
I love the New Year fireworks from Sadiq Khan, although not the most celebratory of New Years for me. I didn't feel up to our annual event in the village hall - a combination off being terrified of germs (there seem to be a lot about) and not having the energy to socialise never mind stay up until midnight. I did manage to make my usual contribution by producing a delicious Blackberry, Plum and Bay Friand Bake (from Ottolenghi Simple) but stayed out of the way.
The week since Christmas slipped by. We had a feast for Christmas lunch cooked by Alastair and a delicious pudding cooked by us all on stir up Sunday. Lucy and Zoe visited on Boxing Day; there were lots of Pusheens around and Zoe did the nicest drawings; I like the gender neutral babies:

I also like these abstracts by Yvonne Thomas:

I’ve been holed up in my pink room thinking about painting and putting some of the 222 Bach CD’s I got for Christmas onto my devices. The Bach 333 is a curated edition of Bach’s work to mark the 333rd anniversary of his birth. The 280 hours of music will enrich my Bach collection and I’ll be listening to more Bach than ever; no excuse for not listening everyday now! Given that half of them are cantatas I will need to educate myself abut those, but will be able to use the books and DVD included in the collection.
I am expecting to get an appointment with the surgeon at Papworth within the month after which all being well I should go on to the transplant list. So 2019 looks to be a big year for me. It is also the year I become an artist as I have had my entry confirmed for the Norfolk and Norwich Open Studios.
I am still working to develop my small oil paintings:

I will start to frame some of them this month which I hope will show them off in a better way (certainly better than my photos do)
This week I have an appointment with the Palliative Medicine Consultant who at least is happy to prescribe in a less cautious way than the GPs which is helping with symptom control until I get transplanted.
Singing group is up and running again on Friday after the festive break too. So despite the sparkly reverie of Christmas and New Year I'm glad it's all over now; although I do hate dismantling the tree and shutting all the decorations away for another year as it always leaves the house looking a bit bare until you get used to it again.