Gosh, it's already Saturday. I hope you all had a wonderful, peaceful Christmas, as did we. Thanks to all for the bumper array of cards this year. Christmas Day passed quietly and happily for us. The woofs have been enjoying the turkey, and Andrew has boiled up the carcass to make large quantities of stock, which is now in the freezer, ready to enrich our risottoes in the months ahead. Boxing Day passed quietly too, with nibbles and books to read. Went down the Cardiff house today. The journey this morning was enriched by the spectacular views through the Brecon Beacons. Frosted tops on the peaks, frozen waterfalls and low winter sunlight that blazed over the hills. Gorgeous. On the way back, we were horrified by the traffic queues that had built up around the Cyfartha Retail Park in Merthyr. Fortunately we were heading north so were able to sail past the long miserable queues. What kind of lunatic would want to go shopping so soon after Christmas? On the way back we listened to the CD by the Killers, that I bought for Andrew for Christmas. Really great.

I must say I love these days between Christmas and the New Year. There is an agreeable sense of all normal rules being suspended, with time for pottering, and meals at odd hours, and visits to relatives, and new books to read. In our family home, it was always like this, with long daytime walks with dogs, and evenings spent in front of the fire with books to read and glasses of enjoyable drinks, and a pleasant absence of clockwatching. So much of our normal life is governed by time - appointments, routine, a sense of rush and busyness - it is a precious gift to enjoy a few days that are pleasantly without these, especially as the run up to Christmas is a time which is always busy if not frantic. I like the sense of relaxed companionship with Andrew, with the dogs snoozing gently. As I write this, Booty is napping behind me, her legs stretched out contentedly and Andy is on the sofa with Andrew.

I attach some festive photographs. Tomorrow I am travelling down to Swansea to visit favourite auntie and possibly to visit friend Liz on the way back. Finally, I must say that I loved the new Wallace and Gromit film and Doctor Who was great.