And that's another year over

I must apologise that after a fairly good run of blogs I have fizzled out towards the end of the year. Here we are on the last day of 2009, and one of my resolutions is that I will try harder next year to keep my blog going. The reason for the lapse, and this not an excuse but an explanation, is that after I finished with Peter Pan, the pantomime, I have been filling up the available hours working on Peter Pan, 'the novel'. When I have already spent large parts of the day sitting in front of the computer typing, the last thing I want to do is spend another block of time blogging. The good news though is that the book is coming on, and more importantly we are both enjoying the process. Sheila is writing some cracking descriptive and action pieces, while I am concentrating more on dialogue. I think the answer might be to do a quick blog every morning before I start work on the bigger project.
Richard and I have just celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. We had a lovely meal at the local 'Bistro' as travelling any further than the village centre is out of the question at the moment with as much snow as we have. The temperature today is not too bad a 0.3 degrees, but that is the first time it has been above freezing for at least a week. Two days ago it never got above -14 degrees all day and at one point it was -17.5. The air going into your lungs was unbelievably cold, and my cheeks and teeth were aching with the cold after a five minute walk. There has been fresh snow every night and it must be 12 inches deep in our garden. The village is beautiful though and the view of the mountains from my living room is picture postcard stuff.
Thank goodness for shopping online. We weren't travelling to USA this year but at least I could send some gifts to Debbie and Marty and my grandchildren and know that they would get there in time. It was necessary, this year, because of the weather to also use online shopping for Richard, and he for me. I ordered a metal detector at 3pm on 23rd December, and it arrived at 11am on the 24th! Amazing! Richard ordered a sewing machine for me at the same time....still waiting though. It was lovely to see Claire and Yngvar the week before Christmas...popping over for a weekend from Norway is somewhat easier than Dubai....and they were able to deliver and pick up their pressies.
We went carol singing in the local hotels, for charity, on Christmas Eve and raised £220 to be shared between Erskine and Starlight. Christmas day was quiet but very enjoyable, Allan and May and Mr and Mrs Oakley came on Boxing day and stayed until Sunday, we had drinks and nibbles at a cocktail party on Monday, Tuesday was our anniversary dinner, last night was a much needed night in (Richard has a touch of man flu)and tonight, being Hogmanay, anything could happen! Castleton Dancers are performing tonight in the Fife Arms between 9.00 and 10.00, and after that, if we feel like it we may pop up to the Moorfield to see the New Year in. What we won't be doing is going to the Village Hall Ceilidh. When we first came here 5 years ago, that wee Ceilidh was great, good music and good company - mostly locals of all ages. Then 3 years ago and every year since it has been inundated with folk just looking to get legless and the hall committee has done nothing to change that. They say they are selling up to 250 tickets at the door. That hall comfortably holds 70 - 80 for a ceilidh, 100 makes it full. You can imagine the wall to wall bodies if there are 250 in there! It is such a shame. There is possibly a need to offer an alternative venue next year...a private 'tickets in advance' Ceilidh in Castleton Hall maybe. Trouble is nobody wants to split the village. Ah well, next year, we shall see.
Hope all my blog readers had a great Christmas, and I wish you all the best for 2010.