Blogmas, day 12

Good morning again.  It is Friday; two more weeks and Christmas will pretty much be over apart from the leftovers!  

Thank you for your lovely comments yesterday.  I'm definitely not well enough to be going anywhere today, either on my own or in a crowd of vulnerable elderlies - some of them are anyway!  
It's just a cold, not flu - disgusting but not dangerous in anyway.  After a rough day yesterday, I slept really well for the first time in a week and didn't properly wake until nearly seven.  Bliss . . .  Getting up was rough (you know what colds are like) but it's OK, just yucky!!  I have a nice fresh cuppa tea beside me and I will follow that up at some point with a coffee.  Perfect!

I spent a lot of time doing cross stitch yesterday because that's what I fancied doing, so the advent bit of it is out of sync, but there'd a lot of border to do so I expect it will take me until Christmas day to do all of that anyway, and maybe through the Twelve Days as well.

I caught up with Sunday's Game of Wool.  I know it has taken some stick but I am enjoying it and the most recent one was great - making yarn jewellery and a panel of lace.  I( have always found knitted lace fiendishly difficult and this was a very complicated pattern, both in the following and in the unravelling and picking up when a mistake was made.   I feel it has now found its feet.

Dear Chris went and got me some throat/cough sweets and some Vick (Morrisons cheapo version) and they helped considerably.  She's asked me if I need anything else and I think some cough stuff might be a Good Idea.  I thought I had some but then remembered I saw it was out of date a while ago so chucked it out.

So here we go with today's stuff.

Today's tea bag is cranberry, rose hip and hibiscus - that sounds really nice.

There's the usual candle, tin and puzzle section plus a pair of tine Christmas stocking earrings.

The crochet is another heart.

All good, all usable, I'm keeping up with the candles and using the tins.  One of them is going to be for these Christmas earrings!!

Is anyone else totally baffled by the fuss over last week's Strictly elimination and the amount of toxic hate there is around.  Yes, a good dancer went but he had a worse dance both on the day and in the dance off.  And it's a Game/competition, for goodness sakes!!  

Today is going to be a lot like yesterday, I think, but crochet instead of cross stitch.  I have a couple of box sets to watch, should I need something, and I'm feeling tired.  They say sleep is the best medicine, don't they?

I really want to feel better by Sunday.

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Today's Advent music is the beautiful Thorns in the Straw, written and performed by Graham Kendrick.

Here's a link to the lyrics. 
https://grahamkendrick.co.uk/thorns-in-the-straw-since-the-day-the-angel-came/

Blogmas, day 11

Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to day eleven of Blogmas.

I am starting with an apology - The Tuesday aches morphed into a bit of a cold - sore throat and, yesterday, a fuzzy head and blocked nose.  I couldn't get my head around writing about Edinburgh but I will at some point.

I went to the meeting which was very productive.  However, I had planned to pull out of Personal Training and would have done except that Lindsey sent a message round to say she was poorly so couldn't teach classes today.  

On a positive note, I was able to sit and concentrate on my cross stitch . . .  

. . . and my blanket squares.

Now I am up to date with both.

Advent goodies are . . .

the candle in a tin (I am already using the tins for things like stitch markers, etc)

today's bit of the puzzle

a white tea, coconut and passion fruit tea bag

and a slightly sticky mini-jar of strawberry jam

The crochet square for today (and tomorrow) is a heart.

Chris and I are having our coffee and chat online - I'm probably not infectious now (it's worse before it 'comes out', I believe) but it seems more sensible.

Val and I were going to meet for our Christmas lunch but a few days ago she contacted to cancel as - guess what - she had a bad cold.  I messaged her yesterday to say if she hadn't had to cancel, I would, and she said now Mike has it too so one way or another it's a bit yuck for them.
We will have something in the New Year instead - that will be nice.

So it is another day chilling which means I can get ahead with the blanket, cross stitch and puzzle as, fingers crossed, I am out tomorrow, going to the Thursford Spectacular - although I will have to make a judgement on it tomorrow morning.  I do hope I can go but one has to be sensible.
I will get ahead with the crafting anyway.

Slightly later edit:  I've pondered and it just wouldn't be right to potentially share my germs - it's pretty much retired people on these coach trips, more vulnerable, and I'm gutted but mustn't be selfish.  So I have emailed Jan and Ray, pulling out, and maybe next year I will go.  Perhaps someone else can have my place.)

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Today's Advent Calendar music is another I really love, a beautiful performance of 'Mary, Did You Know', sung by One Voice children's choir.

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy

Would one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy

Would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know

That your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This Child that you delivered

Will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy

Will give sight to the blind man?

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy

Would calm a storm with His hand?

