December/January

The last few months have been relatively eventful. Liz had her gall bladder removed after waiting more than a year. She is relieved about that and can once more eat fish and chips, if I don't get there first. The operation was conducted like an outpatient affair, she went in in the morning and I collected her at five in the afternoon, she spent four weeks at home before finally going back to work, not a minute too soon. The tail end of summer was a little damp so we were unable to go out very often, although we did manage a couple of auctions. We now have a fish tank set up in the lounge, it looks like a jungle as the plants are going crazy and the fish are battling to find each other. We finally got rid of the old Mondeo and are once again the owners of a Japanese vehicle, Toyota Avensis, with more room in it for any auction purchases. Autumn has arrived and it looks truly magnificent outside with all the leaves turning or lying on the ground, I can see my next job getting ready, the leaves are falling off a tree that is for the chop this year, it has to go, we have enough in the garden and had a small scare with a blocked drain, not caused by this tree, but it is a potential problem in the future. Robyn has started her final year at university and seems to be enjoying it. She has had a couple of visits from her big sister, but we haven't been to see her this year, maybe before the snows etc. arrive we will pay her a visit. The goldfish pond has done well this year and a few of the baby fish, born during the summer, have survived and have joined the large fish as they are no longer bite size.

We had our annual Halloween braai, with everyone getting smoked, but they seemed to have a good time in spite of that and once again sadza was the popular addition to the menu. Liz did her scary bit again, personally I think she just looked normal.

Winter has arrived here with a vengeance, we have had quite a while when temperatures were below -2C. It was quite chilly riding in to work and one morning my customers were all telling me their car temperatures were reading -7C and in some cases -7.5C, fancy cars, why can't they be happy without the .5, I tell them that my car can't see the point, or else that my ears are reading -7.3 recurring, take that! The countryside around here has been white, even the trees, with frost, not snow although we have now had some. There are , of course, the usual reports of people being stuck at the airports, it was the same last year, how unjust! The top of the pond is frozen solid and I could probably skate on it, if it was big enough. 

Michael, Liz's brother, and his girlfriend joined us for the new year, much alcohol was consumed and Michael got out his squeeze box one night so we had a little sing along. Liz has been having blood tests , as the doctor was not happy with the results, she had to go to Huntingdon to see a specialist. She has decided to lay off booze for a bit to see if that helps, it should help to make the booze last longer! Catriona has got engaged to Bobby, they plan to marry in May next year.