestroom we have a second living room with two three seater sofa beds. Plenty of room for 6 guests.

Our house is so perfect for our needs. The previous occupants had a disabled son, and they added an extension for him. Originally it was an emormous bed/sitting room with an adjoining bathroom, but we turned the bathroom round so we had an ensuite. We call the big room ‘The Swinton’ which is where our kids sent us as a 40th Wedding Anniversary treat.

What’s so good about the house is that there is a second entrance leading through the utility room down a hall to the sunlounge. The sunlounge is a very long room, so we’ve divided it in two visually by using a lowlevel bookcase. The far end is my ’study’ while the near end is John’s counselling room. It means that clients can come in via the second door and go down to the counselling room without disrupting the rest of the house. There is a loo off the utility room too, so that is really convenient (intended pun) for the clients.

John’s Counselling Area. With a glimpse of my study in the background. (We’ve changed the twee lights since I took the photo)

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19/12/2008 by Aileen.

It was the panto tonight. Really enjoyable. However, it took up a lot of evenings for rehearsals, and I gave up several photography sessions including a party. Just unfortunate that they were on Mondays. And I was grateful for the panto when John was in hospital and I couldn’t go to Camera Club anyway as I was staying ‘darn sarth’ with M and F.

Had a really good day today anyway. Back to normal healthwise, and went to Potteric Carr on one of Michael’s One-off Specials. Took lots of photos, including close-ups of great spotted woodpecker, but they were all blurred. Some fungi photos looked okay until I blew them up on screen. I think I need to put my camera in for a service. I can’t be that bad!

Anyway, tomorrow I turn my thoughts to Christmas. Most cards are posted, but nothing else. We thought no one was coming until a few days after. This is true of Ali and family, as Eric is working over Christmas, but M and F rang to say they would be up on Boxing Day. We were going to have a pre-cooked casserole on Christmas Day so I didn’t have to do anything - still might - but I had to rush out to the butcher’s and order a turkey. Luckily they had one left. Tomorrow - crib and decorations down, and maybe do some shopping for pressies. I was going to do everything online this year, but have prolly left it too late. HATE shopping. I was in my element at Potteric Carr today, especially when I stayed on for the afternoon and wandered around the wild bit over the railway track. Saw no one over there, but several sightings of a jay.

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