Sunday, December 10, 2006

Heck of a Hedgehog

I didn't have a good picture yesterday of Mr Heck the Hedgehog that Kate sent me to grace our Christmas tree this year.

But I have remedied that now. And I hereby wish to introduce you to Mr Heck. He has a place at eye level, right at the front of the tree. So everyone who is my height (or my eye level) will see him first thing. He's a very handsome fellow.

I fully expect to get a letter from Sidney tomorrow complaining that he isn't at eye level and why is that, and thus far there have been no Christmas pictures forthcoming on anyone's blog and why is that, and he doesn't see packages under the tree with his name on them yet, and why is that? And he doesn't like the answer, which generally seems to involve the Lady of His House and the troublesome Greek she is writing about.

Still, Sidney says.

Perhaps not, I tell him. Perhaps she has finished with TTG. Perhaps she has sent him packing. Last time I said that, I was treated to a feline snort and a grumbled, "I wish," and the twitch of a tail as he stalked out of the room. I don't even have to be in England to see this. I can imagine it. I have a good memory.

Anyway, the hedgehog is wonderful and I thank you, Kate, for making such a lovely contribution to our tree this year.

As one of the truly wonderful places to enjoy Christmas is The Hancock House, a bed and breakfast in Dubuque, Iowa that belongs to friends of ours, I thought I would share some pictures of it with you. I have fond memories of it anyway because our daughter got married there. But she got married in June when things look very different (but still lovely) than they do at Christmas.

Every time I want to get a sense of the "best of Christmas past" I dredge up my Hancock House memories. So I thought I'd share some of them with you.

Hope you enjoy them!

2 Comments:

Blogger Kate Walker said...

I'm so glad the Mini-Heck survived his flight to America and is now on your tree. And very fine he looks too. He will feel strange being up there, hanging from a branch when he should be snuffling about at the bottom of it like all the other Hecks

The Hancock House Christmas pictures are gorgeous thank you for posting those

Kate - who has finally finished her Greek so now I can spend time with Sid!

Word verification - jfzqfna - it doesn't mean anything but it sounds like the way my brain feels

11 December, 2006  
Blogger Anne McAllister said...

Kate,

Great to hear you've finished The Troublesome Greek. I hope he gets a warm welcome at editorial, needs no revisions and leaves you in peace for Christmas.

Yes, Mini-Heck is doing very well. He seems to like it up high in the tree. Gives him a good vantage point from which to observe all the goings on -- and the dogs. He doesn't think he'd want to be on the ground with the dogs larking about.

I'm sure Sid is pleased!

11 December, 2006  

Post a Comment

<< Home