I'm not particularly happy at the moment - tomorrow morning we've got a very early start so that I can make it to hospital to have another scan done. I'm not expecting good news but that will come after Christmas.
We had a busy day; in the morning we went off to Tesco's to do the Christmas shop because we can't do it tomorrow.
This is one of the managers who was kind enough to let me take a photo of his spectacular Christmas suit;
We got everything (as far as we know) and made it home in one piece. I had a rest and then started on our Christmas wreath.
Here are the raw materials;
I'm afraid Robyn gave up on me over some artistic differences and I ended up doing it all myself. Last year I got a bit over enthusiastic and made a wreath so big we couldn't actually get it on the door.
It was so big it was the kind of thing they put around the neck of a horse that's just won a big race.
It was so big it was the kind of wreath that US presidents have two marines put on a stand for them and then they go up to it and pretend to adjust something - as though they were putting the finishing touch to it.
It was so big it was the kind of thing you see at the funeral of an Oil Sheikh.
I imagine you've got the picture by now, so I tried to make it a little bit smaller.
I'm not sure if I succeeded with that but I did get it done.
Now all we need is some Mistletoe........hmmmmh.
Then in the afternoon we went into Staines, so all in all I had quite a strenuous day.
Wish me luck for tomorrow - scans don't usually go well for me.
Monday I can't talk about here but everyone who knows us knows that it's a life and death day.
Tuesday isn't much better - important scans to work out how far and how fast my cancer has spread.
Anyway we needed to be getting ready but this morning we started making our Christmas Wreath......life has to go on.
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown
The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
We have all the ingredients in the garden and here they are, to start with lots of Yew;
And here I am attempting to get it all together into shape;
I kept going until my back started to hurt and then Robyn took over.
Now I'm a country boy and this comes natural to me but Robyn is definitely a city girl.
She does not like insects at all;
I just love the raised little finger as she adds the ivy;
Then we put in the Holly;
These are pagan symbols of 'The Old Religions'. The Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe were sacred because they stayed green in the middle of winter when all the other leaves had fallen.
The wreath represents the 'Circle of Life' as winter makes way for spring.
By this time Robyn took over from me, she wasn't happy with my liberal use of string.
Also, there was a slight design fault. Some idiot forgot to check out the width of the front door when he started.... it didn't actually fit.
In fact it was big enough for a cathedral or perhaps it was the official kind of wreath a politician lays down, carried by a couple of soldiers.
We had to put it on a stand in the porch;
Here's the finished version, smelling of cinnamon and Christmas;
Wish us luck for Monday!
Neil Harris (a don't stop till you drop production)
