The week where I lost all common sense and met Kate Rusby!

A couple of weeks ago a friend asked me whether she should paint a room just before Christmas. "No, of course not, why add to the list?" was my reply. Why indeed? Which does not explain in any way why last week I had a complete flight of fancy and decided to paint one of the rooms downstairs. No Christmas cards have been written, no presents wrapped, but the room is freshly painted and the mess has been cleared!

Why after dithering about painting this room for two years and living happily with the tester pot in the garden shed for the same amount of time should I choose now to do it. What is this inner imperative that makes us feel that everything should be done before 25th? Anyway, done, tidied and I'm happy with the results. Normal service can now be resumed!



It's a soft, powdery, calm and chalky blue and it pretties up the room.



I'm finally at the stage where the decorations can come out.



Little birds hiding in the berries and holly.



Glitter and sequins in little corners of the room. The cats have yet to find them, they're still too busy with the tree!



Here is one of them caught redhanded, eyeing up her next smash and grab. They seem to be going for the pink ones judging by the ones I found this weekend in their stash (yes i know where you're putting them, left hand corner under the sofa) and I've given up all attempts at artistically arranging the recovered baubles they're just placed on the tree wherever and whenver we found them. Frustrating for me and very, very tiring for them!



We had a busy weekend too, Staff pantos at Big Sister's school, school plays, family get together on Sunday and Saturday night, finally after months of waiting, we got to go to the Kate Rusby concert! We all love her, we went last year but this time was the first for little sister who kept whispering to me that she had to remind herself that this was not telly, that this was real life! For months we'd been on countdown to the concert. Couldn't resist these baubles she'd designed and they've been placed right at the top of the tree as I'm not sure if the cats are Kate fans too.



I'd emailed her record company earlier this month, planning a surprise for the girls and after much shuffling around and secret sign making between M and I, we were ushered back into the concert hall afterwards where Kate was waiting for us on stage! As she chatted with us, I have never seen my girls so shocked/ thrilled/ dumbstruck/ flushed and quiet! Kate was as lovely and warm and natural as she appears on stage. It was difficult getting the girls to go to sleep at all on Saturday! Oooh I love Christmas.