It's getting closer ...

The hours are flying past at present ... part of my brain assures me that time moves at pretty much the same rate all year round ... but my heart has a hard job accepting that today.  Somehow the past sixteen hours have vanished, the candle has been burned and there's still "stuff" to do!

Taking pictures forces me to have a few moments when my mind and energy has a focus other than doing the next thing ... whatever the next thing is!  To add interest to this picture I created a small current of air and rather like the result.

Eliot, bless him, has been as good as gold all day.  At the moment he's curled up beside me but hasn't yet twigged that there's an outing about to happen.  Tomorrow's order of service for the Nine Lessons and Carols is ready to print and I want to complete that job before bedtime. 

A random act of kindness meant that I came home to a big bag of dog food waiting for Eliot!  And another one was when two Pupcakes were brought as a Christmas present for Eliot to enjoy.  

He was bouncing with excitement and it took quite good control to have him pose for a picture before the magic word "okay" was uttered; then he grabbed the trophy and went off for a quiet munch. 

The treat has slipped off the icing and I'm afraid that I must have been a bit heavy-handed when I squashed it back down.  

It was amazing that Eliot allowed me to snap over ten pictures before giving him permission to eat.  Maybe he's decided that obedience has rewards ... 

Mind you ... the look on his face seems to have become more pleading in the later pictures!  He does seem to have the patience that I was thinking about yesterday ... perhaps that's an idea for a future Thought for the Day.  That has come round again and I need to put pen to paper for a series in January.  After Christmas might just be soon enough as there are a few things still to do before the 25th. 

 Not only was Eliot spoiled by Dainty Little Cupcakes ... so too was his owner!  This item had enough chocolate in it and on it to keep me hyped up for forty eight hours!  You could not imagine just how wonderful it was ... soft creamy dark chocolate icing ... a light chocolaty sponge and a "gingerbread man" made from chocolate!  It was savoured.

 Tomorrow's collect.
God our redeemer, 
who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary 
to be the mother of your Son: 
Grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour, 
so we may be ready to greet him 
when he comes again as our judge; 
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever.