The Soaplady

I don’t think I’ve ever been as glad to spend christmas at home, here in Breasclete, as I am this year …

My absence at family celebrations on the mainland was the result of a decision taken way before the weather became cold and the snow started to fall - more due to extraneous factors, and a wish to just have a good long rest, coupled with Mindy’s relief at not having to go to the Boarding Kennels for more than a week (though she points out that she’s always well looked-after there, and the foods not half bad, it’s just that she prefers her mum, and her comfy sofa … :- ).

I went home (to the mainland) for two weeks earlier, in October, and had a lovely time with my mum and dad, and my sisters. I think Dad was a bit startled that I didn’t want to ‘Do’ anything, or go anywhere, while I was there, and despite my protestations, kept up an endless list of invitations of places that Dad’s Taxi Service could ferry me to, shopping and the like … But I was more than happy just keeping mum company, helping to do meals, and generally watching tv together …  :- )

Now christmas seems finally to be here … and I confess that I listen to the traffic reports with a small measure of glee, knowing that I won’t have to venture farther than Stornoway as long as it continues …

Here, roads have been gritted, but ice re-forms overnight, and I’ve had to walk quite carefully and gingerly with Mindy (seeing her first snow this year!) just over our local roads … I’ve had one driving ‘fish-tail’ event, turning right at Leurbost, in a blinding snowstorm on Saturday - it was very frightening to feel the car going in a direction where it would’ve been impossible otherwise  to steer it, and I have to admit to driving the whole way home at 30mph, without full-beam, which just seemed to make vision worse …

That was my Xmas food shopping trip, and I came away with the following adjuncts to my normal shopping: a tub of ice-cream, Pringles, ingredients for my christmas gooseberry fool (gooseberries donated from the friendly Workforce’s freezer :- ), plenty of dog and cat food, ingredients for my special coconut-fried basmati rice, seven packs of Tesco plain naan bread, some oven chips, gouda, halloumi, parmigiano reggiano and three bags of easy-peel clementines … (well no need to go mad, is there … I am cheap to run … :- )

I have also splashed out upon new vinyl on my kitchen floor, and each time I walk in there, it fondles my eyes anew …!  Makes cooking a bit more enjoyable …

Monday the duck-food was delivered by Lewis Crofters, and Tuesday the coalman staggered under the weight of five unfeasibly-large bags of coal, and four bags of logs, now residing in my shed, for use on my roaring open fire which I tend to look forward to making up each evening …

I have never felt more like a squirrel perched upon an exceptionally large and comforting pile of nuts …! What more can one wish for, at christmas …!

Mindy and I are looking forward, starting Friday, to a couple of weeks of good long walks (usually our walks are constrained by time of some sort), with me double-gloved, scarved and hatted, pockets filled with mint imperials and a packet of ten proprietary menthol cigarettes for those outdoor moments when you just can’t make a roll-up, and my firebird outdoor lighter which jets a useable flame up every single time, gales, rain or storm …

We shall enjoy evenings on the sofa, in front of the fire, me with one of my treasure-trove of books (currently Stephen King ‘Under The Dome’), and her with one of her calcium chew-bones … We shall eat in the living-room, as our own little pack …

I shall have much more time for meditation, in order that I can join her in Living in the Moment … :- )

The very best Compliments of the Season to one and all, from myself, the (slightly) smug Soaplady, Mindy the maniac, Finn the black terror and Fauvey the queen of fluff …

Tags: christmas, christmas dinner, foul weather, home comforts, squirrel and nuts

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