Did you know

That your baby boy

Has walked where angels trod?

And when you kiss your little baby

You've kissed the face of God?

Mary, did you know?

Oo, Mary, did you know?

The blind will see

The deaf will hear;

The dead will live again!

The lame will leap

The dumb will speak

The praises of the Lamb!

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy

Is the Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy

Will one day rule the nations?

Did you know

That your baby boy

Was heaven's perfect Lamb?

And the sleeping Child you're holdin'

Is the Great I Am!

Blogmas, day 10

Good morning, everyone.  How's the week going?

Today's Advent stuff - the candle in a tin, some hand cream (I'm getting through a lot of hand cream at the moment), a chai black tea bag, some cute Christmas tree earrings and today's Advent of Change charity is Re-engage:
Today you have enabled a lonely older person to join a local social group, giving them companionship and community for years to come.

This reminds me how fortunate I am to live in a social and sociable area and to be fit enough to go out and about, enjoying life.

https://reengage.org.uk/about-us/

Catch up for 7-12-25 which was Willow, a charity that supports seriously ill young adults.  
Today you have given a seriously ill young adult and their family precious memories together on a special day out.

https://www.willowfoundation.org.uk/

I didn't do any of the cross stitch yesterday so need to double up today and the blanket square is the second snowflake.
Yesterday's puzzle section was, I think, the hardest yet but I got it done eventually.

I had a pleasant time with my friend yesterday morning and spent the afternoon resting/snoozing.  After having to wake early on Friday morning for the coach, I am now waking that early every day which is becoming a bit on the boring side.   I hope that particular habit breaks soon.

Today I have a meeting in school, wearing my governor's hat and this afternoon it is personal training so there should be time for the Christmas crafting and the puzzle.  Fingers crossed anyway.

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And finally, the Advent calendar music for day ten.

I thought it was about time for a carol something traditional.  So I have chosen Away in a Manger sung by Libera.  Wonderful.

Blogmas, day 9

Good morning, everyone.  I'm back home now after the coach journey home, feeling rather achy and still very tired after waking at stupid o'clock this morning.  

We were lucky in pour coach driver - he was very good and got us home well before the estimated time of arrival.  We left at half eight and arrived at about four fifteen with an hour's stop off for lunch.  He came a different way back as I gather the M1 was very slow (when isn't it) so we did A1(M), A14 and joined the M11 at Cambridge to Bishop's Stortford.  To be honest, this is the way I would have chosen anyway and the way John always did it when he came to see Mum and Dad, but staying on the A1 until Letchworth.  Anyway, it was a good decision as we had no hold-ups at all, just a few slower speeds at times.

And Chris and Steve came to pick me up, bless them.  It made such a difference.

I've just uploaded the Edinburgh photos and will do a separate blog.  It was a good day.

Here's today's advent collection.

The tea bag is Darjeeling black tea - I will enjoy that later on.

The Advent of Change today supports Become, a charity for children in care and young care leavers.  It says:
Today you have given an isolated young care leaver regular supportive calls over the Christmas period, reminding them they're not alone.

https://becomecharity.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are/ 

I've missed the days while I was away but I will catch up with them as I think it's important; day six is near the end.

In today's bag were the candle and tin, some candy cane earrings and a tiny pot of tomato chutney.  Nice.

The blanket square is a snowflake but, as backgrounds are white, it will be a sparkly red or green snowflake.  Odd?  Of course!!
I didn't do much cross stitch while away but I had got ahead anyway so that's OK.  I'll take a photos in the coming days.

Added to this, when I got home last night, there was a little parcel and inside were a zip up bag and a little tin - they're in the photos.  This is for me to keep my hearing aid stuff.  The bag is for the spare charger and lead and the spare aids and I can keep batteries and cleaning stuff in the tin.  I think I will also buy a USB plug.
Then it is all together, ready and waiting, I will KNOW I have everything and nothing will get covered by clothes!  So kind, thank, Beth.

Beth also took the opportunity to play the traditional joke with the wooden crib.  The Tribbles were taken off and now every figure has been blessed with a red pompom hat and a red and white striped scarf (courtesy of Temu, I suspect).

She obviously had spares so a mini tree has been similarly bedecked, as have some of the sheep near the Christmas tree!

They're definitely staying on until Twelfth Night

Today I should be going to Groove but I'm feeling weary and achy and I'm going to make my excuses.  I have a friend coming over and I'm taking her out for a nice, relaxing coffee and it is Kay-day so everything will be nice and clean and I can spend the afternoon relaxing and catching up with my washing - which is not relaxing but needs to be done - and my recordings.

I also have a bit of Governor work to do as I'm in a meeting tomorrow.

