Who needs Christmas lights?

After a rainy night I was surprised to find the car encased in ice this morning. I dropped Alex at the station, returned home for some breakfast and then took the dogs along the river.

The sun was just rising in a veil of gold and there was a thin film of ice on the backwater. As i walked along the boardwalk, it creaked and groaned and the fallen leaves crackled as I walked over them. The shapeless grey ghosts of rabbits scurried through the tall vegetation, although the dogs are now too old to give chase. As I reached the far end of my walk the hawthorn and rose bushes were adorned with a million shining droplets, more beautiful than any artificial Christmas lights.

The rest of the day was mostly spent putting the family room back in order. The curtain are up and I have to say I'm really pleased with the effect. I realise that it's precisely a month since I started - no wonder we only decorate the family room once every fifteen years! And I finally arranged for a plumber to visit and sort out our leaking taps. The kitchen tap has corroded, which means that every time anyone runs the cold water, they get an unwanted shower!

This afternoon Ben and I made Stollen, in preparation for his last home-education inspection tomorrow. We'd been told that last year would be his last one, but the Local Authority has new guidelines and so it seems we have to go through it all again. Another new inspector to meet, and I really can't see the point when we've been home educating quite successfully for fourteen years and Ben officially reaches school-leaving age in July. Still, we'll give the inspector tea and cake, and hopefully he'll tick all the right boxes!