Showing posts with label Decorations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Decorations. Show all posts

Tuesday, 2 January 2018

First Posting 2018!

Happy New Year to all!

I had planned to write this yesterday, but well best laid plans and all that....I'm full of good intentions and making plans, but don't always (often?) manage to follow through on them.



Each morning, once I have been up a while, had breakfast, cups of tea etc., I embark on my numerous exercises given to me by the physiotherapist.  There are now 19 to work through and I think it takes me about 40 minutes to complete them all.  I have been putting on a couple of old Shirley Bassey records I was given while I do them...one side takes me about half way through.  I need to dig out the rest of my records, they are tucked away in a cupboard somewhere...no good there, I can't listen to them hidden away!

The guinea pigs were cleaned out and had their nails clipped New Year's Eve, and the two rather 'long term' boarders have finally gone home to live with my son and his fiancee.  We took them up there late yesterday afternoon.  We enjoyed a nice evening with them and had a meal.    Seems strange to think that my eldest son will now no longer live at home.  Although I cleared his room back in June when he went back on board ship, the reality didn't really set in until late November when he arrived home and moved into his house.  Back to the guinea pigs though...I want to change the Caviary (aka shed) around this week, so will perhaps start that today perhaps tomorrow now.




I bought us a money jar at Sainsbury's last week, it was in the sales.  I actually bought two and gave one to my son and future dil for Christmas.  In hindsight I wish I'd bought three as I suddenly thought of another use for one after reading something on a blog, while I was 'cruising round blogisphere'.  Anyway our jar is going to be sealed and used for loose change and any extra we feel like putting in it over the course of the year and will be opened either just before Christmas or at the end of the year.  Not sure exactly when yet.  It will be interesting to see how much we manage to save.

Lots of people have a 'word for the year' and mine is going to be HEALING.  I really am determined to heal this year.  In many ways pain has dictated my life for far too long and has damaged me in more ways than one.  I am hoping that all the treatments I have been having and the exercises I do at home will eventually start to have a noticeable and definite effect.  So far the jury is still out, as I am still in a lot of pain most of the time, more so in the mornings, during the night and in the evenings.  Of course this has been a 'goal' of mine for the last almost ten years, but whilst there is still hope and all that jazz!



It is looking pretty grey, dull and dreary outside today. Actually it has been very wet ALL day today.  I might  did venture over to Hobbycraft to get some things I need to make my son a ring cushion for his wedding day which is in gasp, 11 days!  How did it come round so quickly?  He is organised, but am I?  I don't even have anything to wear, having put on weight over the course of last year due to increased inactivity because of the extra pains etc that have gone on over the last year.  I know I won't lose enough before the wedding, so have decided not to worry too much about it, as hopefully when I can increase my walking and mobility, the weight will return to what it should be. I loath to buy an outfit that I will only wear once though, so need to try and work out what to get that will get used again.


I faffed a little today with the coffee table display...

How is it 4 pm already??  I need to get a roast on so better get cracking with the preparations.  I also want to get in a practice session on my clarinet today and am fast running out of time.  It took me a lot longer to go to Hobbycraft today than I was expecting.  The traffic was terrible, and here I was thinking that the wet weather would keep people in!  

Well that was rather a rambling, disjointed post...I will try better next time!







Sunday, 31 December 2017

New Year's Eve

A few photos to round off the year...



I forgot to show the Santa 'Russian' dolls...so here they are.

A few days before Christmas (on 21st December) my husband and I celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary.  I say 'celebrated' a bit tongue in cheek as unfortunately I had to go to the funeral of one of our friends, who was actually at our wedding 20 years ago.  Not only that the power went off at 10.30 am and didn't get fixed until almost midnight!



My husband bought me 12 yellow roses as he knows how much I adore yellow roses, and I think he buys these for me most years.



As I had to return the orchids I had been looking after for the last six months to my son who has returned home from sea for a while and is now living in his own house, I asked if I could have some orchids for our anniversary.  So my husband bought me three!


This more unusual one.


Plus a lovely pink/purple orchid



and a beautiful white orchid.


I hope these do as well as the Sailor's did in this spot.

Today I just caught up on a few jobs around the house.  


Fresh clean bedding


New duvet covers that were bought during the Black Friday Sales. 



A quiet evening in with a roast for dinner - I ate too much!  

Wishing everyone a safe New Year's Eve, however you choose to celebrate it and all the best for a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Thursday, 28 December 2017

Christmas Decorations

We didn't have many decorations out this year and didn't even have a tree.  It took me almost until Christmas Eve to get into the Festive frame of mind.  Decorating/renovating just before Christmas is not always such a good idea, as you have such a lot of clearing up and sorting to do afterwards!


