Today I brushed up and went to the HorseBack Christmas lunch. With great fanfare, I put on my special nipped-in scarlet vintage jacket, the one which I wore to see Frankel demolish a top class field in the Queen Anne. It only comes out for very, very special occasions. I have to say they did look slightly surprised to see me without my customary covering of mud. I have become so earthified that it was only after running errands yesterday to the post office, newsagent, flower shop and Co-op that I looked down to find I had a little clump of hay nesting in my scarf. The interesting thing is that no one in the village blinked an eye.
I felt slightly shy, going out to lunch. I do not do that many social occasions, and my skills are rusty. It was a blast. One pint of Guinness (for strength) and I was off. All subjects were covered. There was a lot of laughter. If I had not had to go and check the horses before the light went, I should still be there.
There are guests coming tonight, so I rushed home to make special salsa and some nice smoked mackerel paté , and get on with the second leg of the Christmas gravy. I had planned to fit in a few hundred words of book, but that plan was for the birds. I got lost in festive arrangements. Still, yesterday there were fifteen hundred words, so I don’t feel too guilty. Now I must arrange some flowers and get in logs for the fire. Stanley the Dog is having a little disco nap before the party.
It poured with rain all day, but there is winter wonderland in my heart.
No time for camera today, so here are a couple of pictures from the last few days:
Love the idea of Stanley having a disco nap...such a gent, I am sure he will be firing on all cylinders as a result later! Lou x
ReplyDeleteI DIE for the 'nipped in scarlet vintage jacket' - could we not have a look??
ReplyDeleteHope you and Stanley enjoy tonight's party.
Rosemary
I love your photo of the sheep in the field - so many shades of white. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm fairly certain you have no idea how soothing and restorative a visit to this blog can be. You have banished my borderline Scrooge-like state and I, too, feel festive.
ReplyDeleteI must say I've fallen hard for Stanley, with his dappled coat and the rakish asymmetry of his ears. He looks a pip, and I think we would get along famously.
Happy Christmas to you there in Scotland, Tania. It is freezing even here in the southernmost part of the USA.