Sunshine and showers and the occasional flurry of snow was one the menu today. In the brief periods of sunshine I got out and cut some more wood - heavier pieces as yesterday I mainly cut up branch wood to provide the additional airflow necessary for a hot fire.

More cross stitch was achieved and I called up to the home of a friend with my patterns for the seasonal cross stitches. She wants to photocopy them with a view to making them herself. Her thread collection is more than likely up to the job of matching the requirements for the pattern, if she wants to do that. I suggested that instead of using the 16 gauge aida cloth she might consider the next size up to avoid going cross-eyed.

I have discovered that my pattern contains vast acreages of pale yellow, sewn with a single thread and only a half stitch, so I think I will leave that for sunnier weather when I can see what I am doing Meanwhile I am concentrating on an ear of wheat that will probably be finished some time in 2020.

The chicken has not defrosted yet. I have taken it out of the fridge and just put it out in the kitchen covered with a damp teatowel as the temperature in there is around 10 degrees. Hopefully it will be a baked dinner, if not tomorrow night (which is a bank-cleaning night) then the night after.

Tonight, instead, it will be cumberland sausages with mash and gravy