Lighting up time

Decorated the Christmas tree and put up the outside lights last night. The tree looks great, but then it should do, it cost a fortune even without the new lights. Yes, new lights again. Why is it that you can never find the spare bulbs? The outside lights were a bit more challenging. Hanging lights in the dark, in the rain and wind is not to be recommended. Yes the weather changed and made the weatherman right…eventually. I only fell off the ladder once. Christmas tree and outside lights. What a mix! Victorian tree (Dickens and Prince Albert) and trailer trash, fried chicken, flashing, chasing lights. We have an illuminated smiling snowman on the roof. But we don't have a steam train like the people up the lane by the stream. Steam trains? What the hell have steam trains got to do with Christmas? I think NOTHING! But you see them everywhere. Why? It must be an American thing. Or perhaps it's because B&Q sell them and we just buy them. Who knows? And you know what? I don't care. Christmas lights, trains, snowmen, bunnies, holly, ivy, goose, turkey, mistletoe, bah humbug, Santa, pud, cake…I love it all. At least until the day after boxing day when reality kicks back in. It really is a wonderful life - at least for a few days. It can rain and blow…and I don't care…because it's almost Christmas. The cottage is lit as brightly as an airport runway, the tree stands in the corner threatening to fall over with the weight of baubles that hang from its branches, the fridge and freezers contain every food known to man (and some that don't), the presents are bought, and I have alcohol in such volume that if I don't have a six foot, talking white rabbit for a friend by Christmas day then I should have. Talking of presents (was I), I was in Leidl today and found the most fantastic Christmas gift; a hotplate that holds six mini woks so that you can cook individual Chinese meals at the table…FANTASTIC! So fantastic that I bought it. Perhaps I'll give it to myself. Christmas lights, Christmas trains, and individual woks! How cool am I? No...Please don't answer that.