Early hours, advent biscuits and shedding.

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1. At one point, in the early hours, I have both children in bed with me. I warm my back on whatever it is they came looking for in the cooling dark.

2. Two heavy parcels arrive for the children: a godfather has sent advent biscuits.

3. When I open the door to put boxes out, I find the front garden is blanketed with drifts of lemon-yellow fallen stars, and I can see the cold sky stars through the acer's bare branches.

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