back from holiday and still in one piece!!

Apart from the fact that there is still one weekend away to go, I have thoroughly enjoyed the mad rush of summer this year, and being able to spend time with so many of my friends. At the same time I am quite glad that it is over and I can start to think about things I want to do for myself again!! Like my scrapping - sadly neglected these last few weeks and I am dying to get started again! And with the start of STRICTLY last night, it heralds the coming of CHRISTMAS as well!!! 13 weeks and we will be celebrating it and I have done NOTHING yet!!!! No cake in the fridge, soaking up the alcohol and smelling delicious; no looking in the cookery books for a reminder of what we like to eat etc. I have to start soon! We are going over the see Becci's new home this weekend so we can hopefully zoom round Tesco's and buy any necessry ingredients then......I love autumn. It is so lovely outside at the moment and the leaves are just beginning to turn and an abundance of cobwebs adorn the bushes and plants in the garden. There is a chill in hte air but it is still 17C and super out there. We have been cycling this week and Ann and I are going for a ride this afternoon. Pete is at a spiritual workshop all day - which he had totally forgotten about until Danielle rang last night!!! I think he will enjoy it when he is there though - do him good. Tim is at his girlfriends and I am here home alone apart from the cats and the radio! By the way, my email is not working so I cannot read anything at the moment! It is very frustrating knowing that there are probably ones I want to read and I cannot access them at all. So please forgive me if you have sent me one and I haven't replied to it! About STRICTLY: well the men started the show and I think the rubgy player had the best dance of the night. He was very good for the first outing, but I did think that 'Winnie the Pooh" did look so sweet waltzing!!! Bruno described him perfectly and I hope he stays a little longer! Next week the ladies get their chance so until then, impossible to say who our favourites are. I will be polling those I know who watch to see what they think, so any views at this stage are most welcome!! I loved MERLIN that came on afterwards too. Better than TESS which was disappointing compared to the original version of many years ago and of course, the book itself. It is watchable and will precis the book neatly for anyone who hasn't read Hardy before. Me, I have practically all his books and am a fan!!! I had a super time in Dorset last week too - great weather and good company, and wonderful to be back home again. We went to see Anne and Max too, which was very special for me. they are very dear friends who are having a tough time with Annes illness right now. I appreciated being able to see them at this time. Well, time to go on and do some chores before Ann gets here! How time flies.......................