Wolverine of Ember

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This was an exciting day, as Bird Baby turned up in the morning and stayed until lunch. She was not entirely pleased when her daddy left her in this place which I think she only sort of remembered. I showed her the big box of toy animals that I brought down from the attic, and we sorted them and made animal noises, and she quickly decided we were okay. We walked around the house and she pointed to her favorite magnets on the refrigerator and took note of the piano. After the animals, we unpacked a box of child-size hand bells that the Sparrowhawk used for practice when he was in a hand bell choir. She enjoyed getting the hang of making them ring. I was singing "Oh, Mary, oh Martha, oh Mary, ring them bells!" She had snack with Great-Uncle Sparrowhawk--a little toast and fruit. And then Dr. Nurse arrived to pick her up. But I persuaded her to stay a bit. While Bird Baby ate her official lunch of ham and peas, packed by her dad, Dr. Nurse had some toast and cheese and soup. It wasn't very splendid, but I haven't been shopping since we got home. Dr. Nurse kindly ate a bite of Grandfather's 100th birthday cake, even though she doesn't have much of a sweet tooth. Altogether, a pretty successful morning.

I got out for a brisk walk before a catch-up Zoom with a friend in the afternoon. When I got up, the sun was blazing in through the window, and the sky was blue. As I was putting my jacket on, I checked the weather (temperature 23, feels like 17), and it said that flurries were expected. "Oh, nonsense," I said, looking at the sunny sky. But sure enough, as soon as I got out there, dark clouds occluded the sky, and it started snowing. The cold didn't do my knees any favor. The pond is freezing over. I very rapidly made beef stroganoff plus mashed potatoes, carrots and cabbage for dinner, so we'd have time to eat before going out. Both of us had social gatherings with different people. Snow! Christmas lights! And now we're very glad to be back home.