Since the last time I did Heidi’s ‘blog she is completely mobile and is on her second pair of shoes, with also a pair of willies and some all weather boots for splashing on the moors. She is probably ready for her next pair of shoes soon. The current ones are Velcro fastening which mean she can remove them far too easily – laces next I think.

Her repertoire of food is expanding and contracting. Once a fan of the Brussel sprout (sort of) she is becoming more fussy but still likes fish and potatoes, along with stew. Homemade pizzas are a current favourite and fruit such as banana and apple her shovelled in. Sometimes only breadsticks and cheese are what she’ll or eat an occasional nugget of chicken.

The good thing is that she is happier to feed herself, normally without us peering at her. Us feeding her is getting less and less now so results in some great messy hands, with butter and marmite in her hair. Mayonnaise is a great “firm hold” gel the following day.

Today she visited Santa Claus in his grotto at the Palace Theatre in Paignton. She was second in the queue and was wary of the great man. She did have a photo taken from a distance and gratefully departed with a small gift.

Rachel won a competition to come up with a recipe for sausages for our local butcher. I entered too, having spent a considerable amount of time coming up with a variation that I was sure to be a hit. Rachel pipped me at the post, and won free sausages until Christmas with bacon, tomato and black pudding. They are really nice but we have only managed to get our hands on two. The rest of the batches have sold out in each shop, which is good.

Heidi is gearing up for some carols tomorrow in the park and seeing Santa again on Tuesday. Her destructive tendencies mean the tree has not been found a home yet……