It has been gently snowing in flurries the last few days, but there is no real accumulation, it just looks pretty. Christmas is fast approaching and the expense is piling up (bah humbug).

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Jules asked me to chop down another tree from the garden for our indoor christmas tree. I jump up to do this because it means I can play with the chainsaw.... despite the trunk only being 3" wide.... (any excuse)

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Julie's car (Ford Focus 2005) wouldn't start yesterday. The battery was completely flat. Typical.... just before christmas we have to go and buy a battery! So trip out today turned into a expensive one, $112 for the battery,  $50 for alcohol (beer, sherry and wine), $64 to fill the petrol tank on my Ford Escape (55 litres ish),  and a partridge in a pear tree! On the plus side Jules has whipped up a  beautiful Sherry trifle and some sausage rolls. .

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Kathryn's Chrysler Neon (2001) has a flat tyre so I have attempted to change the for the temporary spare but someone has torqued the wheel nuts on with at 4000/lb per sq in (or I am just getting to old to undo the bloody thing). Anyway she has to take it to a service centre to get it changed ($75 .... but not mine ).

Tonight we are going visiting and taking the sausage rolls  as a 'potluck contribution'... oh well easy come, easy go. I will have to push her to produce a double batch next time.

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I wonder if I can get away with claiming the car battery for Jules is a christmas pressie?