Where is that delivery van?

Had my days off and should have been back to work yesterday. Woke up at 6.45 and felt like death warmed up. Called in sick and went back to bed. Jase got in late from work, had 12 hours at home and has gone away for 3 days again. I had to brave Waitrose yesterday as we were running out of bread and milk. Spent the day pottering around, with a swimming head, clicky ear, a yucky cough and generally not at my best. Sniff sniff.

My camera is broken and I have so many things to take pictures of. Typical. I have iced my Christmas cakes, made the spiced nuts, Christmas spiced sea salt and am on track for Christmas presents and orders! One more ordered Christmas cake to make this week. :0)

I spent the other night trawling through ebay looking for a digital SLR camera. I do like photography so thought I would treat myself. After all, isn't that what you do when the cost of everything is going up? Oil, food, electricity (we don't have gas), petrol etc - spend a few hundred quid on a camera, just before Christmas? I am hoping it arrives soon. *Looks out of window every 2 minutes*

I went to bed last night with the kitchen thermometer heading dangerously near to 1 degree C. WInter is here. Definitely. By 6.45 this morning it was minus 1. The sun came up about 7ish and revealed a mass of white. A thick layer of frost covered the garden. With a jug of hot water in hand, I trundled across the garden to defrost the chickens' water and let them out. Treated them to a handful of mixed corn as it is so cold. There is something nice about walking across frosty ground. Things shutting down for the Winter.

Agnes is definitely looking more buxom now. She is going to be big. Cornelia is daintier. A few more weeks of growers pellets and confinement and then I will let them meet each other. That should be fun. There is still the odd peck through the bars, but nothing vicious.

I had seen the weather forecast and decided to lock the Girls up last night. Didn't think to cover the courgette/runner bean plants in fleece though. Judging by the droopy leaves, I think that is them finished now. The tomatoes don't look good either.

The veggie garden is still a state and the leaves are coming down thick and fast now. Will dust down the leaf blower soon and get collecting. Plan to make a leaf mould bin as some point. Another thing to add to the list. When I am feeling better.

Today will be a day of vegging out. Had my breakfast of porridge and Lemsip (not together), so will take it easy today as under strict instructions to relax and get better soon.

I have to stop making jam. The mountain of jars on the dining room table is getting out of hand. I need to sell some just to be able to see through the window! Have more than enough for hampers this year (and the next 10 years), so enough is enough. The jam pan can hibernate until next autumn now.

Might do some batch cooking for the freezer. Cottage pie I think. Seems appropriate. Hearty Winter fayre!

Hope you all have a good day.

C x x