The Advent of Advent

Not the green door...

For the wages of nuts, seeds and drinking water, we can admire the antics of three squirrels and a variety of birds - robins, thrushes, tits, nuthatches, starlings, jays, blackbirds, goldfinches, wrens, dunnocks, sparrows, pigeons, magpies, even the odd woodpecker, plus others I have forgotten.  DH put the last of the nuts out earlier in the week, so this morning we headed off to Webbs Winter Wonderland in search of further supplies. The entrance was not looking as inviting as usual - encased in wood, as if renovations were taking place. Apparently, they had been visited by ram raiders. At least they left the trio of singing reindeer behind...

Our visit to Webbs also gave the KHT the opportunity to explore their Christmas section, of which she thoroughly approves.
She gazed in wonder at the cute snow scenes.
We gaze in disbelief at the prices - £200 for that tat???
Having just liberated a dozen boxes of decorations from the loft - we know that we already have more decorations than we need, so we were well able to resist the temptation to buy yet more. However, I do have to confess to buying a new smaller Father Christmas earlier this week, which will look great on the mantlepiece. The four-foot tall version, purchased at the Gift Fair at the NEC a few years back, will probably go to the local charity shop this year, and make someone very happy.  Sorry mate, you are so last Christmas!

Then DH left us in town, so we could gaze in wonder at the decorations in the shopping centre, and do a bit of shopping. A lovely small present purchased for the youngest granddaughter, a pressy for the oldest granddaughter, and gifts for two of our favourite mature citizens...

The KHT has once more vowed to never go clothes shopping with me again, after she accidentally purchased a much needed item of clothing...  Her consolation prize was a trio of Christmas CD's, one of which definitely has potential, and I bought an Advent Candle....  Now the Advent Candle is usually the point at which I realise my magazine-perfect Christmas is not going to go to materialise, as I either mislay the blessed thing, and we spend all of December playing catch up - and failling, or forget it is lit, and burn down past day five on the first day of December...

Phew! So far, so good!

At the allotted time DH collected us up from town, before departing for a music rehearsal.  I assembled the Christmas Tree whilst the KHT reminisced about the good old days.
"Remember the old tree, it could stand on the floor... "
I say nothing. I just remember that the old house had higher ceilings, and quite often we didn't use the bottom part so it could stand on the end of the dining table in the bay window.
"Our old tree didn't come with lights already on it, we could choose our own lights..."
I remember how often the lights failed.... and remind her that it is all progress.

The KHT opens the first door on her advent calendar, the candle is lit.  Advent is under way.