Why Make Plans?

David aka Marcel frequently quotes Spike Milligan's saying that if you don't have a plan then nothing can go wrong.  I'm not at all sure that in real life that's particularly accurate but I can't recall a day in the recent past when everything I planned came to fruition.  Take today for instance.  There is a croquet tournament on at our Club for four days starting today.  I'm not playing today nor tomorrow so I decided that today I would catch up with correspondence and reading a friend's draft degree dissertation.

Last night The Family were here for dinner and Wendy said that she was experimenting with a new dish for dinner today and would I like to accompany them all on their afternoon walk, a swim and dinner.  Of course I would.  After all it's the perfect outdoors weather ....... provided that you are not a farmer.

So we went for a walk:

How does he do that?

and then a quick back flip

OK let's just walk

or perhaps plank

no, walking's too simple

and finish off with a little exercise

And then some swimming.  Actually the amount of swimming was minimal.  Why do youngsters never just get into a swimming pool?

Dinner was excellent and all in all it was a splendid day and I even managed to read the dissertation twice so tomorrow I will be able to concentrate on digesting it properly.  Unless, of course, things turn out differently....

A Christmas Summary

At 1900hrs on Boxing Day the temperature in the shade on my deck was 28℃ (82℉) and, unusually for Hawkes Bay, it was quite humid.   I had every door and window open and there was a slight breeze but thank heaven that by the time it got dark and now that it's near time to hit the hay the aircon is working overtime.

It's been a quiet and very enjoyable Christmas. First breakfast and opening the stockings and presents. Then I came back to The Cottage whilst The Family went for a walk and then we spent the afternoon in the pool.  Dinner and Monopoly (Edinburgh version).  My particular days have not been helped by the fact that I developed a cold on Christmas Eve, snuffled my way through Christmas Day and blew my nose all the way through three large boxes of tissues today.  However I've discovered that if you have a thick head the best thing is a hot afternoon in the pool.  That was Christmas Day afternoon and was the best I felt for the three days.

The simplest presents can be the most interesting

and the most annoying

Doesn't everyone wear Mi Piaci pumps for breakfast (and drink Bucks Fizz).

Playing Piggy in the Middle: and I was expected to catch it that high! It even overshot Catriona by a mile

It took me a bit by surprise when I realised from this photo what a two-tone body I have.

I always know if I've got a cold (which, I'm pleased to say, is a rare occurrence) because I don't usually drink whisky but when I want a whisky mac (whisky and green ginger wine) I know that I have a cold.  I've got through quite a lot the last three evenings!  

Now for bed.

 

Some People Just Jump In

But not Fraser: