I'll start this post with a photo for Helen, we get nice sunsets too. This one's taken from our bedroom window and I think it rivals the Falklands.
Well, still no mince pies made but I will get them done, promise. I have been busy helping the school with preparations for the christmas play. Painting scenery and sewing. Since we woke up to snow yesterday morning

I spent the morning sewing up waistcoats that we had cut out at school on Friday. Got 15 done and then it's back to school on Monday to get the other 25 done. The children spent all morning outside playing in that small amount of snow. It's amazing what fun you can have with a little snow.

We met up with Angela and the girls yesterday for lunch and then went into town for the St Andrews Day Fair celebrations. Frankly, we shouldn't have bothered, they were a bit of a let down and it was freezing cold. Lily & Daisy got balloon animals made up and we had chestnuts (roasting on an open fire - which I had never tried before) then it was back home for a warming cup of tea.

This was the scene this morning when we woke up, loads of snow (for St Andrews in November anyway), so they are all off sledging and I have just had a phone call to cancel the christmas choir that Tom was to be singing in today at Kellie Castle. The decision has been made that the roads are too dangerous to travel on. It's a shame as I was looking forward to visiting the castle and browsing the goodies to buy at the Victorian Christmas Fair.

Oh, well I guess that means we shall just have to light the fire and stay toasty and warm indoors all day. It's snowing really hard and its really windy at the moment so I don't know how long the sledgers will last outside. I reckon hot chocolate will be required on their return. Fantastic.

Well, I'm not quite the domestic goddess after all. The mincemeat is still sitting in a jar on the kitchen counter where I left it last Wednesday and not a single mince pie has been made. I have a feeling I shall have to post out my invites before I get round to making the pies. Why am I so unmotivated to do anything? I wonder. Saying that, I did volunteer to help paint scenery and sew costumes for the school play. I'm happy to do that but not make my own stuff or exercise myself. Hmm, answers on a postcard please.

I held the book club here last week and so, for once was able to enjoy a glass of wine with the discussion. Unfortunately I felt a bit shabby the next day but was informed it was a head cold I was suffering from and not a hangover. I like that idea, I'd never heard it before.

We had a lovely quiet weekend, Tom had rugby practice on Saturday but no game on Sunday and Nick had to go to a Remembrance Day Service in St Andrews.

After we all got back from that we sat down to a delicious roast beef and yorkshire pudding lunch (domestic goddess again!). As I sat down to eat it I thought to myself I should really take a photo of this plate of food. Unfortunately as it looked so good it never got passed the thought stage and I tucked into it so quickly the photo of my half eaten meal wouldn't have done the food justice.

Domestic Goddess

Mission accomplished, mars bar krispie, banana muffins and a big batch of mincemeat. Now all I

need to do is make a start on the mince pies - at least I have an excuse at the moment as the mincemeat needs to infuse and is still waiting on the brandy and cooking part of the process.

Busy Busy

Well, we made it to the bonfire night, obviously I did forget my camera again but Nick took these pics with his phone. What a lifesaver.

It was raining but the heat from the bonfire helped to keep us warm and was also drying us at the same time.

After the firework display finished we decided to come straight home instead of going onto the party at the mess as we were all knackered and Nick was to get up at 5.30 am the next day. Why? I hear you ask - not for work but to get a taxi, train, bus, plane to London so he could meet up with his dad & brother amongst others to watch the England rugby team play New Zealand at Twickenham! Crazy, sports obsessed man.

I took Tom to his rugby practice and then we just lazed around at home for the rest of the day. Nick got home very late that night, apparently he just missed a train at Edinburgh and had to wait around for the next one.

On Sunday we had friends round for lunch which was lovely, Eleanor and Stuart have 2 little boys aged 2 & 4. You forget what that involves! So after a chaotic lunch the boys all went out for a walk to the park to use up some of their energy while Eleanor and I relaxed in front of the fire.

This morning I had to whizz round to Morrisons to get some rolls to make up the childrens pack lunches as we had ran out of my supply in the freezer and of course I need to go back again later on this morning as I am hosting book club tonight and whilst I remembered to pick up some crisps I forgot to get some dips. I also need to make banana muffins and mars bar krispie cake for snacks for Tom & Lily and I must, must, must make a start on my mincemeat.

I have also volunteered to help out at school to paint scenery and/or make costumes for the christmas play, have I mentioned Tom got the lead part and is playing Scrooge? Anyway, I need to be at school after lunch to get started on that so I better get off the computer and get on with things.

Tom did really well in his race, he ran his mile in 5 minutes 40 secs.
Then on Sunday it was off down to Madrascals Rugby Tournament. It was a glorious day

and fun was had by all. Even me who was stuck in the clubhouse cooking up hotdogs and then selling them, Lily helped out too and was giving out change to our customers.

Afterwards my friend Frances came up from Glasgow to stay overnight with us. It was nice catching up and then pottering around all the local shops in St Andrews on Monday followed by lunch out at Con Panna (cheese toastie and mushroom soup - delicious) before Fran caught the bus back home.

I have bought all my ingredients for making mincemeat but have yet to find the time to make it up, maybe on Monday I'll get round to it. I can smell it already, fantastic! Then I shall need to clear some space in the freezer for all the mince pies that need to be made for our christmas party.

As it's the 5th today we are off to the station bonfire tonight, quite looking forward to it, need to remember to take my camera.