First Day of Winter.

Cute photograph of the day.

Hi Friends.

Welcome to the 1st of December and the first day of 

the Meteorological winter. With temperatures getting down to -5.8 C, it has been a tad nippy, but as all boaters know we are snug as bugs in rugs. 

With it being the 1st of December, it was time to get the decorations out of the hold and to get them up.

Who remembers paper chains?

I remember as a child making them out of crepe paper and glue. These days they are patterned and have a glue strip already at the end of the strip. Some I have seen have self adhesive strips, so no having to lick them. The ones we bought for £1 at the Original Factory Shop, have a glue strip on them and you have to lick them like a stamp, but easy to do and quick drying. I really enjoyed putting them together, it bought back happy memories of making them at primary school.

 Keith helped me put up the fairy lights and the paper chain decorations. I then got on with dressing our tree, which maybe small, but is beautifully formed. In such a confined space we cannot have a big tree. Marmite would most certainly climb it if it was any bigger.

Our fairy lights are flashing ones, but I tend to have them either static or slow flashing, because they make my eyes go queer if they flash to fast. So this will be our saloon for the month and we hope Santa appreciates everything we have done to welcome him on Christmas Eve. 

Although it was not as cold this morning, clearly Marmite did not agree, because having lit the back cabin stove Marmite was determined to get as close as she could to the heat.

I know cats do not like the cold, but she really takes it to the extreme. Looking at this photograph, I really must get on and clean the back cabin over the weekend.

Decorations up, lunch eaten it was dentist time. Yes the appointment I hate going to every year. I am not a lover of the dentist and this all stems back to my childhood, when at primary school we have a dentists lorry come into the car park and we would visit the dentist in his van. We all called it the death wagon, because we always saw children go into the van, but never saw them come back out. What we failed to realize was, there was another door out of the back of the van. Anyway I had to have a tooth out. I was given gas an the tooth was pulled out. I felt so ill afterwards and the dentist was horrible. He had big bushy eyebrows and menacing eyes. Well that was how I saw him as a child. The whole experience scared me and meant that I have always been scared of going to the dentist. Over the years, the fear has eased mainly due to the fact the dentists I have had, have been so lovely and this applies to the lady dentist I have now. 

Having arrived at our dentist, I was called in first. She was incredibly gentle and reassuring, which puts me at my ease. Joy of joys all's I needed was a quick clean. If I do not have any problems, I will see her again next year. After the dentist, we walked into town to get Keith's prescriptions and to do a bit of shopping. The town is really gearing up for Christmas now, with the shop windows full of Christmas trees and goodies. I must admit I am really looking forward to Christmas this year, because last year I was very poorly for the whole of Christmas and the New Year, which ended with me losing seven kilograms and being up on two very strong antibiotics. I am really looking forward to eating and being merry.

Home to the warmth of the boat, with both the stoves generating lots of lovely heat. Marmite was snoozing in the back cabin and Paddy was in his bed. 

Dinner was Cheese on Toast (I know exciting). I will be feet up and glued to the TV for 'I'm a Celebrity' again. I wonder who will go tonight?

I was a bit surprised Carol Vorderman went last night. I was never that keen on her, but have seen her in a whole new light, whilst she has been in the jungle. She was definitely the mother in the camp. I reckon Scarlett or Larry could win it now. I love the pair of them. 

I do have a quandary, because 'Who Do You Think You Are' is on at 9 pm, and 'I'm A Celebrity' starts at 8.30 pm and goes on till 10 pm, so I am going to have to watch one of them on iplayer I think. 

Time to go. Stay safe and warm out there my friends.