Christmas has begun

It started today with our annual Christmas meal out with the in-laws ... in Derby. Three and a half hours each way is a long time to be sitting in a car but it was good to see Father-in-law. He's settling into the home but ... well, it's not his home.

I remembered I hadn't shown you our grotto!
Complete with stag at bay. Now why would you pay £80 when lights wound around a few sticks do just as well?!!
Tomorrow and Tuesday evening it's the prison carol services. We've got quite a few volunteers taking part this year, which is good, but I quite liked it when it was just a couple of lads - as it was on at least two occasions - and we developed a sort of Dunkirk spirit: we can do this! I was very proud of 'my boys'. It's not quite the same this year but I'm sure it will go well. Our Scouser King Herod might well steal the show.

Friday we have our works' Christmas do - more about that later - and on Saturday we're out for a traditional Christmas get-together meal with 'the gang'.

It's a good job I was poorly and off my food last week; the next few weeks will be non-stop eating.