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well, the biggest day in the Christian calendar is only a month away!
I'm prepared to accept Christmas in the shops now, i'd, pre Covid, be heading to the Weihnachtsmarkt this coming week, you can't beat a mug of Gluhwein with a bowl of Grunkohl or apple fritters whilst visiting the markets, early evening they are just coming to life with live music and friends/families meeting up - maybe next year.
Apart from getting more Trixie finished, this week has been quite 'ordinary'. Monday i spent writing, yesterday was a bike ride and today was a trip to IKEA. Yup, nothing too exciting.
Okay, i'll give you a bit more than that, We'll skip Monday as that was quite boring except to tell you that I awoke to quite a heavy frost, the temperature never getting above 5c all day, so we'll start with the bike ride.
It was slightly warmer than Monday when i emerged from my cocoon - no frost at least but still only a couple of degrees above that point, by the time i was ready in almost full thermals it was a little warmer but not by much. The roads were dry but the cloud low holding the cold to the ground as i headed for the Cotswold edge, I was well over that and heading across to Malmesbury before i came even remotely close to 'warm'! I had a vague plan for the day but i forgot to pick up the right map so i was working by memory and the Mad Compass.
Just before Royal Wootton Bassett i changed direction from east to north, a trajectory that would pass over the upper reaches of the Thames and on to Cirencester which seemed like a good spot for lunch. There wasn't much traffic until i reached my destination with its dastardly one way system where i had to take evasive action from a stupid woman reversing at speed towards me! She was called some not nice things i can tell you, anyhow i found a seat outside the parish church for to eat my pilchard sarnies and observe the good burghers hurrying about in the cold.
There were over 70km on the clock before i escaped the one way system so i decided on the more direct route back towards Brizzle across the Cotswolds, a route devoid of significant climbs but nevertheless far from flat. I've ridden most of the roads hereabouts whilst i've been in Cabotville but i did find a few km of new tarmac as i circumnavigated Tetbury (home to the future King). Once off the edge my route was all about missing schools traffic and early commuters which added a little to the total before i landed at Bev's gaff in the dark, 145km ridden and a reasonable 1100m of up completed.
After the disruption of the possesion rescue over the last few weeks i've gone from just ahead of schedule to a good bit behind again - reaching the 10k mile target is gonna be touch and go, some 1500km in 4 weeks!
Today has been quite busy, laundry, trip to IKEA - over 7km on foot, writing and a teensy bit of sorting. The trip to the Swedish shop was only a partial success, the item i went for wasn't available but on the plus side the restaurant was quiet and i have most of my festive present buying done! Of course, i'm perpetually skint so i'm not buying expensive gifts for anyone (well grandson #1 has had a bit more spent on him) so for those few people who i do gift i set a per person limit which this year is £3 (about $4.50 at current exchange)! With that tight a budget you really have to be inventive and i try to have a combination of fun and practical things, this year there's everything from a digital alarm clock to a pot brush, sweets to toys - its like a very random secret Santa!
At the weekend i'll embark on the wrapping and card writing - hows that for organised!
I'm working on the next chapter of the new Trixie as i mentioned before, its going quite well even if the writing isn't going that quickly. Part of the reason for that is my slow typing speed but i'm slowed too by needing to do a bit of research and the constant need to refer to the first two volumes to ensure continuity. And then of course there are the unforeseen twists to the plot which may appear throw away but may affect things down the line - the result is that it can take upwards of 6 hours to put 2000 words to paper (figuratively speaking!) so please be patient with me.
Today i've posted the second Maddy's View 'chapter'. Its not terribly long but you do get another Drew/Gaby illustration!
Until Sunday
Tschussie,
Madeline Anafrid
Comments
Weihnachtsmarkt
A good call to cancel coming to Germany for the Weihnachtsmarkt and the Glühwein. The pandemic is really exploding here and everybody -- from scientists to politicians -- is pleading and begging for everybody to significantly reduce social contacts, practice social distancing and get vaccinated and/or boostered. Alcohol consumption is cited a the most significant contributing factor for violations of hygiene rules. And each day more Christmas markets are canceled and/or closed.
Jessica
AFAIK the Christkindlmarkt in
AFAIK the Christkindlmarkt in Munich has been canceled. The one in Bremen is still going. At the moment the further you go in the SE direction in Germany the worse the infection gets. It seems that especially the Bavarians and Thuringians need extra "incentives" to drive it into their thick skulls to get vaccinated. :-( So the NW of Germany looks good, for now. But if you want to visit, make sure that you're completely vaccinated, please, otherwise you won't get snacks or drinks at the booths.
I am
supposed to be spending Xmas on the Rhein near Koblenz - its only 4 weeks away so its still not certain to happen. I am of course full vaxxed and i get the booster in a fortnight, i even have all the paperwork ready.
If i actually get to travel we will miss any markets as we travel on the 23rd!
Madeline Anafrid Bell
Don't give up hope …
… at least over here (a few hundred km eastward of your target area) the Weihnachtsmarkt will be closed on 24th and 25th, but then stay open until the 29th.
So maybe you will find some place in Rheinland that also will be open until after christmas.
It may be the biggest day in the Christian calendar
for those who don't take their religion seriously, but for the devout, I suspect Easter is bigger, after all, it's part of the basic tenet of Christianity, resurrection and the rest of the myth.
Angharad
you'd
think but who wants to celebrate death?
On a personal level, being more of the atheist bent, its an excuse to eat, drink and be merry in the cold dark months we have at these higher latitudes!
Madeline Anafrid Bell
Not looking good for Crimble
With Austria in a full lockdown... who is next?
Then there is the new variant from southern Africa.
Anyone who thought that was light at the end of the tunnel (other than those who deny the thing is nothing more than a bad dose of flu) are IMHO, sadly mistaken.
I had a bit of a disaster today with the car. I wrecked a brake calliper and disk thanks to a shard of steel that I picked up on the M40 near Warwick in the sleet and snow. I had to come back by train and I was astounded by the number of people who were not wearing a mask. With 50,000 cases a day, why do people want to risk it? Even fully vax'd you can still get it mostly mildly but you can spread it to others. Not good IMHO.
I won't be surprised if crimble is canned (Again).
Samantha
ooo
canned crimble - what flavours does it come in?
Madeline Anafrid Bell