Running out of boxes

 The past week has been one of going through cupboards and drawers, sorting and getting rid, which must sound boringly familiar now, plus  the weekly Trip to the Tip and the Charity shop, which seem to take up more time that we can spare.  No walks as it has been raining most days, but we did manage to have a good bonfire yesterday.  I was woken in the night by the staccato drumming of rain on the cat-slide roof over the craft room and everywhere is awash outside this morning.

It looks like a good day for making soup.  Here's a panful I made last week - Beef and Barley, and very good it was too, and mopped up a few more leeks from the freezer (I have been accused of hoarding leeks now, along with my many other shortcomings!) This was a proper stand-the-spoon-up-in soup, as you can see, made with the last meat and gravy from a casserole the previous evening.

I also made a couple of Chocolate Apple Cakes, one of which I froze.  With my brain as frazzled as it is from all the organization, I nearly forgot to double all the ingredients but made myself double-check.

If you can leave them long enough, these go wonderfully fudgy on top.

    We went to get more boxes (and ANOTHER giant roll of bubblewrap) from the Removal people yesterday, but were dismayed to find the dozen they gave us were the last in the building, because "everyone was moving" - yes, all well and good, but so are WE and paying them good money to do so.  Surely they must know when they are getting short and order a delivery of more. I have emailed and will be phoning today - they shut down for a fortnight at Christmas and I don't want to have to wait until the day before they start moving our stuff to pack the rest of the house! Ludicrous!   I think we'll have to go out for more banana boxes . . . but not before I've Had A Word . . .  MORE stress.  I can do without it.

Anyway, the Christmas tree has been bought and is a nice Nordman.  I don't do plastic trees.  It is in place and will be dressed today.

    We have had to arrange to swop presents with Gabby and Danny prior to Christmas and open them together via Skype on Christmas Day.  Gabby is coming up on Thursday for a socially distanced handover and then the presents will be quarantined until the 25th.  We have boxes of Danny's belongings to take down to him, along with his gifts, and wishing him a Merry Christmas will be done on the pavement outside his shared house . . .Carmarthenshire has a high number of cases now so we are not planning to venture to the shops any time soon.  No Christmas shopping trips here and I think the whole idea of 3 bubbles (or however many, depending on where you are) meeting up for Christmas is a blardy virus-explosion waiting to happen.  CRAZY.  Just for ONE year, cannot families stay in their own homes?  It's just ONE day - not worth risking lives over - however much you love your extended families and want to see them.

    Sorry, rant over.  Off to tackle another cupboard.