December leaves, January prepares to bud

I finally went shopping.  First time I'd left here since Christmas Day.  I went to the bank first, to pay in the money from the Christmas services at church - they are really cheerful and helpful, the tellers in our local banks.  Then I went to get some food for the weekend - I could manage on what we have, really, but I had to get something to take Andy.  Then after that, I remembered that I hadn't been able to find my wellies when I'd wanted them last.  This was a mystery as I never leave them anywhere but the porch.  I can only think that we lent them to someone and we've all forgotten about it.  They are nowhere to be seen, anyway, so I went to the big store just a couple of hundred yards away, next to the church, and have bought myself  a new pair.

I only stayed with Andy about 20 minutes, by which time he was tired.  He's lost a lot of weight (not overweight to start with) and speaks quietly, but his mind and spirit are as always.  He is going to spend tomorrow at home, which he's really looking forward to.  It'll be a long time before he's able to manage stairs and he's been advised that living in a bungalow or having a stairlift would be a good idea, so Gill has already been house-hunting and has found somewhere suitable, in this village (they live a couple of miles away in Yagnub).  An estate agent is coming round to measure their place next week.  Although the property market is pretty flat, the small modern estate where they live is very attractive and houses usually sell very quickly.  On Gill's suggestion, I took bananas (low potassium levels) and Lucozade, and added a box of Maltesers, chosen because they're small and appealing and not wrapped.  His face lit up, he asked me to open the box and he put it on the bed by him!

Then I called on a friend, the one who wants an iPad, from whom I'd had an email asking if I'd be free next week to have another go - the weather turned against us last time.  We're hoping to go next Tuesday.  After that, the Sage and I went next door where Al and Dilly were having a family party, with her parents, sister and family, Weeza and family and us.

And that's our evening.  I'll still be up at midnight and might turn on the television to see the London fireworks, but I'm not in the mood for New Year's Eve television antics.  I started the crossword earlier (a friend and I have got into the way of doing it together and moaning to each other by text when we can't get a clue) but have yet to read the paper, and will listen to music, I expect.

Tomorrow, we're going for the New Year's Day walk in Denton - the last one, I couldn't join in as it was impossible for me to walk far, so I stayed in Gilly's kitchen stirring soups for lunch.  The previous year, I'd had to do the short, 2 mile walk, having always done the longest one before that.  This is what I need wellies for, by the way, it's very much a country walk.  I'll put out the puppy word on the route, the Denton grapevine extends far and fruitfully.

I hope that this year has been a good one for you, friends, and that 2011 will be even better.