Christmas Torpor Sets In

Met Julian at Borough market where we enjoyed salt beef sandwiches and mulled wine, while wandering around. Julian purchased lots of packets of chocolate misshapes, but we had to fight people off to get near the stall. Dear me. Then back for tea. Today I managed to order some flowers to send to the nursing home and these will arrive tomorrow. My days have been passing in a dreamlike way, where I buy things I don't really need, cook things until I can't get any more in the freezer, and try and clean the paintwork. Sugar soap, suggested by my cleaner, has not worked, so I have sent off for a tin of old fashioned Chemico, an abrasive pink paste which was once used to clean baths. This might just work. We shall see. Madeleine and Romy are both ill: Romy with Norovirus and Madeleine with upset stomach and sore throat. This always happens to people just before Christmas. I am still agonising about transport on Christmas day and may ring a cab company today. We shall see. I was hoping to walk, but if it is pouring with rain I shall not want to arrive for lunch drenched to the skin. I have carrier bags full of presents, most of which will have to be distributed in the New Year since no one seems to be able to pick them up. Even the upstairs neighbours have disappeared, leaving a present in the hall for me, which is kind of them. Kooky is taking on worse habits. The odd nip on the leg to remind me of feeding time has now become a fullblown attack. Good thing I can now shut him out of the bedroom. The TV people actually rang. They say they will ring on Monday and let me know when someone can come around and hopefully fix the damn thing. Obviously this will be after Christmas, but I seem to have got the knack of watching things on the ipad. Have been reading about the pensioners in the Geffrye almshouses. Seems they lived in what seems to be bedsits, but with whole families in one room,loos at the back of the buildings, having to fetch water, curtained beds in the room plus a table, a couple of chairs, a food shelf and maybe a wardrobe. Later, the rooms were mainly given over to retired governesses for whom no provision had been made by their former employers. Madeleine may pop in tomorrow if she is well enough. Today I intend to go to Marks to collect my Sunday paper. Mamuska is closed until the New Year, as is Brasserie Toulouse Lautrec. A sudden welcome cash gift has arrived from Pierre in Canada, so I shall after all be able to spend New Year's Eve at Toulouse Lautrec. I tried to contact Christophe and Victorine as there might have been room for all of us, but they were out and have obviously made other arrangements. Pity I did not know until so late. Such is life. As I will be on my own, I may have the chance to do a bit of drawing before alcohol takes over.