Category Archives: General

Coming and going

Two left yesterday, two have just left, but this morning we have had two phonecalls from friends in the space of about 10 minutes.

1. From friends from Leeds heading South who want to call in.

2. From Jax who is heading North and wants to pop in.

More the merrier we say :-)

They won’t be allowed to leave if they don’t eat enough food though. Time to defrost a couple more litres of that soup.

And it’s been snowing :-) but not enough for fun :-( (still an inveterate snow lover, who still gets that little rush of childish excitement when they see the overnight snow first thing in the morning)

IMG 2211

we did it

hope everyone had a really lovely and successful day

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short break from real life..

opened pressies last night to carols and mulled wine – yummy and lovely
BB still been unwell – not so lovely
All kiddies fell asleep easily -WOW
all woke up du bonne heure

Brekkie – mincemeat muffins ymmy, croissants and gammon for those that partake
Xmas pressies all seem to be happy with. Sb and BB having a lovely time

SB and cousin M hardly seen – racing about like loons, but out of the way.

Hopefully Xmas dinner ready 30 mins now-so 3pm! but we have served up a variety of nibbles, and alcohol on tap.

think going well.
Chris and mum working like a demon. i have mainly fedd BB interminably and done the nibbles and drinks, but did the kitchen foray today to help out.

anyway, had my 5 mins so back to real life

‘Twas the night before xmas

Well, not quite, but it is xmas eve now. And the house is quiet, as everybody else is in bed. So I’m enjoying the peace and quiet with a last minute cuppa.and probably no time to blog xmas eve night.

More ticks off the list, even if BB didn’t help, poor little stick. Deleiberated for some tim with MIL over how many Brussels sprouts we needed, and was there enouhg ion the veg order. Bought an extra Kilo, confidently expect to ahve a kilo extra left over :-)

Various things bought by me or Mother-in-law. Teapot, cheap,totaly tasteless table mats for hot dishes, extra roasting pan , tablecloth, etc. Wondered why I couldn’y find ‘Just Brazils’ anywhere in any shop it seemed – oh well bought ptobably nicer Thorntons version. I like going shopping at this point, where I’ve just got to pick up a few non-pressie items really, whilst nearly everyone else seems to be laden down with armfuls of bags. Popped into Waitrose for a few items, which actually felt busy for a change. Even had some decent queues. Realised you get better sort of queue in Waitrose though as we got offered some small cups of fizzy wine and sweeties by some of the staff. In Tesco the other day I just got told off for overloading the belt with bottles……

Me and SB got the cake decorated tonight, bit of last minute effort, and pleased in the end I didn’t find any xmas-y cake decs in the shops. Did simple spikey/snow scene Royal icing (bit late I know), SB applied plenty of silver balls, finished off witha few holly leaves and berries on the top and round the base. Actually looks quite good in a rough and ready way. also made a veg Goulash for tomorrows dinner (smoked paprika – yummy) and prepared the soup for slow cooking in the oven tomorrow morning – a nice couple of hours pottering in the kitchen by myself.

A few outstanding ticks on the list, moslty a bit of sorting of stuff for the guests – in particular need to do the curtain track in SB’s bedroom tomorrow morning, but the freezer and fridge are stuffed, pantry is looking like a pantry should at xmas, more goodies, and copious wine etc. lurk in the cellar, tree is beautiful, pressie are under the tree, SB so excited by it all – for the first time really.Feeling pretty organised actually. (soon to be disabused come xmas morning …..)

Really looking forward to it all, will be so good to have a houseful

So Christmas – bring it on :-)

Have a good one everybody.

‘nother quick blog

Had appraisal at work – took 2 1/2 hours this pm, but all morning finally gathering together and presenting enough paper to have come from whole tree [just over 1 1/2 inches depth!], but I am fit to practice – phew!

Nursery sent us a card BB made with handprints to look like an angel, and a calendar from piccies of her – they really are a good nursery – having rung ‘cos they were worried she seemed so sleepy, not perky self. We picked her up – 45 min after leaving her on my way into work.

BB not been well, a bit chesty, a bit hot, and def under the weather, so a bad day for me to be at work, as only bf will do. Came home and she guzzled until I was prunelike [TMI?]

SB made a claendar too, a card and some Xmas decs. All very festive

Little Nanny brought here by Dad – looking great, and showing off her walking with only 1 stick! Very proud, as the rehab physio said she would always need a zimmer and refused to let her learn stick walking – so stick from me – ROFL! Actually he was concerned about knee joint stability if she only had stick, but she is insistent to use stick, and reluctantly the triwalker I bought for outside. That saying, she hasn’t actually ventured outside house unless Mum or Aunty Margaret takes her to Morrisons [I can't face doing that with 2 children as well]. Anyway, she feels very happy we are so enthusiastic.

Girls having a bath. Since BB unwell today and me at work, no further action on tick boxes – so Chris hasn’t iced cake. or put up curtains in the SB/guest room – this is a problem for my sister as onto main road. therefore must be done tomorrow. I need to make place tags and wrap up BB other pressie [portico aeroplane, but if not done, she can have another day]

I’m glad you all liked our Victorian living room! No Jax, I’m keeping Mum!! She also deleaved the conservatory and cleaned new cooker ::): The dining room has enough room, though wish tablecloth for end matched – must do name settings.

