I think I've finally got everything under control this weekend – the house is tidy, washing and ironing up-to-date, bread and oatcakes baked, some of the presents wrapped (enough so that the ones left will be Christmassy task rather than a chore). I've even managed to wrap Mouse's enormous whole-roll-of-wrapping-paper-it's-obvious-what-it-is-but-we're-pretending-it's-a-surprise present.
And we managed to get the tree defrosted enough to put it up and decorate it. It was a little more last minute than usual because we'd left it lying at the side of the garage, so it got thoroughly snowed upon, and as it was still tied up, there was ice all the way through it. Handsome left it standing in the garage all yesterday, and it had absolutely no effect, so this morning we brought it into the utility room and it dripped gently all day (onto newspaper).
Handsome went and collected Hairy (along with Hairy's godfather who has been visiting this weekend, along with his godmother) from Glasgow, and Mouse and myself decorated the tree – we have to exclude Hairy and Handsome because Hairy just throws everything at the tree because he has no taste, and Handsome thinks it's funny to make the tree tasteless. Mouse and myself have made it all red and gold and glittery. Godfather threaded baubles, and Casper chased things around the floor and reminded us about not hanging anything too close to the floor if it was breakable.
It's snowing again… it's looking good for a white Christmas.
It's not like I have time to do this... 