Life must be filled up

Today I broke a rule and bought a magazine after walking up to the post in the sunshine. Five minutes in the shop and it was raining again when I came out. So, I indulged in Country Living, it was very disappointing compared with their usual Christmas issues and a complete waste of money. I just wanted a Christmas nudge! thelondonpauper has put up his tree already. NO! Too early! Yet I'm slightly jealous. Usually a stickler for not being too early, this year for some reason I can't wait for it to be time to put up the lights and play Christmas music. Perhaps it's the weather, or the fact that last year I couldn't think about anything except moving.

This afternoon I drove up to the garden centre in search of inspiration. Well!



At the entrance, rather tasteful deer which glow silver at dusk. On the way in, hideous Santa and snowman which we ignore. Then we have aspirational room sets.



Aargh! The Red Room! Don't shut me in.



Gonna be a blue, blue Christmas...Christmas is not blue or mauve. Christmas is red and green. Or possibly silver:



Everything which could possibly light up, does. The air is full of strange dangling objects.



Scary bird! Animatronics abound:



His head moves, of course. I've noticed this year that knitted and crocheted ornaments are popular but this is going too far:



After I'd been in there a while I started to feel horribly sick; I think this was to do with the frightful smell of bonemeal wafting over from the fertiliser department. I can *still* smell it and feel queasy so I may phone and complain; they can't afford to offend regular locals. Unfortunately, in spite of all the bounty, they didn't have the kind of thing I was looking for, so it's back to shopping online. Not with Cath Kidston, though. Has anyone else tried to take advantage of today's 15% discount? Clunky website and half the stuff I wanted out of stock.