Domestic comforts

It's been cold, wet, windy, stormy and the village is full of colds, coughs and general winter bleurgghness to which Jean-Luc and I have succumbed.

 It was a hard autumn with Jean-Luc's father sadly dying after a long hospital stay and frankly neither of us have been at our best either physically or mentally.
So this winter we closed the doors, pulled the curtains, snuggled down and embraced some home comforts.

Friends were met and good company enjoyed.

My sister, brother in law and niece visited en route to spend Christmas in Scotland.
It was lovely to see them however briefly.

I can't believe how much she's grown.

 Blankets have been finished.

 Books bought.

New challenges embraced.

 

 Fires and passive solar heating enjoyed.

 Homemade sashimi devoured.

Art appreciated.

A beautiful oil painting by a local artist - Paddy Campbell

Jean-Luc gave me this picture for Christmas, we'd seen it at a local open art exhibition.  I'd spent weeks raving about it to friends, one of whom sat next to me at the pub and listened to me witter on, entered into a deep discussion on art and artists and the beauty of the palette work in this painting; all the while not giving away one iota that she knew Jean-Luc had purchased the painting.  She really lived up to her nickname of Bletchley!