Next Stop: Christmas!

Here is my little red London bus, on the way to its next stop: Christmas! 

Today is my last working day for this year; I will only pick up work again on the 10th of January. Two weeks off - such luxury, and so very welcome! 

And tomorrow is Christmas Eve, with my schedule looking like this: 1) Only get up when you've slept enough and are ready. 2) Open last door of Advent Calendar; Coffee; shower; dress. 3) Iron Thursday's washing. 4) Dust, hoover and wipe. 5) Wrap gifts. 6) Visit Hobbes (see further down). 7) Ring Mary (my mother-in-law in Yorkshire). 8) Put gifts in large bag and/or rucksack and walk to my parents'. 9) Celebrate Christmas Eve with parents, sister and friend.

I guess there will be a quick sandwich somewhere between 5) and 6), and probably a mug of coffee at around 7). It will be a busy day, but all at my own pace, not dictated by meeting schedules and calls from clients. Somehow, I find it hard to believe that Christmas is really already here again.

Most of December has been grey and wet here, but we have enjoyed the odd sunny day in between. Last Friday was such a day, and my sister and I met for a lunch break walk. And although I have been walking every day, it just felt so much better under a blue sky:

Another day, we met up after work for some errands and a walk in town. You already know that once again, we have no Christmas Market this year, in spite of the square being all lit up. Imagine our surprise when we rounded a corner at one of the two churches and saw - a stall!!! We were quite excited, wondering what they were selling - until we came closer and spotted the sign and saw the person behind the counter. 

Turning a Christmas market stall into a Covid testing station is symbolic for this entire 2021 Christmas season.

Remember what 6) on tomorrow's plan is? Meet Hobbes:

Hobbes is 17 years old and the last remaining of originally three feline siblings living with my American friends V and G. V has been my running partner for many years, and both of them have been part of my pub quiz team for just as long. A week ago, they have packed their suitcases and their two little girls and travelled to the US to be with their families for the holidays. 

They live only 5 minutes away from me, and so I have been walking over there every day since they have left. I place all their mail (and there is plenty) on the dining table, feed Hobbes, clean his toilet and take a quick tour of the ground floor flat, making sure all is in order. Then I take my paperback out and sit on the settee for a while. And although Hobbes allowed me to stroke him from the first day, it took until Day Four before he jumped up on my lap and settled for a good long cuddle. 

It is nice to look after a cat for a while. We have had cats living with us almost as long as I can remember, but since my last one died of old age in 2013, I have been without a pet. And to be honest - opening the smelly cat food and cleaning the smelly cat toilet reminds me of the few things that are not so nice about having a cat. Also, my clothes have not been full of cat hairs in a long time, and I need to replenish my sticky roller thing for cleaning up; after all, I will be visiting Hobbes until New Year's Eve.

The last set of pictures were sent to me yesterday from O.K. He started and finished work early enough to catch a bit of daylight and a beautiful sunset. It had been a frosty night and day with temperatures around -6C in the morning, and everything was covered in glittering frost, looking very beautiful:

I don't think I will have the time to write another post tomorrow, therefore let me now wish you all Merry Christmas today! May you and your loved ones all be safe and well. Thank you for sticking with me another year, reading and commenting on my blog.