Busting out the jackets and blankets

It's official, the temperature has dropped into the single digits (Celsius) and there's no going back I'm afraid. The days are really short now and getting shorter with each passing of the sun. I've succumbed to turning the radiators on daily and have packed up my clothes drying rack as a result. My slippers have come out of the closet and the trees are turning yellow. I'm still half hoping for a Santa Ana to blow its way across the hemisphere so I can finally wear some sandals. But alas, this is Scotland. I just need to suck it up, buy a pair of fancy wellies (wellington boots - aka rubber boots) and lots of trendy tights to spice up my wardrobe. I think I'll get the boots here, but other than that, I'm waiting until we go home for Christmas to go on a minor shopping spree. I figure I've literally only bought two pairs of jeans since moving out here a year and a half ago, so I deserve the spree. Plus, I guess it's my American duty to throw my IRS check down the drain at the mall. Credit crunch be gone! I'll pump up the economy myself by buying lots of stuff!
But before we head over to Lala land, I've got lots of things to tidy up here. Like our roof and fireplace situation. I noticed a water damage spot growing on my bedroom ceiling in late August, so called several roofers to get a quote to fix the problem. But, I've gotten different responses from each roofer. Varying from the need to replace our entire roof (two of them actually said that!) to repointing (that's british for regrouting the stones/bricks) the chimney (all of them have said that) to just punching a hole in the fireplace myself to vent it. I am going to get one more roofer's opinion, and this one was a strong recommendation from an architect friend before making any decisions. But it's been over a month now, and I'd like to get some resolution, as I've already had chats with my neighbors in the building since they'd all pay a share of the cost... What a pain. But I hope it'll all be over soon. Then I can focus on getting a fireplace put into our front room, as I've given up the hope that I'd actually sledge out the bricks myself and install one. I really think this work can be done in the next 2 months so we can go away and not have to worry so much. Then when we come back it'll be time to focus on the bathroom remodel. I really want that done before my parents come out in May. I don't think my dad would be too happy with taking a bath! But I suppose he'd manage somehow!!!
Other than that, work is going really well. My contract was extended to the end of November, and I'm really starting to enjoy it and feel confident about my performance there. Hopefully something more permanent will pop up in the new year, but for now I'm just happy to have gotten back into a work routine and settled Marius into nursery. Simon's work is going really well too. He's working on a paper that will be submitted to Nature, and he's the third of about 5 or 6 authors! Keep your fingers crossed that it'll be accepted! The other authors are famous and have tons of Nature papers already, and the work is rather sexy, as science goes, so that will for sure help the chances.
Here's another gratuitous pic of the boys!