Long nights, long days

Hello All
Here is a Moonset taken when the moon was at its closest to the Earth since 1948 taken the other morning, and a Sunset taken on Wednesday, when I dashed out of the butchery to watch the Cranes flying south. I was saddened with the knowledge that the days would not feel significantly longer until their return in February. Fortunately living in the southerly part of France that is only 3 months away. :)

We are now only 4 weeks away from Christmas weekend bringing the weekend when all my babies will be in the house... No it is not coming up lambing time.....The kids are all coming home. Yaaaay. 5 people to feed and do laundry for. The noise will increase 10-fold and Gavin and I will be happy little sandboys/girls.
Along with the rapid arrival of the festive eating season the butchery is filing up with hams, bacon and sausagemeat. Not to mention the delicious smell of Pineau (and no that is not for me, well maybe just a little bit ;)) to make the stuffing for the rolled lamb legs and shoulders. 
​Here is...............................

................the curing mountain!
And after a long day on my feet..... Fierce Kitty...

.....the curative fur mountain, demanding some attention on my lap....
​Then....Soft Kitty...the sleeping tiger.

Sleeping, not something I seem to have a lot of at the moment. My dream on Friday night was me swimming across a lake taking deliveries to people on the other side of the water, then coming back with more orders. There you are the inside take on a butchers life before Christmas.
So in my final hours before my yearly hibernation, I would dearly love to receive any orders from those who live near to me to help me organise my orders for the last few weeks. Sadly I cannot take anymore ham requests and no, I do not deliver outside this small section of mainland France.
Have a super day/week  wherever you are, whatever you are doing.
Happy christmas shopping! (btw, nearly finished mine ;))
​Helen