We have another storm passing over, storm Bram, and I gather it is going north rather than south so I'm sending my best to my northern and Scottish readers with hopes that it is not that bad and that you won't be negatively affected.  

And I'm counting my blessings as we were so, so lucky with the weekend weather.

Now let's catch up with day six of the Advent of Change.  It supports Sand Dams Worldwide:

Today you have brought clean, safe water to a community in Africa by helping to fund a sand dam.
Interesting one . . . and here's the link.

https://www.sanddamsworldwide.org.uk/Pages/Category/what-we-do

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And, finally, here's your Advent music for day nine.

Today I have chosen the very beautiful carol by John Rutter, sung by Kings College Choir.  I really love this one.

Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx

Blogmas day 8

Morning.  There's no time to get the main body of this written so I'll fill you in on yesterday tomorrow - if you see what I mean.  Suffice it to say, Sunday was a great day. we were lucky with the weather again until about two o'clock when the heavens opened and I got wet feet!  :-)

Today's Advent calendar music . . .
I post this one every year because I really like it.  Gaudete, performed by Steeleye Span.  

And, for contrast, here's the Kings' Singers . . .

Blogmas, day 7

Morning, everyone!  Last proper day of my short break; you can't count tomorrow.

I remembered to take some bedroom photos - please ignore the clutter and, yes, I made the bed but had been sitting on it.

One way - the window looks out onto a courtyard, nothing pretty.

And the other.  The door to the en suite is on the left.

And the wee shower, taken as far back as I could get.  Perfectly adequate for one but it took a very long time to get hot water through.  I was beginning to think I'd have to have a cold shower!

It's an old room.  I gather some rooms have been done up and are nice but the single rooms tend to be the poor relations, don't they?  

Generally, the decor could do with refreshing and the old, wooden, sash window frames are in a disgraceful condition.   However, it is warm, comfortable, the furniture is 'cheap' but fine for purpose and the bed is very comfortable, as are the pillows.
And there's a stand for my case and a convenient corner to tuck it away. 

John came for me at ten and took me first of all to his scrap store in Selkirk.  My goodness, what an Aladdin's cave it was.  I chose all sorts of bits and bobs and John, bless him, paid for that for my Christmas present.  

A few links.

https://www.facebook.com/p/Borders-Scrapstore-100057075175917/?locale=en_GB

http://bordersscrapstore.org.uk/wp/index.php/about-us/

https://www.garethjmsaunders.co.uk/2006/03/22/borders-scrap-store/

Then Gina turned up and we went to Abbotsford which was the home of Sir Walter Scott.

https://www.scottsabbotsford.com/

I have to admit I have never been able to get into his books and John and Gina said the same thing.

We didn't have time to go into the house but we did walk around the grounds a little bit where there were all sorts of weird and wonderful carvings.

We had a very nice lunch in the visitors' centre before 'doing' the shop where I got my fridge magnet!

In the afternoon, John took me up to Smailholm Tower and I was really pleased with this photo - the lowering sun just caught the side of the tower making it stand out clearly.   

Here's a bit of history

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/smailholm-tower/history/

It was closed for the winter but we had a good climb/scramble up the hill and down again.  Nice to get some fresh air and we were so very lucky with the weather.

Finally, we went to a local garden centre and John chose his Christmas tree, a nice one in a pot with roots.

And the last photo - John entitled it 'Two old people in a field' which is exactly correct!

 It was a really lovely day.  We were so lucky with the weather and spending the day with John was beyond good.

Today is Edinburgh day.  I'm just hoping the weather forecast is wrong!

Today's Advent calendar music.

I love John Rutter's Christmas music and this is new to me - Magnificat.

I looked it up and Wiki told me . . .

The Magnificat by John Rutter is a musical setting of the biblical canticle Magnificat, completed in 1990. The extended composition in seven movements "for soprano or mezzo-soprano solo, mixed choir, and orchestra (or chamber ensemble)" is based on the Latin text, interspersed with "Of a Rose, a lovely Rose", an anonymous English poem on Marian themes, the beginning of the Sanctus and a prayer to Mary. The music includes elements of Latin American music.

The composer conducted the first performance in Carnegie Hall on 26 May 1990, and the first recording with the Cambridge Singers and the City of London Sinfonia. Oxford University Press published Magnificat in 1991 and Of a Rose, a lovely Rose separately in 1998.

While the canticle Magnificat was often set to music, being a regular part of Catholic vespers and Anglican evensong, Rutter's work is one of few extended settings, along with Bach's composition. Critical reception has been mixed, appreciating that the "orchestration is brilliant and very colourful" and "the music weaves a magical spell of balm and peace", but also experiencing a "virtual encyclopedia of musical cliches, a ... predictable exercise in glitzy populism".