The decorations started out simple, some fairy lights, poinsettia, an angle and a reindeer. 


Ten days before Christmas, Santa was spotted walking up the road, perhaps he was checking who had good?


His Sleigh was out playing music and very prettily lit up.


I thought I better start making a bit more effort so donned some Christmas leggings the Sailor had brought home for me from his travels.


The little unit in the hallway gathered a few more decorations.


This year's new Christmas Tree ornament (without the tree!)  We buy a new ornament each year.


My favourite decoration for this year was this little group of houses and church, I just love this and it fits on the little shelf below the fireplace just perfectly.


Some of my dolls eventually got dressed in some Christmas finery Christmas Eve.  


Christmas Eve we took the dogs for a walk and admired the colourful array of decorations that people had put up outside.  One house in particular had gone to a lot of effort.




On the other side of their driveway were also a colourful selection of candy canes.  It looked ever so pretty.

Lastly, my son went all out and his tree is decorated beautifully!


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Since this morning, when I started writing this post,  we ventured out and discovered that one of the local garden centres we visit had all Christmas decorations half price, so we bought some candy canes and some more little houses!


Looking out our front door...



A close up of one of our snowmen - I think we bought them last year, or the year before last.


I have a lovely little village now for when I have a proper fireplace mantel!



Thursday, 22 December 2016

Cakes, Decorations, Health

Gosh only another couple of days before Christmas!  I know this is a worn comment, but it really does seem to approach far too quickly.

My husband and I did our food shopping at 7.30 am this morning to avoid the crowds and rush, and I have to say it was great, hardly anyone in the store.  

Each Christmas I cook the Christmas dinner for us, usually the boys, my Mother in Law and her partner and then my Aunt and Uncle come round in the late afternoon/early evening for a light tea.  This year our older son and his fiancee can't join us as they are on their ship.  This year is the first year we will have woken up Christmas morning without one of the boys here.  Will seem rather strange.  Our younger son is coming for dinner this year which will be nice. 

A few 


A couple of Christmas cushions.


This lovely friend was made by an Australian blog friend of mine a few years ago now when I used to actively craft and take part in swaps.  It comes out every year and is very special.


Looking at the two trees one morning.


The teddies have their little Nativity Scene.


The Christmas sleigh came round the other evening so I took a couple of photos of it.



I love watching it go past as it plays Christmas songs and collect for Charity.

It was our Wedding Anniversary yesterday.  We had a lovely quiet day and enjoyed a lunch out at one of the local Cafes.  We then had a wander round the Vintage Shop nearby.  Popped over to a garden centre as we had some vouchers to spend and we bought our yearly Christmas decoration for the tree.  Each year we buy a decoration for the tree.  (I forgot to take a photo, so will have to show that tomorrow)


After Christmas I am going to try something else to try and combat the continual 24 hours a day pain I have.  I figure it is worth at try after having read lots of reviews and viewing several you tube videos from various people who have tried this approach with some amazing success.  I figure what have I got to lose (apart from the cost of the books) and hopefully will have something to gain.  I have to do something as the pain although not intense is constant - some days more intense than others of course. but it has spread and really is quite wearing!


Will obviously report back in due course.

Today I baked four cakes, two Lemon Drizzle cakes and two Fruit Cakes.  


These two cakes I took up to my lovely elderly friends for Christmas.  Elizabeth likes the Lemon Cake and Ray likes the Fruit Cake.

Tomorrow is tidying day!  



Friday, 16 December 2016

Five on Friday


I thought I would join in with Amy's  'Five on Friday

As the theme also seems to be Christmas  and I have just started decorating this week, I thought well, why not?!

Initially I didn't really want to put a tree up this year...but on Wednesday I needed some distraction from pain so I thought just go for it, and before I knew it I had both trees up and decorated!

1:  Our Lounge.





Just a few of the decorations we have collected over the years.  All have special meaning and significance.




2:  Outside

The decorating outside hasn't really started yet as my husband has been unable to put the lights up this week due to work commitments so they will have to wait until Monday when he will have a bit more time.



From outside looking in, this Nativity Scene was made by my older son when he was about 7 years old if I remember rightly.  (or possibly younger)



This snowman was our last year's bargain at 75% off!

3: Dining Room


On my writing bureau


On top of the wall unit.

4: Kitchen Doorway


5: In my Garden

Not Christmassy, but still gorgeous to look at, it amazes me that I still have some roses and a Hebe blooming at this time of year.