Advent Hope

Oh dear, I was so hoping to do my first Advent post actually on the first Sunday in Advent, 

but now I'm just hoping to squeeze it in before the end of Monday!

I am sincerely hoping to get my 1500 word essay finished tomorrow,

as I am also sincerely hoping to be ready for Thursday night's Advent event.

I am hoping that Jo's cold and very sore nose will get better,

and that no-one will need a doctor this week.

I am hoping that we all get out to work and school

on time

for the rest of the week.

I am hoping that now that Jo's transfer test is over, over, over

he can get back to enjoying school,

but I hope that I will not forget to help him with his craft homework

tomorrow

and I do so hope I can do that and finish my essay and get

ready for Advent.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hoping that all you lovely American folk will have a precious day off with family, regardless of pastry and pies and roast beast. You are already such a daily example of thanksgiving to me x

Pause

 Look at the height of those suns. That's my eye level looking mostly at their eye level. 'Twill soon be Mags in the Land of the Giants as oft I have feared. I realise that you're not looking at their eyes, and that indeed you are looking deliberately at the back of those precious heads. Soon they will be old enough to smear themselves all over the Sinternet, but until then their story is (mostly) safe with me.

Today we were by some stroke of divine humour actually stirring up on Stir Up Sunday. In went the wishes. They were very long wishes. That's a worry! My position for much of today's baking was actually on that there stool in the top corner, with my cup of tea. After the Christmas Cake (not Pudding) was safely concocted Jo made his first entirely single-handed cake. And very fine cake it is too. I sat on that there stool in the corner with my cup of tea and thought things. Mostly to do with boys who get bigger.

Ang at Tracing Rainbows is, as you all know, running another wonderful year of Pause in Advent, when so many wise women of the east, west, north and south of wherever ponder all sorts of things in their hearts. I love Advent!

Our daily bread

 Mattman baked his first loaf of bread this week. It was Savoury Irish Bread week in Home Economics this week and he came bolting out of school brandishing his box and a smile. There were three mouthfuls left! Two were buttered and left for Jo and Dad.

 I have been soaking lots of fruit in lots of brandy and ginger wine for Christmas cakes, but I haven't got much further than that, despite today's great plans, because Prince Charming has had the fire lit in here all day, and it's very hard to leave!

 Jo did the second of his three transfer papers for Big School this morning. Two down and one to go, and then it will be Christmas! So we're all at very humble stages of getting things done this week- all very ordinary, common activities that don't set the world alight, but that are nonetheless filled with lots of personal satisfaction. They're the sort of things that warm the house in gentle ways.

This weekend winter wanted to make sure that we knew it was here. We had lots of stormy snow last night, that didn't lie, but left us with low temperatures and the stark beauty of November in all its fullness. I do continue to love November! It is my time of my getting ready, quietly, gently, humbly.

What I have discovered this month though is the website of Our Daily Bread. The photography is lovely, the resources are extensive, and the readings are very helpful indeed. Love to you all, and to you all a good night x