Three Beautiful Things

1. The post has brought a new Fortean Times, which promises lurid tales of panic about satanic toys -- just in time for Christmas shopping. 2. I have a few minutes to wait and I spend it looking at the bright simple graphics on tinplate toys in a shop window. 3. The joyful news that our friends are soon to be grandparents. 

1. I've had the vague, jittery kind of headache all day and don't really want to take anyone out for hot chocolate -- but sit down in the window, a chat and a huge mug of sweet chai sorts me right out. 2. We cross the road then stop and have a good look at the illuminated Christmas unicorn rearing above the tall laurel hedge. 3. I'd heard through the grape vine that she'd had an accident: to see her in person, cheerful and healing.

1. I enact a one-person mutiny at the thought of making pancakes for breakfast -- I've always done it, but today, I just don't want to. Nick asks where the recipe is, and when I come downstairs he is making the batter. Later, we show Bettany how to cook and flip a pancake. 2. I step away from the market stall we are admiring because I'm about to sneeze. I sneeze once, which is a relief, and then I sneeze a lot of times. When I stop, I get a round of applause and some congratulations. Bettany, meanwhile, has sidled away because she doesn't want to be associated with a parent who draws attention to herself.  3. Green and white spring onions dropped into the middle of the soup make it look like human food, rather than bland fuel. 

1. This morning has been hard work. It's a relief to slip in between the lines of a structural edit, which is a task where I can let the words be and concentrate on the story. 2. Nick reminds us on this rainy evening to 'Hit the easy button all the way. Get a taxi up there,' he says. 3. '...and then Mummy said it looked delicious and she was starving, and the lady gave us extra.'

1. Homemade blackcurrant jam -- it's a summer afternoon that you can put on a toasted bagel. 2. Nick exclaims rather happily, 'Broad beans are nothing like they used to be.' 3. Granny and Bettany go through the toyshop's Christmas catalogue.

1. Anna and I plant up some paperwhites and look after our minds. Remembering Elspeth Thompson. 2. With a jar of Anna's homemade jam in the bottom of my handbag, I hurry on to M&S to stock up with scones and cake for a special tea. 3. We've been working our way through a bottle of Brut -- courtesy of Nick's mother -- since lunchtime.

1. The children bounce into our bed and demand to know if we have 'a drunken hangover'. We assure them that we do not: we only had one drink, although Nick did stay out very late dancing. 2. Even a grown-up person like Alec takes pleasure in shaking my phone to see what prizes we've won in the Christmas giveaway on the coffee shop's app. 3.  Bettany painted my nails a bright coral pink for the party last night. They keep catching my eye.