1. The vacuum cleaner lifts the dust and shines the surface of the floor.
2. The tacky circular sound that happens when I peel off a generous strip of washi tape for present wrapping. It's difficult to describe sounds, and even with recording technology, these workaday noises will one day be lost.
3. Each stitch, though small by itself, brings me closer.
1. I realise later -- much, much later -- that the lady in Lush handing me perfume samples was a very effective grounding exercise.
2. The crunchy feel of splitting sticks of leggy green winter celery.
3. Reaching under the tree to find the end of the Christmas lights.
1. Goldfinches, painted like they're going to war, crowd the bird feeders.
2. We meet my cousin's partner for the first time, and it feels like she will fit right in.
3. I was pretty pleased to find the fishmonger selling whole smoked mackerel at the weekend. Now I strip off the oily skin, pick out the bones and break the meat into my pasta.
1. While I catch up with the advent candle I begin to clean the sitting room ready for the tree.
2. A smaller embroidery hoop came in the post. That's better.
3. I have to admit that this is not a joke I understand -- but hearing that is just as useful to her as the explanations of the references I do get but she does not.
1. Soft voice from under his hoodie, telling me about Yahtzee strategies and tactics.
2. Lunch with coffee and editorial chatter -- we lay out our hopes and wants and needs for 2026.
3. She is very insistent that she's going to wrap my purchase in royal purple tissue -- even though I say there's no need as I'm not going far.
1. Much that I would like to sit and visit for longer packed in with red and crimson cushions and blankets, lit by a bright window and drinking good coffee, eating snacks and hearing news and wise council, I have to go back to work. But I am delayed in the hall (as usual) by a print of the garden of Eden. It's a rare one, I discover, because the set was lost in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
2. I drop fistfuls of dice into my pockets, ready for this evening's game -- we've had a long health break to overcome sickness and injury, but as soon as we could, we got back to the table.
3. Like hobbits, even though we are comfortably full, we are taking just one last taste of our favourites.
1. In the small hours, I finish the e-book I've borrowed from the library and change it for the next one in the series.
2. We finish the persimmons, which are almost glowing they are so ripe and juicy.
3. The sound of my children squabbling gently over a game.