Thankful Thursday

 What a truly glorious day it has been today, and definitely worthy of Thankful Thursday.

I certainly feel very thankful to have a view like this and very blessed indeed.  

Of course I have been a bit very stiff and sore today after yesterday's hard work in the garden, and although I had planned on doing some more gardening, by mid morning when I had started to get moving a bit easier, it was too hot really to work in the garden, so I have enjoyed a day of quiet reading, studying and just general pottering around.  I'm reading a lovely book at the moment that was put in my 'Free Library', called 'The Shining Levels' by John Wyatt "The Story of a Man who went back to Nature' set in the Lake District after the war I believe.  I am really enjoying the gentle well written telling of his life and it is an easy read to dip in and out of.  Actually all that stops me from reading from front to back in one sitting is the fact that reading seems to put me to sleep very quickly nowadays.  Doesn't matter what time of day I read, I discover myself nodding off.  Can be rather frustrating.

Just loving this gorgeous vibrant flower that I have grown from seed.

I went for a lovely walk later afternoon.  Just stunning it was and still very warm - I wished I'd changed into my shorts before I set off.  I'm starting to find the hills a bit tough though, I think the lowering dose of medication is starting to affect me.  Certainly my feet are SO much sorer now, particularly in the evenings.  It is funny, but you almost forget what it is like and then it all comes back!

Total walked today: 3.1 miles

My lovely neighbour brought round some quiche, salad and new Cornish potatoes for me to have for dinner.  It was delicious!  The potatoes were SO MUCH NICER than my very disappointing home grown potatoes.    

She also brought me round a bunch of sunflowers she had bought for me earlier in the day which I must remember to photograph tomorrow.

So all in all a very Thankful Thursday indeed.

Super Hero Blind Dog Cape

As I have mentioned in previous posts, our little dog Percy went blind literally overnight back in March last year.  There are very few things available for blind dogs of his size.  The leads that would be really useful come with clasps on them almost as big as he is!  Okay so that is a bit of an exaggeration, but they are far too big.  What I do get is the Blind Dog Bandanna and turn them into his 'Super Hero' Capes, as he really is a super hero.

This is how they arrive.  They are supposed to go round their neck and hang sort of down their front under their chin, but are obviously way too big to do that with a chihuahua.  So I take off the black tape on  the right hand side looking at them, cut a piece to size, and then sew it back on the other side.  

I add a button hole for the lead to got through and viola, a 'Super Hero' Blind Dog Cape.

I tried to get a photo of him wearing it, but couldn't get him to stand still!

His long hair on his back of his neck does cover it a bit.

His tail was wagging so fast here, you can hardly see it!

We'd just arrived at our daughter in law's place.  She cooked us a delicious roast dinner.  It was a real treat, and lovely to spend some time with her.

Well that is Friday!  The week is over already, how did that happen?

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.  

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.