Me and Mr Cooper have successfully survived another Festive Season, with Christmas Eve being a bit like the finishing post, and the 5 weeks leading up to it as sort of 3-legged marathon race combined with an obstacle course.  After having managed to reach the finishing post, producing a fine feast daily for eight days, then washing up and prepping for the next production seemed almost like a picnic (but not quite, I hasten to add.)

Preparing for Christmas always brings its added stresses and strains, plus a liberal sprinkling of sparkly magic, but this year, far less sparkly magic was sprinkled from above, whilst the stresses were more than doubled.

Perhaps because of all this, me and Mr Cooper developed a tendency to act like one of those old-fashioned weather houses, where a man comes outside if wet weather is on the cards, and a woman if the weather is changing to warmer and sunnier.

I do possess a few of these weather houses as I love them, alongside snow-globes, and cake decorations for Christmas cakes.
 In fact one year I created two cakes that celebrated my love of Christmas cake art, here is my
Father Christmas collection, gaily cavorting on an iced cake tin.

And here is combined my love of Christmas cake decorations and Sam's love of  Lego. These sit proudly atop of an iced baked beans tin.

 
 In fact, although it seems a very long time since I painted anything (the three-legged marathon struggle put paid to all of that) I did paint a significant artwork a long while ago, based on the idea of the weather house.  This is it (or almost all of it, as a slice of the top is missing) and is  called
'The Mistress.'

I have never been anyone's mistress, but this painting is about a time where I was percieved as one by people who didn't know me, and painting the situation helped to paint away the grief and frustrations of that time.  This is one way that I use art, purely for self-expression, and surprisingly enough, no-one wants to buy my more intimate and autobiographical paintings.

Personally, I have always thought that 'Daughter of a Great White Hunter' would cheer up anyone's dining room, or perhaps even the nursery?  Perhaps even in the hallway to greet you.

Yes, its true, I do jest.  But if you really are looking for a charming and cheerful nursery painting, look no further than 'How Does Your Garden Grow'  No angst here, just cheerful flowers in the sun, based on a nursery rhyme and not my own dark imaginings.

Anyway, back to the theme of the weather house.  There is Mr Cooper, representing the man who emerges to predict rain, and me, the woman who dashes out at the first sign of sun.  Which is more or less true of the two of us working together when alone.  Mr Cooper loves a party and loves company, and is fabled for his jokes, merriment and mirth.  Alone with me, on a inclement day, be it winter or summer, he can have a distinctly gloomy outlook.  Starting with loud expletives that signal he is awake and having to get up, there follows a positive tirade against the whole weather system and living in England when he reaches the window, followed by  general moaning about his ailments, lack of money etc etc. Usually, I dash forwards in my weather-woman role, to cast a brighter picture on the day, our lives, living in England, having lots of things besides money, ageing, etc.
 But being continually cheerful in the face of adversity is somewhat draining.

Here is my representative, being up-beat.

But as November and December set in, Mr Cooper appeared more and more at the door of the weather house, and with very good reason.
As November and December progressed, and the dreaded illnesses set in, Mr Cooper succumbed to his usual chest infection, combined with sinusitis and many other things.  I was left inside the weather house as Mr Cooper was standing outside, feeling really ill, fed-up and moaning about the world.
I emerged from the weather house when I left my house, to do my usual working week, putting on a smiley face.
 In December, all of the social events we had planned had to be cancelled due to ill health.
 'Oh well', I said as I temporarily appeared at the door in the weather-house, 'I like watching TV on Friday and Saturday evenings.' Or   'Who wants to go to boring old theatre, or meet friends for dinner?' The smiles and appearances also got harder as December  brought with it lots of house viewings, plus strong interest from two people,  which was followed by deep disappointment, twice.  It became harder to shoot out of the weather house, to say 'I see better weather on the horizon, even if it is raining now.'

But things improved, as they usually do.
Mr Cooper slowly got better, and the Christmas preparations slowly unfurled.
Then one day, the first time that Mr Cooper had left the house for 3 weeks (apart from the five doctors appointments and also the five viewings of our house) he rang me at work, to say that in his absence we had been burgled, and that our house was in a terrible state.

I left immediately for home (thanks chefs for your kindness then, and later)  almost sick with worry, imagining all we had, and perhaps now hadn't, 
It was a terrible thing for Mr Cooper to have walked into, and just before he walked in, the thieves left through the back door, leaving when they heard his car on the drive.  Luckily, as he had disturbed them, they took far less than they had intended.  All the wrapped Christmas presents had been placed in a large bag ready in a bag for removal, and there were our holiday cases lying open on our bed ready to receive more of our belongings.
 But in the chaos that used to be our bedroom, it was hard to tell what was left, and we were unable to find out until the police, then the scene of crime specialist had left, hours later.

Yes, we did lose a significant amount of items, but nowhere near as much as a) I had imagined on the journey over and b) we were going to, if Mr Cooper hadn't returned when he did.  So now the weather house was in turmoil, as we were both trying to be the one in the open.  Mr Cooper was outside, saying how awful it was, and how deeply upset and angry he was, and then I would emerge during a pause, to say that it could have been a whole lot worse.  I mean, they hadn't found my stash of Irregular Choice shoes, including this year's Christmas specials!

You must excuse the quality of some of the photos however, as they did take my treasured camera!

So the run up to Christmas was spent doing the usual activities, plus making a list of all the items that had been stolen, and then having to research to find their replacement value.  Many thanks at this point for the kindness of friends who offered support, and accommodation, your love and kindness was very much appreciated.
Luckily we did not need to live anywhere else, as the very next day a 'workman' came to make our house secure.

This feature really helped to set-off our festive wreath.

Then there came a day when Mr Cooper emerged triumphantly from his weather house to say, 'I'm feeling a lot better, hurrah!'  Then he looked round for me, as he hadn't done for quite a while, to find that I was now refusing to emerge from the house to be positive.  In fact, I needed fresh hankies passing in, to mop up the flow of tears.  But when Christmas came, we were both standing in our doorways, greeting the world side by side.
 The whole experience must have aged us greatly, for this was posted through our door!

Is this really how we are perceived?
And is Mr Cooper slowly changing into a clone of Jeremy Corbyn?
Time to work on our image!

Now that we have emerged from illness and gloom, I decided that January was a good time to get out and about, and socialise.  Last weekend we peaked by having 3 social engagements, including one to see the Kaffe Fasset exhibition at Mottisfont Abbey with our good friends the Lemons,

Followed by a lovely relaxing Sunday lunch with more good friends, the McDougalls.

The whole weekend was both fun and uplifting, but I did need to go back to work for a rest!

 I wish you all a Happy New Year, with lots of good health sprinkled into the mix.
If you have to be uplifting at some time in the coming year, don't forget also to  be uplifting to yourself.  Keep those 'positive' batteries well charged with exercise, lots of vegetables, and most of all, time spent with your friends and family who love you.
 And do whatever else you need to do to emerge as Mrs Sunny Weatherperson.

On another positive note, we have sent our claim form away, and the door-repairers returned to replace the temporary fixture with a much better one, whilst the leaded glass is repaired properly.

As my dad would have said, 'It's a cracker!'  Mr Cooper seems to have a more extensive vocabulary!
Looking forward to being with you all again soon, and sharing with you what the fresh year brings.
Don't forget to eat more vegetables!