Fri and Sat, 28th and 29th November, COLD

Phew, shiver my timbers! Winter has come, frost and cold and therefore a very draughty home for us! We've discovered draughts where we've never felt them before! Still, Stanley's been going pretty well so we're not doing too badly. Every day we saw up some wood for the evening to keep us warm.

Poor Jim is still full of cold/sore throat/cough and various other germs. Still, he soldiers on manfully.

We've both been attacking the brambles by the long living willow fence we've just finished trimming. Actually it's quite a satisfying job. It looks an impossible amount to remove but we plod away hour after hour and day after day and the wretched brambles eventually give in. I feel a few bonfires coming on...

We're sure Buster is calming down a bit since he had his 'bits' removed. It's been a few weeks so the testosterone should just about have gone by now. He is so loving and lovable.

I've still been card making in the evenings. Just need to write them now. Tonight I decided to have a change and put a layer of papier mache on a bin I've been making. Very satisfying it was too.

Jim now has my old computer since my new one sprang back into life so I don't have to share anymore. Much better. (Jim having a coughing fit upstairs). He is off to the UK for 2 days next week for a meeting so I hope his cold disappears before then.

Jim's daughter Ali's baby is due soon, so he's hoping it will arrive when he's there! Fingers crossed.

Tonight I had a phone call from my youngest son Ben, who is at his Dad's house in Derbyshire. It was lovely to talk to him. He runs a bar in Puerto Banus, near Marbella, but says it is just dead out there at the moment. This credit crunch is taking its toll. I do hope he managed to make it through the Winter. He couldn't believe Woolies has gone under. I think that is so sad.

Keep warm everyone.