Two Sleeps

It is going to be so very fine going to bed tonight and knowing that I don't have to get up to take the hard-working Hannah to work for 4 am. I'm writing this with a wee gin by my side, Hannah is off to her staff do and Bert is making supper. 

Bert also shopped today and made a very good job of it. I had listed three lemons and he came back with three lemons and two limes because that was cheaper than three lemons alone. He also wrote one card and was almost in tears because he said he has 'forgotten how to write.' I had to show him how to make the letter 'f'. Obviously, he must sell no plant that contains the letter 'f'. Now let me think - clematis, Parthenocissus, lonicera, hedera, solanum. No 'f' anywhere there. He used to sell standard fuchsias and they were beautiful. He told me that he stopped because they kept falling over when he delivered them but I reckon the true reason was because he couldn't make an 'f' when he was writing the invoices. 

 One beautiful standard fuchsia, three interested punters. The one in the cap is Bert's late father. And the dogs are our first dogs.That's how long it is since Bert sold fuchsias. 

Christmas preparations so far -

Baked Sicilian Orange & Almond Cake.
Brought Christmas Tree into the house.
Collected Christmas decorations from attic.
Bought sherry for trifle.
Forced Bert to write a Christmas card (see above)
Gave up on wreath. Too stormy to source ivy and berried cotoneaster.