“How lovely to see you, come on in out of the wind.
I am sorry I had to re-arrange our garden centre visit. We will try again next month.
It is so good to see you, how have you been? You look well and I see you have brought me some of your artwork to hold in my hands.”

I show you into the sitting room, past Pepsi who wants to say hello and over to my chair.
“Throw the cushions on the floor if you don’t want them, there’s only me & Peps who like them, the boys don’t understand cushions and re-arrange them on to the floor in the evening” I say despairingly.
“Would you like tea this afternoon? I have the tray ready and have some mince pies!” The look on your face makes me smile. “I know, but I can’t resist them once I see them in the shops”.

“I found this lovely box of teacups the other day when I was having a tidy up and thought of you. I won them in a raffle some years ago. I was running a stall raising awareness for the Alzheimer’s society and these cups in their pretty box were in the raffle. I bought a ticket and said that I wanted to win them; nothing else would be suitable, just these… and I did! I nearly fainted. I have never used them until today”.

I would tell you how excited I am that I took your advice and asked on the blog if anyone would be interested in a swap.
“I have 24 names on my contact list! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am. I am busy making my tree decoration right now.”
You ask me what else I am doing and I launch into the madness that is my craft room.
“I have a fabric bowl to make for another gift, this time for my lunch group. We have decided to exchange gifts but they must fit into the jam jar we have been given.
I am weaving a small wall hanging on my peg loom, Paul bought it for me, he thought it would be fun and maybe I would use up some of the fabric I have stashed away…Ha Ha, foolish man! I saw some beautiful recycled sari yarn and bought 3 balls of it to weave! Leaving my fabric stash at the same height.
I have quilted some Christmas fabric squares together to make a couple of heart decorations”… and we talk about how to finish them.

As we drink our tea we talk about our family plans for Christmas. Mine will be here as usual, my brother will stay over for a few days and some more family will visit between Christmas and New Year. We all love being home for the holiday.
We laugh because everyone seems to be talking about Christmas already! We decide that it is because the shops have their Christmas stock out that’s made us think about it and it is November!

“I seem to have so much on at the moment, that’s why I’m not blogging much I sometimes get overwhelmed, then I will begin to have strange dreams”.
I make you laugh when I tell you how I deal with that. “If you have another mince pie I will show you”.

I go up stairs and underneath my printer I have an A3 piece of paper with a mind map drawn on it. Mind maps are new to me. I found that once I had completed it on the day I learnt how to do it, I felt so much better so I folded it up, put it away and only refer to it when I am overwhelmed! I read it, maybe cross off a few things, maybe put some colour on it , maybe re-route a few things and as I read and amend it, Hey Ho I magically feel better, and in control. How mad is that? But, it works for me.

“Oh my, look at the time; the afternoon has flown by. I must collect my car from the garage before they close. I have had three things break down on me in the last week or so; My car, my Mac and my sewing machine. I don’t know which was the worst? I’m not sure I could choose.

Oh! just before you go, a few days ago I posted a picture and twenty words (another of Abi’s great ideas) about the wind and my neighbours garden furniture covers?

“I think they have disappeared for good as it’s been like this for a few days now!”

With thanks to Abi for this lovely idea of sharing a virtual cup of tea and a catch up once a month.