" NO NO NO ...........

Dont make me watch Celine Dion ...."

T.

One of our longstanding CatCalls cats died this week , aged seventeen and a half . Always tough but for B and J it was so apparent that their cats were really part of the family and couldn't have been more treasured or loved . Affirming for us that the couple recognised that we would very much want to know the news and rang to let us know straight away . We're glad T had such a long and happy life and know that what B said was true , nothing else could have been done in her life to improve on it . Glad it was not long since we saw her and took care of her .

When its frenetic there comes a lull when suddenly everything is peaceful . Usually thats the time you fantasise about snow and looking out on a transformed world . Most of us will have a childhood memory of being shown out the back door , in my case into a garden, where snow was falling , on Christmas Eve . I'm told in England it happened very rarely , even in the north east where we had frequent snow , just rarely on Christmas Eve . But I know it happened once at least .
I've been trying to work out why it is that particular memories stand out and not others . I have a clear picture of us all at the farm , one Christmas night , before it was time to go home , the heavy red curtains pulled , the fire crackling , Laura and me reading a book called ( how can I remember this after all these years?) " The Boy Jesus " and drawn in muted shades, Greek style pictures , nativity scenes in turqouises and germolene pinks ( if you get my drift ) , with the occasional navy sky and silver stars . It was exquisite . We sat bunched on the sofa reading this book which was the present given to us three kids by our great aunt Gertie ( kids in families then got one shared presents from distant relatives , not one each . Our brother was no doubt playing on the floor with a toy tractor . We would have been surrounded by cats and collie dogs . The adults would have been talking , feeding the fire , passing sweets , dates and nuts , breaking open the latter with old fashioned crackers . Why this night and not a different one ? Nothing traumatic , nothing specially exciting .
Who knows ?
I'm amazed already at the things Nat doesn't remember that I thought she would .
I try not to think too hard of the things she will remember ........!!!

While I was at Debenhams ...( a tale of food sloppage and washing machines )

...the washing machine crashed . It made all the right noises , pretending to be doing its stuff but at the end of the cycle the clothes were all covered in bits of soap powder and some were wet and some were dry . Luckily Mr Westerby was contactable and in the area , six other washing machines in the area having taken the gee for Christmas , so he popped by , much to Alice's glee as he had just consumed a meat pie in the van and she was convinced a morsel was still lurking in his cheek somewhere .
His diagnosis was simple . The bearings had gone ,( and broken the drum ?) the belt had flown off and he wasn't commiting himself as to whether it was worth a repair , which would cost £90 . D shook his head but I was all for it . I like that machine , and I hate new machines , all those neon panels and parts that last even less time than the ones you currently have .

D asked when it could be done and ( looking straight at me ) Mr W joked " Eeh dont put me under pressure "
" Moi ? " I longed to say " Moi ? " Who washes perhaps two items per week and would happily do all my things by hand as I mostly wear sweaters anyway , and believe only jeans are tricky enough to really warrant a machine , and I know from experience that in an emergency they can be worn for several days ( weeks ? Hush your mouth woman you will have no friends ! ) without requiring the services of any kind of washing , so long as you fold them up nicely and pay close attention to your own personal hygiene ( come on we were all students once ) . And contrary to popular opinion I do change my personal items as frequently if not more so than other members of the household , I am simply more discreet , but that's another story .

Me ? I wanted to say ? put you under pressure ? For me after the New Year would be fine .

But not wanting to queer the pitch for N and D who have a load each a day and change outfits as often as I ( now I got some for my birthday ) reapply my Bobbi Brown lipgloss , thanks Nat, I keep my counsel . (Admittedly some of their frequent changing is due to their food sloppage . Not something in which I indulge )
Barely a meal passes without one of them disturbing the peace with a major outburst involving tomato ketchup , the utterance of expletives and a flurry of activity with a tissue or a wet floor cloth .)

So off he goes wheeling the machine with him , and I think back to last Christmas when by some strange quirk of fate we were without washer , dishwasher and heating ( though not the full system ) , and hot water , most of the time .
Isn't life grand .
Its that stage of Christmas where I have forgotten what I have bought .
I had started a list , which when I check . contains two items , bought way back in November , but that in itself is helpful as they were long forgotten .
But No Matter , we do have heating , the tree looks lovely , I got the things I needed today , I have a new book to read " Consequences " by Penelope Lively when I finish the Kate Morton book " The House at Riverton " and there is one of those wonderful tv things where drunk people are being picked up by the police for being incompetent on the roads which for some reason I am finding hilarious and Alice is sighing heavily at . ( oh look now she is so drunk she has jammed her hand in the car door. )

And best news of all . Kitty came downstairs tonight for a few minutes , first time since Alice moved in . Soon we will be back to normal , cats and all .
Bliss .

barcelona bears and rhino's bottom with small cat

casa camper barcelona

Though still not quite sure what a concept hotel is , I am sure about one thing , the concept was one I would be happy to revisit . Casa Camper hotel in Elisabeth Street off Las Ramblas is ultra modern , zen like , all red black and white and situated in an ancient building . Twenty five rooms , most of which we guessed would face a brick wall were it not that the walls had been transformed into a vertical garden with giant aspidistras in pots in a square arrangement . Each room was big , with a splendid wet room with shower head like an Amazon rain forest , and immediately two steps across the corridor another room , with hammock , sofa bed , desk , chairs , flat screen tv etc etc .

And possibly most revolutionary of all for a hotel , the twenty four hour provision of upmarket (free) snacks , displayed at all times and designed as we were advised by staff to help you feel " at home " . They were right , we behaved exactly as at home , grazing from morning till night , feasting though on a variety of goodies un heard of in our workaday kitchen . Freshly made soups , juices , cheeses , breads , pastas , salads , baked cheesecakes , chocolate brownies , and an array of nuts and seeds and fresh fruit .

Casa Camper Hotel came highly recommended according to the reviews and they were spot on .

Pearl wonders why the surplus furniture is still littering D s office ( cats not understanding the concept of the popped out disc one assumes ? ) , whilst Alice awaits our return from Malmaison last night having rearranged the contents of the sitting room somewhat including the demolition of the remains of a box of ferrero rocher ( dogs not appreciating that chocolate kills ?) . Butter wouldnt melt .