Taglaughter

3BT – I saw it too, turn on/turn off, ice crystals

1. A squirrel appears on the fence just a foot away from Boron. He stares at it without moving and it stares back for a moment before escaping into the tree. Boron turns around to look at me – his eyes are shining with excitement and we share a blink.

2. I hear music and John’s laughter from the other room. He’s discovered these marvellous things: http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Most-Useless-Machine/.

3. Our neighbour, fresh back from Banff, Canada, tells us about what it was like to breath ice crystals.

3BT – laughter, beauty/ugly, alone-together time

1. I go downstairs and Tom is there. He arrived with John, via Paul’s housewarming party, in the early hours of the morning, after I’d long gone to bed. Over breakfast, we discuss art history and laugh raucously.

2. Later, we get the bus into Leeds together. Under the snow, the first part of the journey feels even more like being in the middle of the country. Everywhere we look is a scene from a Christmas card – except for the racist propaganda stickers stuck on the adverts above the windows. They unpeel easily and we screw them up into little balls.

3. We say hasty goodbyes to Tom as he runs off the bus to meet a friend. Alone for the first time since in what feels like weeks (our illnesses were like unwelcome house guests before actual, more welcome, guests arrived), John and I have the afternoon together, indulging ourselves – lunch at Art’s, our beloved doughnuts & coffee for dessert, then drinks at North Bar. Good food but even better company. ;)

3BT – sugar, snow, dinner, snow #2

1) Jeremy returns from the shop with an armful of mini cakes. The sugar high silliness starts before we’d even open the packets.

2) Eyes light up, fingers point, the woman at the fish and chip shop will be delighted – it’s snowing outside. Soon we’ll start talking about the inevitable, unnecessary traffic chaos that will ensue but for the moment, we enjoy the novelty of the sky falling down.

3) We exchange anecdotes and in-jokes over our Christmas meal. The food and the company are both excellent. The whole team together for the first time.

4) When we get home, we peek out onto the world transformed – the first time we’ve seen our garden and the woods filled with snow. The stray light from around and about is reflected back to us, letting us see further in the dark woods than normal. The snow on the balcony – around the cat flap – is undisturbed but with a bit of encouragement, Carbon steps out. He makes it a few steps before turning around and running back inside.

(Oops, forgot this one. It should be 3.5: I discover celery and honey go strangely well together, the second unexpectedly nice combination of the week. The first was strawberry flavoured sugar-free Calpol and toothpaste.)

3BT – breakfast, village essence, alternative soundtrack

1) It’s late (past noon) even though I’ve been up for hours but I have a wonderful breakfast. The cold milk, the crunchy cereal, the perfectly brewed tea.

2) The people at the Post Office – Judith & Chris – are lovely. The actual village around here has long since dissipated but the spirit of it still lives on in a small way with them.

3) Bad films are made good by funny friends.

3BT – next year, jokes, chilled

Felt awful again this morning but starting to feel more human again now. Just in time for Monday and work. Two weekends in a row lost to Team Peach illness now, boo.

1) After a day of health-promoting rest, I have a long soak in the bath. I find myself thinking about what herbs and vegetables I’d like to grow around the garden and house next year. We’ll still be limited by sunlight to some degree but not as much as before. The possibilities are exciting.

2) Carla stays at my side for most of my time in the bath and as I’m just about to get out, she moves from her safe, comfortable spot on the steps to the side of the bath itself. Her tail is looped around her side and starts aloft, but gradually drops down until it’s skimming the water – then suddenly, completely submerged. I don’t say anything because I think it will be funny for her to get a wet tail but the joke is on me – as soon as she notices, she flicks it upright – showering me in the face with all the absorbed water. I laugh and wonder if cats have enough planning capability for practical jokes.

3) Chilled by winter, water fresh from the tap is the perfect temperature for soothing a still raw throat.