Warm wishes for the day.... in blackpropaganda

This morning it is C10 degrees outside - no wind, sun breaking through - and last year at this time there were major storms - it just shows how you forget when all that stuff happened. Anyway, it does mean we are saving on the heating - and have even done a bit of pruning in the hope that the frost stays away for another week.

We have had our first Christmas card - it is always from the same couple - now that is a tradition for you! The cards based upon my paintings have been printed by a friend who always does a great job. She lives in the country and we organised a hand over yesterday in our local Starfucks, which she always uses. I am not a great fan of the chain - but I bought her her usual flat white and then wrote a cheque having been handed a large plastic bag with the cards. It could have been a consignment of drugs, but no one was bothered.This the earliest we have had them, and so we should not be under pressure to send them out. We must be the only people sending over 100 cards per year - but it is a great way to keep in touch with a lot of people - and many of them collect my cards and even keep them up during the year.

The Advent Calendar goes up today - and there is always a wonderful service on BBC Radio Three for Advent Sunday from St John’s College, Cambridge in the afternoon - much less well publicised than the King’s College service on Christmas Eve - but has really good music. Just to say that we have Radio 3 on all day in the background - you never know what gems of classical music will come on.

Anyway, happy St Andrew’s Day, may your kilt never blow in the wind exposing your neeps and taties

and a little English humour