Category: december days

December Reflections 22: one year ago

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In a sunset sky streaked with reddish purple clouds, one patch stands out in startling iridescent pale blue.

I don’t seem to have taken a photo on 22nd December 2023, but here’s a nacreous cloud from the 23rd. And of course this was a leap year, so I did in fact take this 365 days ago.

It’s particularly pleasing to see interesting sky features around Christmas. I remember one year, staying with the in-laws, getting back from the midnight service as Christmas Eve turned into Christmas morning and looking up to see a shooting star. This year, as noted yesterday, it’s mostly been grey – but we’re not there yet.

December Reflections 20: gold

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A packet of 12 gilt plastic apple-shaped Christmas tree decorations

I’ve been spending more time (and also more money) in charity shops this year; it comes of spending more time in town. Yesterday I wandered into the Sue Ryder shop (with some assistance from a kind person who held the door for the pushchair) and found these golden apples. They reminded me immediately of a set of four polystyrene, white-leaved, iridescent-glittered apple-shaped Christmas tree decorations from my childhood. The fight over who got to put them on the tree was always vicious: for some reason the obvious solution, do one each, was unacceptable. So I bought these ones in a fit of nostalgia, and because I was already on a bit of a kick buying tree decorations that the toddler and the cat probably couldn’t break. I hope they’ll turn out to be not so much the apples of discord.

But they sparked some other associations, too. Narnia. Jesus Christ the apple tree. The fascination with orchards and walled gardens and fruit trees that’s been a fixture in my head since we first viewed this house, five winters ago, and realised that the bare trees against the garage wall had labels telling us what sort of pears they were. Martin Luther claiming that even if the world were going to end tomorrow, he would still plant his apple tree. (Was Nevil Shute thinking of that when he wrote his gardening couple facing down the apocalypse in On the Beach?)

The best time to plant an apple tree being twenty years ago. Well, our predecessors in this house did that for us. (Yes, apples as well as pears.) The second best time being now. As for the best time to convert an evergreen into an enchanted tree growing golden apples – well, probably Tuesday.

December Reflections 19: proud of myself for…

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Knitted sock in two shades of purple. The beginning of the second sock is still on the knitting needles.

Apparently I knit socks now. Which is another way of saying, persevering. I have learned how to knit in the round, on double-pointed needles, from a chart, in a fancy pattern.

And this pair in particular has called for some pig-headedness. The first one had several mistakes, and came out too big (I *did* knit a swatch, but clearly not a big enough one); with the second one I lost the game of yarn chicken so had to finish off in a different colour; then I unravelled the first one and started all over again.

Of course, with knitting it’s a choice to keep on going. One could easily put it back in the box and sulk; and quite often I do. With bigger, harder things it isn’t a choice: what else are you going to do? And yet I think we can be proud of ourselves for doing it.

(The pattern is ‘Christmas Eve’ from Niina Laitinen’s ‘Knitted Socks from Finland’, which I borrowed from the library purely on the strength of knowing the translator. I doubt I’ll get it done by Christmas Eve, but I’ve just renewed the book so I have it until 18 January…)

December Reflections 18: silver

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A card of stud earrings in various shapes and designs, including lizards, fruit, ammonites, gems,

I’ve been wearing stud earrings much more lately (used to go for dangly ones, but they just aren’t practical with little grabby hands around). Mostly gold-coloured ones, but I’ve picked up a few silver ones – the ammonites and the lizards were new this year.

I got an extra pair of ear piercings, too. It’s quite fun to experiment with different combinations – though what I’m wearing at the moment is more of a ‘first thing that came to hand’ and only one pair is strictly a pair. The trouble with studs is that I keep losing the backs.

December Reflections 16: memorable meal in 2024

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A faded painted sign advertising Kimberley Ales, half hidden behind a gazebo, some wheelie bins and some plastic crates

Well, you can ask for Kimberley Ales, but you won’t get them. However, our “bus crew: the next generation, and the generation after that” meal at the Cliff Inn, Crich, was enjoyable in every way. I am not sure that “those people who turned up every August bank holiday in the 1970s and drank the pub dry” are even a folk memory at the Cliff any more, but the current management made us extremely welcome and organised a meal for a dozen.

There is a song dating from those days, with the chorus, “Isn’t it grand, boys, to be drinking at Cliff”. Each verse begins “Look at [person]”, or, in my father’s case, “Regardez le Patron”. It’s a bit depressing to sing these days, as a lot of the subjects are now drinking in the bar up yonder. (To absent friends!) We did not, could not possibly, have done them justice, but it was at least something of a memorial, and I enjoyed it.

(This photo actually taken at the Tramway Museum, a little way up the hill. I didn’t end up taking any at the Cliff.)

December Reflections 15: glitter

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A red glittery battery operated tea light

I don’t think I have anything very intelligent to say about glitter. I am feeling slightly under the weather and have, this afternoon, discharged my final responsibility of the year in my biggest voluntary commitment. So I will just post this picture of a little red glittery battery operated tea light, and note that I am giving myself the evening off any sort of Christmas preparations – and drinking a whisky mac.

December Reflections 13: biggest lesson of 2024

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A full cup of coffee. A toddler's plastic beaker is visible in the background.

Capacity. There are only so many hours in a day, even when it’s not a scarce-seven-hours St Lucy’s day.

There is only so much work that I can fit into three days, only so much voluntary admin that I can fit into a toddler’s nap. And then I have to switch off, put the laptop away. No more pressing on until the task is finished. I can’t get away with that any more. I can’t afford the egotistical luxury of being the go-to person any more: I have to direct inquiries elsewhere, ask for help, leave things undone.

I still have a lot to learn about this.