That last bit is harsh and I wonder if they would say that today, thirty five years and many compositions further down the line.  His music is very relatable, for sure, it is not 'elite', but it's lovely.  YouTube has the whole work and I am going to enjoy watching it but, for now, here's the beginning.

Magnificat anima mea

Blogmas, day 6,

Good morning, everyone.
So, here I am at the Waverley Castle Hotel in Melrose, Scotland.  

Chris and Steve both came with me to the coach pick up which was so kind of them.  There were already people waiting so they didn't need to stay and I was glad because it was so, so cold with an unexpected hard frost.

The coach was comfy, I had both seats to myself so I could spread, everyone turned up and off we set.

It was a really good journey.  Obviously, we hit some traffic at times but we were on wide roads (M11, M1, A1(M) ) so it wasn't too bad.  We stopped twice, once for breakfast and once for lunch.  I bought a Festive Sandwich from M&S and had one half for breakfast and the other half for lunch with a nice coffee from Pret - the first of the day and I didn't half enjoy it, sandwich and coffee!  I guess it will be the same on the way home on Monday.

I didn't take any photos of anything yesterday so I will have to take more today to make up!  A shame really because we went through some wonderful scenery; I specially loved the moorlands of Yorkshire and Northumberland because I so love wild, bleak landscapes.

My bedroom is tiny but perfectly adequate.  It has a very comfortable bed (great night's sleep), a cute little ensuite loo and shower, a table, a sink in the bedroom, a wardrobe and a table and chair.  And while I wouldn't want to try to swing a cat (why would I?), there's room enough.  I'll try to remember to take some photos today.

When I entered the room, it was stiflingly warm but there was a good control on the radiator so no worries.

The staff are very friendly here.  They carried my case up to my room with no expectations of a tip (I will leave a general one when I leave) and the dining service was good too.  The food is, from what I can see, conventional but seems to be well cooked.  I had baked brie for starters, followed by salmon pasta and then a rather nice fresh fruit salad with coffee.  Portions weren't too big either.

I mentioned in a comment yesterday that I had a bit of a drama . . . 
When I unpacked my case, I couldn't find my hearing aid charger.

Just to explain, for any newer readers, I have a hearing disability and without my aids I'm pretty deaf.  With my aids, it's fine, I manage OK.  They are rechargeable aids rather than battery powered and I guess a full charge will last me maybe a couple of days, depending on when I put them in and take them out,  In reality, they charge through the night, every night.  This is what it looks like.  Quite small and absolutely essential.

Anyway - panic started to set in.  I turned my bags out, looked and looked again - nothing.
I phoned Beth to see if she could go over to mine, find it and send it by sort of 'emergency delivery' but, when we looked online, there was such a service but . . . over £500!  Oh, my gosh!
I looked on Amazon and, yes, they do have them but not on next day delivery which is fair enough - they are a bit specialist, after all.

I was so upset.  These aids are my social lifeline and here I was, on a social weekend and I was going to be completely cut off.  

But I was absolutely sure I had packed it, together with other leads.  I'm so very careful, knowing how reliant I am on my aids.
So I had another look and, this time, checked the clothes I had unpacked and put away and . . .  there it was, in the folds of my stack of leggings.

So I cried again - but tears of happiness and relief this time.   Crisis over.

When I get home, I am going to find a bag and, in it, put my spare charger and lead, plus my other aids and some batteries and a USB plug, so when I go away, I can be absolutely sure that I have everything together.  And a bag is less likely to get into a pile of clothes.

After a great night's sleep, I was up really early but that's OK.  I have my laptop (obviously) I have my kindle and I have my Advent cross stitch.  I'm currently enjoying yesterday's Earl Grey tea and today's is lemongrass, citrus and ginger which sounds really very nice indeed.
I didn't bring anything else Advent-y with me so I'll catch up next week.

Breakfast is at eight fifteen and the coach leaves for Edinburgh at nine thirty.  I won't be on it though because at ten John will pick me up for a nice family sort of day.  I'm so looking forward to it.  I will definitely take photos!  :-)

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For today's Advent calendar music, I've gone for a song we listen to every year when we watch The Snowman on Christmas Tree Day.

Walking in the Air, sung by Peter Auty (who I reckon had a bit of a raw deal as far as this song is concerned, even if it did launch Aled Jones into the public eye)

I wondered what Peter Auty is doing now.  I Googled and discovered that he is an operatic tenor who has worked with most of the major opera companies in Britain and a number of companies in continental Europe.
So he has done OK too. 

The wonderful Libera also performed this and here is their version.