Only 24 More Shopping Days

I can't believe it but my holiday shopping is almost completed. Wrapping is another matter entirely. It's just after midnight and I've put the finishing touches on 12 dozen cookies for the Lisbon ARTS Gallery Christmas Fair cookie walk. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this concept, I'll explain. You purchase a festively decorated coffee tin, either the one pound or three pound size and wander down the length of tables filled with all sorts of confections. Choose the cookies you want and stuff them into the can. Pay the attendant and go home with a tin full of home baked goodies to enjoy yourself or to give as gifts. The gallery has it's members saving coffee cans throughout the year and just before the event we all are slaves to the oven. It has proven to be an excellent way to subsidise our treasury. While I'm at the Rocks, Carl will be cooking up a storm at the gallery craft fair. He has caused quite a commotion among the vendors attending our annual event with his version of an "egg mcmuffin" handed to the crafters at no charge while they are getting their displays ready for the public. And as the heading of this post suggests, the Christmas countdown has begun. I only hope we receive an appreciable amount of snow before the holiday decorations disappear for another year. For the past few years, the Lion and The Rose Bed and Breakfast has asked me to take photos of their Victorian Inn with all it's Yuletide finery in place. The sad part is the snow hasn't been there for the dazzling image I have in my head, leaving me with the photo you see here, taken of the establishment during warmer weather. Maybe this is the year, Chris and Roger !