We ended up being the (not so proud) owners of a few gnomes thanks to my mother-in-law. Couple of years ago, we asked my MIL to water the garden while we were away on holiday. When we got back and I went out there to do a bit of tidying up, I found 1 gnome under a bush. Then another one beneath the maple. A bit later one more in the blue grass... The sneaky monster (meaning my MIL) hid 5 tiny little gnomes in our garden. I totally love my MIL, she's a great lady, but that doesn't mean I'm not aware of her devious nature :)). She knows I hate gnomes, but bought them anyway knowing that I'd always keep her presents no matter how outrageous (I could probably write a book about some of the stuff she's got me over the years...). The problem is, she hid them so well, it took me a few good hours to find 4 of them. The 5th gnome is still out there somewhere in the vastness of our garden, probably never to be found, but forever haunting me.... :))

And when people don’t cut grass mice like it. At my last house the next door was let and when empty they didn’t cut the grass so eventually when it did get cut mice were displaced some into mine. This house was full of crazy stuff inside that we only found out when they tried to sell it but couldn’t. And these houses sell quick usually, I sold mine the first day and completed in six weeks, and my old friend has just sold the first week. Anyway this house had put a massage parlour in the garage all kitted out properly behind from the outside looked like a normal garage door. They kitted out two bedrooms as dressing rooms and the large family bathroom with no windows as a make up room. But apparently it had substantial hooks in the ceiling that people speculated was for an adult play swing! And the large kitchen living area was redone with a massive circular kitchen that looked like a nightclub bar. But at least it looked and still looks normal from the outside.

I think that small so does in the 80's and 90's were due to poor glass technology and energy requirements? Not sure about the 70's though. my Mum's 60's house has huge windows that were once aluminium framed and so how glazed. freezing until my parents double glazed it. anyway, old and grim trends: carpets in bathrooms, those Swarovski crystal animal ornaments, grey bi-fold doors, wood-look upvc windows, shiny black granite floor tiles, stripy wallpaper up to a dado rail, ornate tile borders at rail height on walls, paisley carpets.

We've finally done our tree indoors. The outdoor one has been there a week or two! Just the two of us now this year as our guests in tier 4, as we shall be from Saturday. Still looking forward to Christmas Day. Some light in the darkness. Happy Christmas everyone.