Oh Tannenbaum, oh Tannenbaum, Wie glänzend sind deine Blätter! (Trans: O Christmas tree! How are thy leaves so shining!)

Hurrah, it's almost December! I've got my tree all up and prettily decorated, plain white fairy lights, chocolate and gold baubles, chocolate beads and glass snowflakes, all topped with a gold wire and bead star! I'm glad we chose the gold in the end, it does go so nicely against the cream and yellow wallpaper in here! The pelmet has a swag of chocolate and gold tinsel with matching baubles, ditto the clock, and He wanted a something to hang on a spare picture hook, so I made a little wreath with more of the tinsel and little baubles. Ky has her wire and baubles tree again, and Tsam has a cone of gold loop sequins and beads. They're both sat under their trees!

I also noticed another present has mysteriously appeared under the tree - I was a little puzzled, because I hadn't put it there, but it was done in my paper with my ribbons and very much in my style: I'll give credit to His artistic side, it nearly slipped my notice! Greatly amused me anyway. (He's happy.)

Madagascar: Escape to Africa! Well, blow me over with the draft from the fibres of a coconut shell! I'm impressed! For a sequel, this was pretty damn amazing, as most follow-on movies are often dismally poor (Garfield 2 is a perfect example of sellout-letdown). I mean, I loved the first Madagascar, but the second was just spot on for me. Alright, it was a little predictable, but then with kids films that's nice - you have an idea of what's happening, so you can just sit back and enjoy it. Hank has rated it as "up there on my list of this year's funnies." His Lordship's relatively high praise: "It was definitely a good chuckle, worthwhile." So yes, this one earns a "Yeah!" out of OK.

More good news, Ky has started eating a little on her own again, munching on one of her usual favourites, morio worms. She's also taken to stalking us around the house, up to following me into the kitchen, where I have a good laugh at lack of grip with claws on vinyl flooring. Bless her, I also forgot she was out and about when we went to the cinema, but she stayed happily fast asleep in their new hut. Fortunately, I thought it'd be a good idea to put a nice new heat mat in the bottom of it - she stayed toasty in there for about nine hours.... Tsam has had a look at the hut and decided it was a threat, so bobbed at it. I think the fairy lights spooked him. (Pic: Tsam's spiny scales and rich shades of grey, cream and brown.)

We also had the first sprinkle of snow down here today. Not that it lasted long, but still. Time for winter food! We had ostrich in mushroom sauce yesterday and today I have to stretch a chicken chasseur to three boys and me...

Quote of Today: "Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it." - heelarious.com