Starting my blog

It was watching Alan Yentob's wonderful programme "Imagine" about the Internet that prompted me to start a blog. So I e-mailed Michael in New York as he has his own web site and would know what to do. He directed me to his friends blog which gave me the links to Google to set up on www.blogger.com, couldn't be easier.

Since when there has hardly been time to post an entry. First thing on Saturday was our annual trip to Worlds End Garden Centre to choose a Christmas tree and a Poinsettia. This has been a tradition for many years, which was nearly broken when Alison was considering a false tree. Fortunately the real tree won, mainly because I had bought replacement screws for the base which can be filled with water. Much the best solution to needle drop.

Saturday morning was glorious with clear blue skies and a chill in the air, not the unseasonal mild weather of the last few weeks. My late morning walk started at the main car park in Wendover Woods and headed towards and down Aston Hill, past the mountain bike area. At the bottom of the hill headed across the fields to Leafy Lane and then up the hill to join the Ridgeway at the top in Pavis Wood. The walk along the top of the escarpment through the wood is one of my favourites. The wood here is only a narrow band taking in the hillside and a level strip next to fields. With only a few beech leaves left clinging to the odd branch, it felt very different to the last time a few weeks ago when autumn colours had turned only on exposed trees.

Followed the Ridgeway across a meadow, where last time there were a number of very young calves and new or expectant mothers, towards the outskirts of Wendover Woods. A walk of 1 hour 50 minutes. Met one very young and bouncy red setter, whose owner had no chance of controlling, turned out to be friendly enough.

Sunday started cold and bright but soon disintegrated into cloud and rain in the afternoon. Managed to put up the outside lights in the morning (last in the close as usual), and cleared the last of the fallen leaves. Put up the decorations in the afternoon and dressed the tree - probably over-dressed with tinsel and the baubles we have collected over the years. Those brought back from Florida always taking centre stage.

Watched "Housewife 49" in the evening, most interesting for the young women in 1940 when my mum would have been the same age.