Too soon and too far

Only 6th January and our camellia has been in flower for several days. 

It's usually late to flower, not opening until after everyone else's. This has been an exceptionally mild year. Wet but mild. We've hardly seen the sun for the last month so finding it out today was a treat.

In Mumbles to return my library book - Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, much acclaimed but I couldn't get into it at all - and I continued to puzzle over what will be the new sea wall. The council announced plans to strengthen the sea defences and that means building out onto the beach but try as I might I cannot understand the plans. There are huge bits of metal all over but I'm assuming the intention is to build out as far as this row of rusty 'things'.

Correction: I've just read FAQ and it says they will not be building outwards. So now I'm even more confused.

Today I've taken down the Christmas decorations. Not replaced them with the original items because, oh, that's enough for one day. I'm too busy doing my first jigsaw of the holiday. It's trickier than I expected as well. 

I've had a tasteful Christmas tree for several years now but feel I'd like to go more colourful next year. Wondered if the stores might be selling decorations off cheap and now would be the time to buy them. But they're not. 

Looking online for decorations I was distracted by side tables for the hall. I said last year I wanted to change the cupboard in the hall for something smaller and I even emptied it in readiness. I couldn't find anything I liked though and now the cupboards are filling up again so I need to move quickly.

I did see the perfect table but it's £850 and that's the sale price! So might go for cheap and cheerful instead. But first I'll look around the charity shops for something I could upcycle. 

What else? Not a lot. We start the New Year with Husband waiting for both a cataract op and a small op on his ear. Both supposed to be happening soonish. So we shall wait and see.

My good news is that my exercise class is restarting. You may recall that the teacher's husband died in early winter and we feared class not happen again. But it is and I am glad.