Christmas and New Year slowed the building work down during this two week period, but no bad thing really. We continued with the kitchen units on the sink side and built two stone walls to support the work tops. As with the last lot, none of the kitchen units are compatible with the doors so we had to redrill the units for every hinge we fitted. But that's done now and we are looking forward to tiling the room.

Christmas was very cosy and atmospheric and we had dinner at our chums: Ray and Ann, who have featured prominently in these pages. The other usual susects were Chris and Richard and daughter of the house Ali with husband James. All sounds a bit formal that, but can't leave anyone out now, can I? The dinner, incidentally, was cooked by pie bake off winner Ray, so needless to say it was amazing.
Myself and Christine inflicted seasonal injuries on ourselves. Mine was the result of a flying oven shelf which collided with my nose on Christmas Eve, and Christine gave herself a hefty roadrunner bump on her head and black eyes as a result of cat skateboarding Boxing Night: only recommended in open spaces uncluttered by bookshelves. I was going to feature our respective injuries but mine looks so miniscule against Christine's that it would have looked like I was setting her up for the cruel and malicious gaze of a prurient public..donc...I thought best not.

We spent New Year with mates Carl and Holly who visited us for the first time. Needless to say we were very very drunk.

I can't say Chris exactly embraces his namesake season, but he always compliments a christmas tree, I feel.

We've just had our first snowfall of the year, which is very nice. It's amazing how it covers up a multitude of sins. Now our rock pile looks quite Swiss.