Happy Christmas? Happy New Year?!

I am back! Now, I do wish that I could say that this is courtesy of a thorough heart-to-heart with my wireless router.

However, the rather sad, more honest, truth is that I am only back online due to the discovery of a text file on my old laptop (hidden in plain sight) which contained details of my current router WEP key. Yup - I think that the less said about this entire affair, the better?

So very belatedly, I would like to wish you all a very heartfelt Happy New Year! Interestingly, I have been offline since the 19th December. So I have spent the last 24 hours catching up on email and blogs.

In fairness to all, there have been many worthy things posted over the festive season (2007 accomplishments and 2008 objectives etc.). However, there are two individual items that really stand out for me and should be celebrated properly:

1. Roobeedoo wed her First Love on the Isle of Skye on the 28th December 2007.
   
   R, 2007 was a very difficult year for you and FL. I am delighted that you have both rounded off the year on such a wonderful high - I truly wish you and FL the very best of everything for your future together.
   
   (Just in case you are a dedicated follower of bridal fashion, please click here too.)
   
   
2. Anna celebrated the first month of her little boy on the 24th December 2007.
   
   A, I am glad that the littlest Raitte arrived safe and sound in November and that one month in, he is adding such a large tablespoon of joy to your life.

On this uplifting note of goodwill to all, I would just like to share images of the three trees that dominated my Christmas and New Year:




Okay, it is a modest but this tree was the unexpected dense, bushy jewelled result of a frantic tree search late afternoon, the Saturday before Christmas Day (when every Garden Centre had sold out of anything that did not resemble a lonely desert cactus).










The owner of this tree commented that this was the best that anyone could expect if she was left to acquire a tree unsupervised, after it generated a certain amount of unkind hilarity.

(Please note that you cannot see from this angle that it is bald at the back).










This tree happened to be a lovely touch in a fantastic cottage that I stayed in over the New Year.

As you can see from the lit wood stove, the glass of bubbly and bowl of grapes...


...I did not suffer greatly in the beautiful, rural wilds of the Black Mountains.


Oh? What do you mean that this blog is supposed to be about knitting?

What? Does noone, except me, have time away from needles when family, friends and bloke descend?!

Nope - me either. I'll be back with relevant knitting info very soon!