Moments on Monday

Percy was very reluctant on our morning walk today so I just walked him round what I call 'the short block' and then dropped him off at home and resumed the walk with Stanley.  Not sure why he wasn't keen, but he clearly was unhappy about being out.

I didn't get any photos on the group walk today as we stuck mainly to footpaths around the different roads in our town. We did go through the local park, but only stopped briefly for others to catch up.  

This afternoon we decided to see if Percy wanted to go for a walk over what used to be the golf course as he really enjoyed that walk last week.  He was keen, and walked fine.  He enjoyed the walk so that is good.  Perhaps he just didn't want to be out early this morning.

I took a few photos of our walk this afternoon.

I believe this is a Little Egret.

Fun to see!

A really love old Oak tree.

Before the walk I was doing some sewing in the lounge when I spied some Long Tailed Tits on the bird feeders.

Terrible photos I'm afraid but loved seeing these three on the feeder all at once.

Different colour leaves on one of our Cherry Trees.

Tonight's dinner,  (half already eaten last night),  just needs to go in the oven to reheat.  The top is mainly sweet potato with cheese.

Summing up Sunday.

I had a pleasant walk with just Stanley this morning, longer than our usual route and it was a good brisk walk.  The sun was shining this morning which was nice after the horrible day we had yesterday.  

I'm not sure if I will blog as much this month as I am going to keep a journal/scrapbook. I do this every now and again, but haven't done one in ages, but fancy doing something a bit more artistic for a change that doesn't involve sitting at a computer.  I will still post pictures from my walks though.

My left shoulder has been troubling me for the last few days and I had quite bad left sided head pain yesterday which I haven't had in a long time.  I hope this isn't going to become regular again.  The air pressure was very low yesterday so not sure if that had any bearing on it or not, but I have taken note of it.  I also have quite bad pain in the back of my neck, again something I haven't had in a quite a while...so feeling a bit miffed about that.  I've been on a whole pretty good the last coupe of months with regards to my pain levels, so this is rather unpleasant especially as the pain is also starting to run down my arm today.  Usually it is my right arm that gives me the most grief.  I am wondering if it is because when I walk the dogs, my left arm has been held back quite a bit recently as Percy is slower, so my arm tends to pull backwards slightly. 

Our lovely maple tree is starting to change colour and lose its leaves...although not as fast as the Oak in the street.  It seems we are the only ones who bother to rake up the leaves on the verge...and yes you guessed right, the leaves that were on everyone else's verges have all blown  on to ours after the wind yesterday.  We have been raking the leaves up every few days.  If everyone did their own verges, we wouldn't have to completely fill our green bin!  It really strikes me how lazy people are now.  I think there is only about two other people in our street that will rake up leaves or pick up the odd branch that falls on their verges.  Across the road they pay for someone to 'blow the leaves' around in a most non-environmentally, noise and air pollution way. Why the gardeners don't use a rake and broom I've got no idea.  No noise pollution, no air pollution, and actually achieves the task in hand which is to remove the leaves!   A few houses down from us there has been a baby's hair brush sitting in their driveway.  When I first saw it I thought about picking it up, but thought they probably would...but two weeks later it is still there, and looking rather the worse for wear now!

I made a Shepherds Pie for dinner tonight which was very tasty and will do nicely for tomorrow night as well. 

Lovely to welcome some new followers. :)

Time to warm up some heat packs to put on my neck and shoulder and sit and relax I think.  I've done battle with the vacuum cleaner today, my least favourite pastime as it doesn't treat me nicely!

Christmas!

I thought I'd try and get a few posts in before the New Year ... first up is a post with various Christmas photos - decorations, the day etc...

I really didn't feel like 'doing' Christmas in the lead up to it...in fact I was very 'Bah Humbug' but by Christmas Eve, I got into the spirit and actually had a wonderful Christmas Day.  It was busy as I did all the preparation, cooking etc, but worth it.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable day with family.  As usual my Mother in Law and her Partner came round for the main meal, along with our Daughter in Law (Son is away) and our younger son.  In the late afternoon my Aunt and Uncle come round for a buffet type supper.  We had a lot of fun exchanging presents and some good ones were given and received this year.  I will show them in another post.

First up is my lovely Advent Calendar.

The 'new' Christmas float.  It looked fabulous.  This came round early December.

A few decorations started to get put out each day.

A couple of 'new' vintage decorations I found.

Lights in the front garden. 

(My husband also put out a load in the back garden - must take a photo of those!)

Christmas Snowmen

Our little lighted villages.  Sadly this one decided to stop working a couple of days before Christmas.  Guessing the bulbs must have gone.

Some little kitsch deer...I have been collecting these over the last few years.

This plastic one was the latest addition, found in a CS for 10p on Christmas Eve.

I went overboard with the Christmas Trees this year, putting both up (one year we could only put a small one up so ended up with two trees) and also got out all the Christmas teddies and dolls!

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Christmas Day soon dawned...

The Christmas table

The first two are seated - it is a bit of a tight squeeze!

Now there are three...

Sadly our eldest son couldn't be with us this Christmas as he is working on his ship in the South Pacific and was between Australia and New Zealand on Christmas Day.  Last year his wife to be didn't arrive in England on time for Christmas, this year he wasn't here!  Perhaps next year they will get to spend Christmas Day together.

I made my 'traditional' desserts...  Pavlova 

and a fresh fruit salad.

Plus of course Christmas pudding.

In the evening my Aunt and Uncle join us for a light buffet type suffer.

I never eat the evening meal, as always still too full after the main Christmas dinner, which was probably just as well, as by the time everyone else had finished, there was nothing left!  

Hubby took DIL home Boxing Day morning as she had to work in the afternoon, so we have had a quiet time since.  

Day Twenty Five

Photo of the Day:

'Rhapsody in Blue' 

It has been a really lovely day today, although I don't feel I have appreciated it quite like I should have done.

Something upset me last night, I didn't sleep well and it seemed to spin over into today despite my best intentions not to let it.

I did bake a lovely lemon cake for my elderly friends (both in their nineties!) and went to visit them this afternoon.  They are always pleased to see me and I was able to bring smiles to their faces, so that was good.  I forgot to take a photo of the cake before I took it to them!

The dogs went for their daily walk, in the sunshine today which was nice.

The leaves of the Maple tree in the sunshine looked so lovely.  I should have zoomed in!

Some yellow brightness in the garden.  Lovely to still have some roses flowering.

Tonight  for dinner we have got left over Pumpkin, Cheese & Onion Flan that I made yesterday.  It is very tasty!

Now if only I dispel this feeling in my stomach!  Clearly I let things bother me too much.

Tomorrow I have the second of my acupuncture visits - I am hoping that the positive effects last a bit longer than eleven hours this time.    On Friday I start my Physiotherapy sessions - that should be interesting.  I hope the Rheumatologist is right and that this guy is really good and CAN help me as I am paying a fortune for the sessions!

Art Prompt:  Hot Air Balloon

Another painting done completely freehand without drawing it out first.  Not especially happy with this either.