So I'm feeling a bit guilty that the Blog has been quiet this fast few months. There are good reasons, and I am sure my guilt will ease as we move in to 2015 and hit rhythm again.
Firstly we had a holiday (yaay). Then we had a intense period as we prepared for, helped deliver and then recovered a big charity event we help organise each year in London. Run entirely by volunteers with close to 10,000 people visiting over several days all need direction, stewarding, help and feeding it is quite something.
And finally (and certainly most importantly) we had a wedding - our youngest daughter got married and it was a wonderful day but with a lot to get ready.
Now you don't need to know all of this but hopefully it partly excuses the lapse in blogging. Through all this cottage has not missed a beat and we've had a happy succession on guests staying and hopefully none have noticed our distractions.

We know we're in to December and it is getting close to Christmas when the main streets in Cheddar all "bling up" with lights and small Christmas trees on most houses and shops. A tradition that started several years ago has developed a bit and now other local villages are following suit. Cheddar Festive Night is always on the first Friday in December and at around 4.00 o'clock in the afternoon the main roads from the village up to the top of the Gorge shops and caves is closed to traffic. Cheddar become a pedestrian zone and families come and stroll amongst the many charity stalls lining the streets (lots of mulled wine and of course cider going down). All the shops stay open and many are offering small treats. It is indeed very festive.
In our nearby cities the rise of the German market has taken hold. Bristol is a fairly commercial and "oompah" affair, but our favourite is Bath Christmas Market. Great shops to browse, a compact centre, and the floodlit Abbey dominating the squares that are filled with market "chalets". What is particularly nice about the Bath market is that most of the stalls are local Somerset and area artisans or small businesses: food or crafts, selling their wares. And you are often talking to the artist or cook who makes the items.
Roll on Christmas!