The day has not started well (see below). It then got suddenly worse when I couldn't find the box of decorations for the Christmas tree - I hadn't put them away in the attic, but asked Danny to do it for me . . . The first foray drew a blank but I found stock for Fairs I had long forgotten about and really must give an outing to next year. I also need to get ruthless and take a load of stuff to the charity shop. That will be a job well done. Anyway, a phone call to Tam, some laughter, and I girded my loins and went up again and found the right box this time. So far the kittens have looked at the tree and are clearly thinking, WHY has she bought that into the house? But not climbed into it yet, which has to be a positive. Right, tree dressing to some Christmas music (Maddy Prior's Christmas Carols, since you asked) and then I am going to make some Pear and Chocolate Jam for Christmas presents.
I have always wanted to travel the world. I would settle for America and visiting my childhood friend Rosie in NZ if I could ever have two faraway holidays but I'm not holding my breath. Now my horizons are set at half an hour in any given direction, and there is absolutely nothing to look forward to doing - just the weekly grocery shop - my urge to explore has had to be totally quashed. I've just read about one of my cousin's children and family jetting off to Lapland. Another cousin is going to see her daughter in NZ and stopping off in Singapore, Thailand etc on the way. A further cousin has just been to Amsterdam for a friend's wedding. I am not a jealous sort, but oh how I envy them their travel. I can't even make it to Ludlow, an hour away.
I had a fright overnight as I thought that Keith's catheter had become blocked. Now he is downstairs it would appear he just drank pitifully little yesterday ("I drink plenty") despite my encouragement. I was up 3 times in the night for the bathroom, and checked on him each time, then lost sleep worrying, so feel very sorry for myself this morning. The Pea and Hemp protein I got him has proved a total waste of money. If you use the full amount, any drink turns to sludge and of course, it turns the medium you add it to green which Keith doesn't find very appetising. I bought some ready-made Mango and Passionfruit smoothie today for him, to make sure he likes it before I start making my own. His food intake is not good and what he can manage is getting more and more limited, which is such a worry. Forget the brown rice, beans, pulses, most things green apart from broccoli and peas, anything nutritious - he has thought them "muck" all his life, and he's not going to change now.
To keep dairy-free, I bought GRO plant-based vegan yoghurt yesterday for him, and some Swedish glace ice cream. He really enjoyed them both and asked for 2nds, then his saliva production went into overdrive, but I cannot see that there is any ingredient in either which should cause this reaction, unless it is the sugar ingredients of the ice cream interfering with his medication but that shouldn't be the case. We'll have to isolate which is the culprit.
At least I have dressing the tree to look forward to although I have to go up the steep attic stairs to retrieve the box of decorations. I got a lovely tree on Friday from the estate of the Big House just above the Showground. I chose a Noble Fir and asked Pam to come and help me put it up as you need more than one person to manhandle it into the holder. She doesn't bother with a tree or decorations and had never had a "proper" tree and seemed surprised that it wasn't the regular form of the plastic variety . . . Then I read up about Christmas trees and kitten-cats and although one site said the Noble Fir wasn't poisonous to cats, another highlighted about a dozen dire possibilities should a cat lick, nibble, climb into any Christmas tree and so they all got shut in the kitchen last night or I wouldn't have slept for worry.
I am trying to get myself geared up to make some jam for Christmas presents but the spirit is definitely lacking today. Sorry to moan.
