Clever Eloise cat caught the mouse again and brought it to us.  Ten minutes later, she was back with its mate, also dead.  She was quietly proud and didn’t start eating them or anything, she’s fairly fastidious about food.  She was rewarded with a few cat snacks.  Although we never get a real mouse problem here (because I set traps, up to now), some are bound to come in – a house this age has gaps and crevices and they can certainly enter the attics if they want to.

Weeza – the daughter, that is – came over to visit this morning with the children.  The children are going to come and stay in a couple of weeks’ time, when LT will be away as it happens, so young Zerlina has been practising putting coal and logs on the fire, as I’ll still not be able to bend down fully.  When we bought our new stove, it came with a pair of splendid leather gauntlets, which are necessary as the handle gets too hot to touch with a bare hand.  We were so pleased with them that we ordered another pair for this room, and Zerlina used them for safety.  Obviously, she won’t stoke the fire unsupervised, but was very pleased to be trusted and to help Granny.  They’re very large on her but it doesn’t matter and they came well up her arms.

In other news, I think I’ve bought all the presents now and wrapped all but those that LT brought home today.  We’ll get a tree on Wednesday – oh, how jolly its putting-up will be – and food is planned.  Not to the last mouthful, we’re pretty relaxed about it all.  After all, what could possibly go wrong?