..on YouTube.

I was supposed to be at the ballet this evening, but I have sciatica! So painful. Noway I could sit in the theatre for a few hours. I gave my ticket to a young student friend who is doing theatre studies so at least that is nice.

Watching it on YouTube to see what I am missing while waiting for painkillers to take effect.

Pondering my new word cherish (I ponder a lot!) I was thinking of the differences between love and cherish. I love my home but cherishing it requires effort or action. It's as if loving my home is just a given, something I take for granted, but to cherish  it doesn't just happen.this is a rather belated addition to the 3rd January post.

How are you getting on with your word for the year?

..with the winter comforts in our safe warm homes. So lucky.

Some serious hygge is required to combat the windy wild wet days we are having, but my laptop is refusing to upload my photographs - sorry! :-(

Will keep trying.

..if you are clutter clearing (and aren't we all?).

If I lost this item would I go out and buy another?

Will someone one day tap me on the shoulder and say 'Well done for keeping this for thirty years' ?

Is anyone actually going to be happier if I keep this thing?

Do you have any to add that work for you?

..got a wildlife camera fpr Christmas.  She installed it at 4.45.
 

At 4.53 she got this photo on her phone.

And at 4.55 this one.!

How beautiful is this?

The artwork, the elegant lettering and the perfectly made  box. A little work of art.

I would love to know what this says. Anyone speak Japanese?

The only words in English say apple baked cake, and it llooks like the other ingredient is chestnuts. I
have taasted a few cakes in the cafe in the Edinburgh branch of Uniqlo. One had green tea in it, another red bean paste and I found them not too sweet but with odd textures. This one is lovely - very light and like a British sponge cake in texture.

I have never been to Japan (I know you have Lucille). Books, art and films and ceramics assure me it is a fascinating culture. I bought the wooden dollin a Japanese shop in York.

Have you been? Thank you to the friends of friends who brought the cake back from their recent trip.

..to the new year was to have very dear friends to stay. The weather was amazing - freezing cold  but bright  sunlight and blue skies by day, and by night moonlight so bright  we could hardly beleive it. One short flurry of snow which made us turn aruond on our walk and hurry back to the fire and a bowl of soup.

However, today I find myself hoovering up the remaining treats - the cream, the stollen, the giant cinnamon biscuits, the cheesy nibbles,  the remains of a bottle of red wine and a very interesting cake from Japan.

Quite a lot!

Oh dear.

..for a walk to collect some ivy.

Christmas is being tidied away, but it is still winter and ivy makes a beautiful decoration around the house.

..a word for your year? To choose one you have to give a bit of thought  to how you want 2026 to be for you which is surely a wise thing to do anyway.

My word is going to be cherish.

I looked up some definition of cherish - to protect and care for lovingly, to hold dear, to deeply love and value, to care for tenderly, to keep or cultivate with care and affection.

I have not yet quite put my finger on why this word feels right...am still pondering..

..on a froosty walk into a new year.

I have so enjoyed your company through 2025. Wishing you everythhing you would wish yourself for 2926

I'm enjoying taking time to create a core wardrobe for winter (but noot taking it too seriously) and not including underwear and nightwear, wellington boots and gardenng clothes or the thick jacket that hangs at the bacck door.

Shoes (I have so many I don't wear).  I've picked out flat boots, bootd with a heel, dressier heels and house shoes. I really dislike slippers.

Favourite jewellery, some of it Swedish.

Hat and gloves - the gloves are from Shetland.

I have lots of scarves which are necessary in minus five and with snow forecast next week!  Exciting but concerning as I have guests coming..

The websites on Capsule Wardrobes talk a lot about the stress of organising a wardrobe and choosing what to wear, but I have to say clothes are my fun.

After selecting the clothes I will wear for the next few months, it was fun to think about which are my favourites, that is which ones make me feel good when I wear them.

This was my Christmas treat from The White Company sale. It's very very soft and light with a tiny sparkle in the yarn. The necklace from COS falls differently each time you wear it. 

This is the bargain priced top I bought  on my day in York at the beginning of December. Really easy to wear. I can't remember where I bought the necklace which sits exactly in the shape of the neckline as if it was made for it.  I wore it on Christmas Day.

This oversize top is cosy and snuggly on a cold night.

Are you wearing the things you feel good in? If not, why not?

I also noticed there are two things there I don't actually like..

 
..between special events seems a good opportunity to investigate an idea that has intruiged me for years. The Capsule Wardrobe.

I looked up Courtenay Carver's website foor motivation really as I think I understand thee concept quite well. I've never taken the time to try it out.

So here goes...

I have way too many clothes squeezed into my everyday wardrobe space, so the task was to remove all the items I am unlikely to wear in the next few months.

Quite a pile! The easy part is that I am not making decisions about these items just now - I am just putting them out of sight in the wardrobe in the guest bedroom.

Years ago I bought white hangers from IKEA, but a few plastic and wooden ones have crept in, so moved them out. Nice. It's the small things.

 
Winter wardrobe ready to go .Like with like.

From right to left
Warm dressing gown
3 pairs of jeans
 8 ong sleeved coTton T shirts in plain colours
2 dressier tops
8 jumpers of different thicknesses
1 linen shirt
2 sweatshirts
1 tweed jacket
1 wool coat
1 wool dress

More than enough!

We followed the Schoolhouse Burn, past the horse chestnut tree and the small hydro station

up into the forest

past he Laird's grave

and back down onto the road .Only about 40 minutes but very refreshing in the cold air.

Thank you for all your kind wishes and I do hope you have all had a lovely break.

..comfort and joy this Christmas.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches.

I did this little painting years ago and just bring it out at Christmas.

Today I share it with you all, and thank you all for being here.

Happy Christmas.

..about Christmas. If anything..

I cherish the traditions both national ones (King's College  Cambridge on Christmas Eve) and family ones. I cherish the messages from friends included with their cards, I cherish the lit trees in house windows seen  on adark journeys. I cherish memories of past Christmases, and the memory of my lovely friend Elaine, whose funeral I attended today.

I think I may have found my word for 2026.

..don't you think?

I lost a few pounds during my sugar free November and am nearly at my goal weight and feeling good. So, the cunning strategy is to eat light and super-healthy for a few days before Christmas and a few days after so as not to sabotage my progress yet still enjoy some  special treats.

I am about to juice this lot.

Taken at 15.46. Facing west, sunset on the shortest day.

Maybe just a hint of pink in the western sky.

..about having the house perfect! A quite unnecessary ambition. But one small area in each room looking festive and pretty is very pleasing and easy to achieve.

 A more extravagant supermarket bunch of flowers than usual makes me feel very celebratory. I've never seen conifer and cones  with lilies before, and I think they look wonderful.

You don't have to have the upmarket stores to get great flowers. Both Morrison's and the Coop here have really lovely bouquets in stunning colour combinations for £10.

Will you treat yourself?

..I am watching Nigella Christmas videos. Plan to make her spiced nuts and red cabbage , red onion and cranberry dish.

Now let's see if I can get back to sleep..

I am so happy to hear that Britain will be once again part of the Erasmus scheme.  I was lucky enough to be an Erasmus student in my mid foeties, studying landscape design in Sweden and Venice, two fascinating and very different cultures. I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences of my life.

..like old friends..