Old year turning

This was meant to have been the year when I posted every day: which I fell woefully short of, obviously. But I am glad to have the few posts that I do, to look back on, and so I think I shall resolve to start again on January 1st 2009 (with the proviso that we'll not actually be at home until very late on the first). I am currently in that long-night, short-day end of year torpor. I value this annual time of semi-hibernation; seeing friends, eating and sleeping a lot, and waiting for the year to tip just a fraction towards the spring, as the days stop getting shorter and pause before they start to lengthen again. A friend gave me an amyrillis bulb for Christmas, which is growing visibly - half an inch or so a day - and putting the little shoots in the garden to shame. In a moment, I must take the dogs to kennels before we go away, and, on the way home, try to get some bulb fibre to rescue the poor ameryllis (how do you spell that, anyway? )
J is having a stressful, horrible time meeting a deadline at work. The girls are playing Wii "Endless Ocean" almost ceaselessly. J has finally decided not to have hair extensions, after weeks of (impoverished) angst on the subject. The house is full of Christmas decorations, but fundamentally still a pit. Is there any hope of us selling it next year? Is it wise even to try, in the current economic climate? Stay tuned, if I manage to resume regular blogging then. Next: France, where it is apparently very, very cold indeed.