ARRIVAL

Winter has a bad habit to creep on you.  You can sit at home back in the North, waiting for it in horror, heating on already in full force, wrapping yourself in blankets... You know that any minute it will arrive. And will hit you hard. 

Or... You can run to the South in hope to escape that monster of a season. You can skip around the Spain in a T-shirt, enjoying sunshine and chasing butterflies until... 

BANG!

BANG!

BANG! 

Winter hits you hard from behind! Unexpected. Even in Spain. Surprise! Surprise!

Only yesterday I was running around in shorts and flip flops (I must admit, it was slightly chilly, but that’s okay, it’s November after all). Today I woke up in horror, gazing at ... WINTER.

All you can do is dive deep in the wardrobe for your warmest anorak and snow boots with a big sight... 

It crept on me. Again. Winter - 1, me – zero. 

Don’t get me wrong, I must admit, it is beautiful. Stunning. Breathtaking.

But... 

I hate cold. I really HATE cold. And flu. Lemsip and wet woollen socks. 

But on the other hand... By some unknown reason I feel rather Christmassy already!  And the only Jingle Bells I have heard so far this year is cowbells in the pastures. 

Maybe winter misery is that ingredient I missed last year, decorating my joke of a tree, made out of palm leaves, listening warm susurration of calm Med? 

Anyway, I completed a little thing which was lurking quite a long time in my sewing box.  Here he is, my little Dudu, finally dressed in a proper jacket.

Dudu was my experiment in size – how small I can manage to go, keeping all the limbs functional. 

Dudu standing height (including ears) is 7,5 cm or exactly 3 inches.  Not the smallest of the bear family but right now Dudu is as small as I can manage. He can sit and stand and turn his head so fully functional little creature. 

His eyes are made out of 3 mm glass beads. His woollen jacket took a little bit of the finest yarn, smallest crochet hook and all day to make but at least now he is ready for the winter as well.