Early night tonight, and then sheer madness tomorrow [hordes descend and the veggies cooking prep! time for wine box] – so may not blog until Tues/Wed. I am SO excited!!!!!

yippee, Christmas is here – dances and sings merrily.

HAPPY XMAS

A quick update

ready for christmas – tick!
pigs flying – tick!

Actually nearly there. Mum and dad here now, feeling very Christmassy.
Chris has wired in cooker and it works – hooray!
Presents wrapped [mostly]
Food bought/cooked [mostly]
worn out [totally!!!]

Just a quick photo of BB investigating the spankingly clean and tidy living room [courtesy of Mum!] while SB was at her nursery party [very much enjoyed]

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Sb has taken loads of photos of the pantry today. She is very keen to have her own photoblog! and camera of course. She does want me to upload about 20, but 1 will have to do for now.

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Catching up

SB off with grandparents. Chris rang them up to arrive at lunch, so a good compromise and all happy.
SO we made muffins, and looked to see if any toys of hers to put away for BB [no!]. played with paper dress up dollies, and did drawing.

Chris did lots and lots of tidying!

Since SB left for playing wioth chris’s parents and their christingle service, I have made the minceppie muffins – they are fab heather, and easily converted to vegan. the last of the curries, and some wrapping, bought 2 goats as final Xmas pressies.

BB now awake – so doing a 1 to 1 play session now!

Seen on Merry’s blog

xvdcvd
You are one magnificent person! You are the night
of Christmas. You are a beautiful, good-hearted
person who enjoys the best for others. You are
probably very sentimental as well. You don’t
believe in material objects for making you
happy, but in things more important. You truly
live out the spirit and meaning of this
holiday. Being around the ones you care about
most is enough to make you content. The thing
is that most people may either really love or
unfortunately hate you for your beautiful
nature. Merry Christmas =)

What Christmas Figure Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

A game of 2 halves

well we:
finished the cards
finished wrapping the pressies from SB
made the aubergine, mushroom and paneer curry
made brandy butter
did jump ahead year 1 placement test thingy – SB very impressed to have a certificate! She found it offputting when I said she could guess if she didn’t know, as normally I scaffold answers till we get there.
did some drawing and colouring – she spent absolutely ages doing a really beautiful card for her cousin M. His family on the front, our family in the middle and the writing.
We messed about counting in German and some basic phrases.
I read loads of books to her. the insited she read 2 to me – she did really well with an early ladybird phonics book and a library book happy dog sad dog.

BB slept loads to make up for dreadful night. She also did some drawing when she woke up, and generally chortled.

So are we the perfect stepford family?? Well, not really. BB getting to have a dreadful temper-in the making. She shrieks and screams for her own way. Doesn’t like me to share cuddles with SB. Is absolutely vicious in her quest for milk, and now throws herself on the floor and drums heels – hmm. luckilly not that often! And SB, well she still is her cry at any negligible provocation phase, which I don’t as a rule blog, because the majority of the day is great, and although has short term driving me up the wall capabilities, isn’t a major focus of the day thing. Mind you todays kerfuffle over the minimal tidyng i asked her to do did lead her to be sent upstairs. She then waisled as she was tidying, only i hadn’t noticed – obviously at the same speed tectonic plates move then. I am not an immensley patient woman, and Chris getting rattier – due to sleep deprivation all round I suspect. SO not Stepfordd, but normal.

Summary was though of a busy and fun day.

RANT ALERT: hadn’t realised that Chris parents who I finally did agree could take SB to a carol service in the evening are actually coming to take her away in the morning – why?? I def didn’t want that. SO grumpy. Luckilly I had vetoed the stopover in advance. i just don’t want SB to be taken away from me when I am at home, as I feel my home time is precious. Thursday is nursery party day, and friday I am at work, so losing her for 2 days already. I had thought I had made myself clear on this.

Well that flummoxed her.

Went to the story time at the library this morning – just as well, pre-xmas week meant only us another mum and kiddie and the mum and kiddie doing the stories. Someone asked stringbean what she wanted for xmas, to which she looked a bit blank for awhile, until she remembered that she’d seen a pink music box in a catalogue. I realised that we don’t really do (or at least haven’t yet) the whole ‘ what do you want for xmas’ thing, and try not to make big deal of the present thing – xmas is for being together with family, having fun etc etc. – it seems to have some impact, though show her toy catalogue and she is away :-) This years she does seem genuiely excited by the whole thing – and being in our house with all the preps going on probably adds to that.

Other than making lots more cards i’m not sure what else went on for much of today as I spent an inordinate amount of time on what I realised was probably best part of a 40-50 mile round trip to pick up the Freecycle-ed cooker, getting electrical bits to wire it in before the weekend, curtain track for SB’s room and other gubbins. Totally lost my patience with tedious urban driving now since I mostly drive on country roads, or small towns – cities are such hard work……

On the subject of new rooms, I am pleased with SB’s new room, – a vision in pink and lilac – with a dash of yellow – it’s so her. Though the preparation and subsequent finish is not as good as I would like – time pressures. but the new bunk bed means that I can’t kiss SB goodnight (as I’ve done for as long as I remember) before I go to bed as it’s to high :-(

did want to almond paste the cake tonight but time just went, too late now. Not too late to clean the kitchen floor though.