19th December: The first last day of term!

Picture 1: After a little heatwave this weekend, the temperatures are dropping again so the gritter is back!
Picture 2: Driving Home for Christmas!
Picture 3: The conservatory looking festive this morning, with hanging greenery and twinkle lights.
Picture 4: The kissing bough - absolutely majestic!
Picture 5: This rag wreath is one I made a few years ago. I'm actually quite pleased with it!
Picture 6: Another indoor wreath. This one used to be a garland but a couple of years ago I found a wreath base and attached the two... I think it looks rather lovely!
Picture 7: A third indoor wreath. I'm not sure where this one came from but it's been around for a while. It has gaps so I pepped it up with a single sprig of greenery.
Picture 8: It is impossible to get bored of gazing at our trees!
Picture 9: And here's the other!
Picture 10: The Christmas Cactus is now in full bloom. We have swapped it to the window now, though, as the pollen was falling.
Picture 11: Orlando being a cliche dog!
Picture 12: Mummy admiring her clock, which is now ticking away merrily. It's been in for tuning up for a few months, but has made its way home in time for Christmas.
Picture 13: The effect of our thunderstorm - it's part hail and part frozen snow.
Picture 14: Light begets light! I love that all of these lights are reflections.
Picture 15: Wow - it took me a long time to find the pig today! I was looking everywhere and then eventually found him on the mantelpiece...
Picture 16: A present for Mummy and Daddy which I made at school! The great thing with being a primary school teacher is that you never have to grow up!
Picture 17: There is a line in The Children of Green Knowe which refers to the house as "an ancient castle prepared for an ancient feast". Stempster may not be as old a building, but it has been celebrating this feast in one form or another for more than a millennium.
Picture 18: My first Christmas Card from a pupil arrived today!
Picture 19: And here it is in situ at the piano, along with some of the songbooks.