last pic this year....

Lovely girl watching us on the Wii. Always liking to be near by, she positions herself within close proximity so she can be a part of the family. She has enjoyed her first Christmas and I am proud to say has not eaten one of my homemade decorations... so I am in adoration of the girl. although she does have a pinch of a particular little cushion ,but the word LEAVE is getting through.

The stool was an tapestry kit which took far too long to complete and was meant to become a cushion for my kitchen chair, however it looks better as this.

Merry Christmas

The sweeties came out last night and No.1D got the icing ready... one for the house, one for me, one for the house, one for me, one for... and so it went on. Fun when you are 12, fun when you are 41! Specially the Jazzies (white chocolate buttons with hundreds and thousands).

The table has yet to be set but the cloth is down, some chairs are in place but as there is 19 coming tomorrow, bring your own seat!

Merry Christmas

P x

Guess where we have been...?

We have just returned from a flying visit... thank goodness we hadn't chosen to go to London, as they're not flying much, poor folks - genuine sympathy here! We have had a v short break in Dublin to go and see Paul McCartney at the Dublin O2.
I can honestly say it was the best thing I have ever been to. A true legend, who sang for nearly 3 hours, all of the songs HE sang, none of the old, bring on the young folk and the "name" sings choruses. He was amazing.

We kept pinching ourselves... "it's Paul McCartney' and himself is quite a bit of a fan. Anally so in fact, to the point where he was saying, "I like the way he linked blah blah with blah blah with a rift from blah blah" I just heard the "song".

And then the following day we had a lovely wander in the icy winds, no snow in Dublin, but oh it was freezing (below!) So we needed to warm our cockles, what can you do, no children, free afternoon...

A Gift for a friend to give..

Made these little "Tilda" make-up bags last year for nieces, and was requested to make more for this year. That's them ready to be filled and wrapped..

First time footsteps...

Today No2 D wanted to come home on the school bus. Well that was just fine by me as I was sewing this afternoon and so it let me get on instead of braving school run traffic.
Miss Haggis lay on the back of the couch gazing out the window as I watched "A Town Like Alice", one of my favourite old black & white films. How fab is that.. an old movie, hand embroidery you MUST do (a gift for someone else to give) heating on, mince pies... tidy house, decorations up... oh note this down as a perfect afternoon, and then...
it started to SNOW! Like a Christmas card, talk about cherry on the cake.

The beeper on my watch chimed "school's out" - not literally obviously but wouldn't that be a terrific gift for any busy parent? So Miss H and I donned our garb and off we went. She made her first bit of yellow snow and later snaffled it back up. I will remember this when she licks my face at bedtime!

She did enjoy her jaunt and then we were safely back into the warmth and since I pressed the R button on the sky, I can now go and finish off watching Virginia McKenna being wooed by the handsome Peter Finch.

P.S. Did I mention the cheese and HOMEMADE oatcakes had for lunch? oh I am so good x

Christmas is coming...

All through the house...

not a creature was stirring...

not even a mouse...

yeah right... but I enjoy the cleaning and tidying, once I get going, and finding out what decorations I have. Usually I remember as I bring them out, but funny how you forget, esp. the five boxes!!

So Cold here..

Still coughing and spluttering here with No.1 D1 off today, No.2 D was last week. Not much sleep around last night. It was like going back in time last night with No.1 D up at 3 AM!! and No.2 D up at 5 AM!! and not much sleeping after... bleh, naps today.
But it is cold, this was before the dog decided she liked icicle webs, maybe a new line for Walls!

Evening...

Well we have had a bit of a "cold share" here. Who can save themselves from a child hacking away and sharing their coughs! Not I. Particularly when they insist on hanging from your neck cuddling away.
And Then I found myself, Christmas shopping the other day and as I walked into a passage way to get to some lovely shops amongst a large number of people, a man coughed the most impressive of hooky hacky coughs without covering the generous gob of his. I remember watching a programme some time ago where it showed how colds and coughs are spread - and it freaked me out it did! Maybe I will start wearing a mask, I don't often catch a cold but the thought of being ill at this time of year is awful.
Cheery old me eh?!

Anyway, socks fit me, and look lovely with my navy crocks, however...
Tip to Self - Don't stand in puddles!
Then yesterday a parcel arrived. Well, one of several really. The fun part of internet shopping is ordering online and forgetting what you send for. Not the part where the cc bill arrives.

So this arrived and as I type, it is made and has just to be hemmed, hopefully it will  get done at the weekend. Not much room for sewing tomorrow. Cooking and cleaning ahead. The bold boy is painting at the moment, half eleven at night and he's trying to get it done... I am raising my eyebrows, he has had this week off you see and there has been a slightly creative use of time going on. Tonight we did take the 2 d's to the cinema, first time we 4 have actually been for months x months... "The Nativity", which was quite funny and a lovely change from animation, although I do say go and see "Up" it is so good.
Will try and get the hem done to show, I am very into making clothes.

They came again...

Well, it's been quite busy here.
The "fire" men came back... not because I called 999, no no ... the men came on friday and finished putting in our lovely real fire.

and we are VERY happy. Nothing big and flashy, just a simple looking fire that would fit in with our old mantle. The tiles we picked were a bit off the cuff... yeah, they'll do fine.. not too much thought, because - based on history - it takes us rather a long time to pick anything. so they are italian something or other and look quite stone-y. Very nice indeed.

 

So the bold girl moved in quickly to claim her spot!! In fact it does get a bit cosy near the front so she sorts herself on the chair after a bit. I need to read the Girl Guiders manual because it takes me too long to light the thing, with rather too much muttering!! The D's throwing positive comments every now and then. lovely D's.

And once on the go, teapot out and the tin of mince pies.. firsts this year.