Bartimaeus

Looking out this morning, watching squirrels and moorhens on the opposite bank, I noticed the house opposite was flying a Christmas flag. Flags seem to be very popular these days and certainly lots of canal boats have them. Many are national, pirate is popular, but there are lots of regional ones we have seen on boats.. Black country flag,  Lancashire, Worcestershire. But this one is seasonal.

I went into Marple town centre for some shopping. Any excuse to pop in to the Sew-In crafts shop and buy more wool. She is very friendly and helpful. On the way, I passed the church that had handcrafted wool butterflies in the summer. It is now festooned with crocheted snowflakes and knitted icicles. They must have a lot of handcrafters here. 

After the wool shop, I visited the health this shop and bakery, but also a little shop called the Marple Exchange which had Christmas bunting. To my surprise, when I got back Shane had got the tinsel up and we found space for the bunting too. Later I found an envelope- a Christmas card from the Exchange shop.

We had a circular walk, in the afternoon, as is Shane’s wont, and back on the canal there were more of the large hybrid ducks that came dashing over. I didn’t have anything for them though so they were disappointed. There has been rain this evening, so that may have pleased the ducks, but the forecast ice has not arrived, other than the woollen ones. We have been hosted by Nye and David for tea again and they did have tasty food for us.