Boxing Day

Quite a few things never seem to go out of fashion with children. Cardboard boxes are one. We made a den out of a large cardboard box today. A paper plate fixed with a paper clip made a good steering wheel or dial or whatever imagination let it be.

Prunes are good for you

 A sunny day. So it was good to get out in the garden and do some pruning. I used a hedge trimmer to shape some of the bushes at fence level. One of the hydrangeas had grown too large so it had a very severe cutback. The garden looks much neater already.

Does anyone else like jigsaws, they seem particularly apt at this time of the year. I have one that has sweet wrappers from years ago. Most sweets are still around today but some are no more - Weekend, Bar Six, Banjo to name a few that have disappeared.

Just another year.

 Nearly the end of the year. All the presents have been opened. There is one present that certainly lasts the time. Lego. Whilst the children have new kits to make and play with, Lego from years and years ago is still eagerly played with. What a magnificent toy for children's fun and imagination.

Localised.

 More Christmas shopping. I despise shopping on the internet so it was nice to have time to browse the local shops with their individual items and chat to the staff. Whether a chain store or an individual shop it is much better for the soul to support the local community rather than some faceless usually American owned internet organisation.

Christmas shopping

 A visit to the hospital today but beforehand we had time to do some Christmas shopping. It was nice to be out and about.

The consultant at the hospital signed me off, nothing more could be done but I was to carry on with the nasal sprays. Will I be able to taste Christmas dinner? Probably not. Again.

Someone is pulling the wool over...

A walk round Alexandra Park in the evening to see the lights that have been installed as part of Christmas decorations. Then to see the bollards along Hill Road that have been covered with a variety of wooly jumpers. Some fantastic designs.

Who nose?

Two years to the day since I lost my senses of taste and smell.

I have got used to it by now, sometimes I can almost smell a random small selection of things, garlic, perfume, toast. Other days nothing. So something must work occasionally. But one taste that has always been completely blank since this started is mint. Toothpaste has absolutely no smell or taste at all. I hope that it comes back and then all the others might return too.