Fireplace warmth......

My DVD of the fire has arrived, and Mother and I have been sitting in front of the TV watching the flames flicker and we love it. And the crackles and hisses and sparks just add to the whole Fire Experience. I swear you do feel warmer. Actually, I think that it relaxes you beautifully and so you don't feel all tense and therefore you get warmer. Or something.

WHATEVER.

It works! I can watch a fireplace in my lounge without having spent all the money to get a real one. For now. Genius, Vee!! And thank you, David (for the Amazon voucher) - I love my Christmas present!

It is wet outside, and decidedly chilly. My diagnosis of ignition coil failure in my old car was spot on. Bob, my mechanic angel, arrived early and he and I both knew what was wrong. And we only had to try 2 before we found the one which had died. I do not wish to have this exceptional car engine diagnostic skill. And he did ask, in pointed fashion, when I thought I would be getting something new(er). It is coming to that sort of time, I fear. But it goes! And that horrible little engine warning light which means STOP!! is no longer flashing at me in that annoying way.

So the daughter headed out to wander round some shops, and Mother and I sat in front of my fire.

I may be mentioning the fire quite frequently.

Heaven help us all the day I do get a real fire. I may never stop talking about it. I may even have to call the blog Reflections from the Fireside or something similar.

I love fires.

One can safely say that the fire is bringing a huge amount of joy into my day.

The delight was rudely disrupted by Diana screeching "Mouse! Mouse! HUGE MOUSE!!! GIANT MOUSE! RAT!! RAT!!" at the top of her voice. She was standing at the kitchen window when she saw something large and grey and rat like just outside on my potting table. It took off, of course, followed by David and me. I was brandishing an umbrella. My weapon of choice. It had vanished. But, armed with industrial strength rat killer, I gingerly opened the shed door and poured a copious amount onto a dish and slammed the door. I then, aided by David, piled even more into the nooks and crannies of the garden and under the potting table. If it shows up and dines, it will die. Excellent.

And then I had to call my friend in Scotland back on the phone, because I was talking to her when the daughter started screeching, and I slammed the phone down to go and investigate the rodent. My friend may have thought we were being attacked by some ferocious animals.

You may remember that I loathe rodents. I am not sure that rats have any decent reason for being alive, personally. I may be wrong. But I can't come up with any valid reason for them to exist, so I will use all means necessary to dispatch this one. And any relatives which may or may not be accompanying it.

I like to be thorough.

On a totally different note - your comments and messages have been so fantastic, and they have left me feeling all glowing and embarrassed, but thank you all so much. You are so kind. And it means a huge amount to me. I am just one woman making her way through the minefields of life. Isn't it funny how our lives take such amazingly complicated twists and turns at times? I am willing to bet that none of us anticipated the way things have worked out over the years. Each choice we have made, or made as families, couples, etc, has set us off on an even more unique path. Maze.

I seem to specialise in the intricate twirly swirly kind. Think Christmas tree lights before they are untangled. All I can say is that the path is interesting. The scenery different. No time to get bored. And you are all very welcome to hop aboard and join me on it. (I suddenly have this picture of a mobility scooter with 20 of us piled on top of each other.)(I have no intention of getting a mobility scooter so I have no idea where that came from.)

Anyway.

I think I should go and check the rat poison levels.....................