It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Here's something festive. Made these this afternoon. They are called Merry Muffins and are packed with fruit, including one eating apple, spice and Greek yoghurt. I've never made them before but when I licked out the bowel (cook's perks) it was a spice sensation.

Speaking of seasonal the choir I sing with is now in making appearances in and around Kingston. We have five events in the Christmas programme. Yesterday we sang in the Alpine Village and the market square raising funds for a local homeless charity, and today a small group of us sang at a church lunch club. We even joined in their stretching excises done to the song Reach for the Stars. They seemed thrilled to have us, which is nice.

Next week we have our end of term concert, a slot at Waterloo Station (in aid of The Stroke Association) and finally at a church Christmas Fair.

I am very much in the festive mood and with a rare day at home on Tuesday I managed to get the tree and decorations up.

The Christmas shopping is going quite well. I only hope I can remember where I have put things. One year I forgot about one present and only found it sometime the following summer. It was something for my son and he got it the next Christmas!

Next week is the last full week for me. The week leading up to Christmas has nothing in the diary. That will be my mince pie making time. I want to try a new recipe for an alternative Christmas cake (no one eats the traditional kind in this house) and I may make biscuits too. I might sneak off somewhere too and enjoy an exhibition or something while everyone is haring round the shops! How's it all going for you?

The back of the Alpine Village, Kingston