Christmas is coming to Dorset

In the fields, the skeletal trees march along the hedge to tell us winter is here in Dorset.

There are children snaking their way up, two by two, to the village hall for their last rehearsal before their Christmas play tomorrow.

Cars, vans and lorries have to stop, just for a moment, to let the embodiment of our collective future walk across the road to the steps up to the village green. It's a lovely sight - the children, I mean, not just the halted traffic.

In the hall, the festive decorations have already been put up. And around the village, there are spruce trees above front doors, ready for the big switch-on at the weekend when the honours will be done by the vicar to a live soundtrack of Christmas carols before everyone packs into the pub for mulled wine and mince pies.

Choir practice is taking place for the church carol concert in a few weeks' time and the shop has had its Christmas shopping event. There's been a supermoon hanging low in the night sky. On TV, we've had The X Factor final and Strictly's is just around the corner. And I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here is in its last week.

But there's something missing. Ah yes, here it is. The Christmas Cold. Not quite the flu but nearly as bad. And I'm full of it.

That's about it.

Love Maddie x