A new hat for Christmas

Howling winds and rain last night blew over the camelia planter in the garden, but fortunately we suffered no further damage.  This morning the sun was shining and the sky was blue - a perfect day for a walk and an opportunity to burn up some of those calories.

You know how it is at this time of year: as we walked past the park there were plenty of young lads in their new football boots, wearing their new football shirts, kicking their new footballs.  There's always a wobbly person or two on a new bike.  But I've not seen anyone quite as lucky as this young lady before.  She really must have been a very good girl last year.  She and her pony did look lovely in all their new gear though.

After last night's gales we thought we had better walk across to Dad's house in the neighbouring town to check that the roof was still on.  All was well, but the country lanes on the way were very wet with the run-off from the adjoining fields.  The lane we normally take was so deep under water that we actually had to retrace our steps and go around the long way.  I was wearing boots and initially thought that we might be able to make it through if we were careful, but as the water crept up my ankles I realised that discretion, and the longer walk was definitely the right way to go; and indeed it was as we both made it home with dry socks in the end :-)