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!  :-)

***********************

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.  

Blogmas, day 5

 Welcome to Blogmas day 5.

We had a rather good sunset amidst all the rain yesterday late afternoon.

Here's the puzzle.  It's going OK and I am enjoying it.

Yesterday's Christmas tree squares - I have beads and things to sew on but that will have to wait until next week now.  I'm not taking any crochet with me but I am taking the cross stitch as that can all be packed into a small box.

And here's today's little haul.  The usual tea light in a tin, a little tube of hand cream and the tea is Earl Grey.  One of my favourites.

I'm taking that and the next three with me to enjoy in my room.

The crochet is a snowflake but, again, that will have to  wait until next week now.

The Advent of Change charity is 52 Lives and it says:

Today you have sent a warm blanket and a kind note to and elderly person on their own this Christmas.

https://www.52-lives.org/about/

Yesterday was really nice - as hoped, I got everything done before Chris and I left for our lunch.  We had a fab time - well, I did and I am sure Chris did too.  When we came out, it was pelting with rain and we had to dash for her car - a bit of a rude awakening - and it did feel cold after that comfortable warmth in the pub.

And now all is ready and Chris and Steve will be driving me over to the pick up point shortly.  It's going to be a long day but I have things to read and there are breaks so it could be worse.  

For today's Advent calendar music, I've gone for a blast from the past, the wonderful Bing Crosby singing White Christmas in that clip from Holiday Inn.  What a classic!!

The blurb underneath the video says:
Irving Berlin won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1942 for "White Christmas," which had its film debut in Holiday Inn, performed as a duet by Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know

Where the treetops glisten and children listen

To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white

Blogmas day 4

Good morning, lovely peoples.  Welcome to Blogmas Day 4.

I forgot to tell you about yesterday's Advent of Change window so that's where I will start.
It supports Woodgreen, a charity that 'helps pets and their people' and says:
Today you helped give food, warmth and care to a pet abandoned this Christmas'

The link is https://woodgreen.org.uk/

Today's window is for the Violet Project and says:

Today you have helped stop a life from ending too soon by keeping vital mental health support alive.

Wow!

Their link is https://violetproject.co.uk/

I post the links in case anyone is interested and want to know more.  There is, of course, always a fund raising appeal as you enter each site, just to let you know.  These smaller charities always need finance.

I am having fun with the blanket squares.  Yesterday's was parcels and, again, I made both because of being away.

I've decided that I need another row of the gold (it's not sparkly but looks more gold in reality than in the photo) around each square.  I did one and yes, definitely better.
Looking at this one, the 'ribbon' is definitely off centre.  It didn't look off centre and I thought I had counted stitches but never mind.  In the whole thing, that will be lost!
This is purely for fun, not for perfection!

Today's squares are both Christmas trees so I will have the fun of sewing beads on.

Here's the main event!  The earrings are Santa hats (cute) the little jar is blackberry jam (lovely!) and the tea bag is green tea and pomegranate (drinking it as I type and it's really nice).

The puzzle is coming on nicely and I am getting better at it.  I'll try to remember a photo later on.  Like the crochet and the cross stitch, I am doing two a day so on Tuesday nothing will be behind.

Tomorrow morning is rushed and early so I will open and post about tomorrow's stuff this evening and schedule the post for tomorrow.

Yesterday was another really pleasant day.  I pottered around, doing this, that and the other - ironing, getting things ready for packing, crochet, cross stitch, etc, before popping over to Lindsey's for personal training and then into school for the governors' meeting.
I now have an invite to the Infants' Christmas Show.  After so many decades of being involved in these shows, producing it in the latter years, it is an absolute joy and delight to be able to sit back and simply enjoy it.

Today I have three main things to do.  

The first is packing.
The second is tidying the house - I don't want to arrive home to a mess and Tuesday is Kay-day!!

The third is Chris and my Christmas lunch.

Tomorrow will be the Shimmy and Groove meal.  In previous years it has been an afternoon tea but this year it is a meal at the White Hart, Little Waltham, tomorrow!  Obviously, I can't go and neither can Chris so we decided to have our Christmas lunch there.
They do a Festive Lunch menu and I'm having a brie, bacon and cranberry festive burger followed by a trio of sorbets.  I ummed and ahed about the traditional Christmas meal that Chris is having but the chances are high that there will be one over the weekend so I passed on that.

If I get all the chores done this morning (I should do), when I get home after lunch I can craft to my heart's content and get an early night!

OK, moving on . . .

Let's go all sentimental for today's Advent calendar music.  Michael Bublé's version of 'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas'.
Aaahhhh - lovely!

Have a lovely day, everyone!

Blogmas, day 3

Morning, all, and welcome to day three of Blogmas.  It turned quite cold yesterday evening so up went the heating.  We have had rain overnight though so no frost and BBC says today should be dry.

Just to let you know (while I am thinking of it), I'm not sure whether there will be a post on Friday or on Monday, travel days.  There may not be that much time or opportunity.  I will schedule in the music bit and if that's all there is, not to worry.  I will definitely be back on Tuesday.

Here's today's little bundle of Advent goodies.

Two bits of the jigsaw, the candle in a tin, the bath bomb, some cute snowman earrings, the tea bag is 'super berries, the cross stitch which is going nicely now I am in the swing of it all and the square - Christmas tree lights and the granny square - I did two of each.

Today's square is a Christmas parcel.

Ernie was kind again yesterday.  The smallest win possible but every little helps and this year I have been fortunate enough to be a little bit better off in every single month's draw.  Can't grumble at that, can I?

I got most of the things on my list done and dusted.  There's a few things left for today, including ironing as the clothes weren't proper dry yesterday.  I'll get that done this morning! 

Groove was good, the window cleaner came and went, I finished Lindsey's loaf so I can take it when I go to PT and, when I went to Morrisons, sitting there was a turkey crown, just the one, obviously waiting for me to pick it up - so I did.  That's part of my contribution to Christmas Day.  I can roast it at home, slice it and then take the slices over to be reheated and served.  Right now, it is in the freezer!

How are things going for you?  Already December seems to be flying past but in a very nice way.  All the festive decor does add a touch of clutter to the place but that's OK, it's organised clutter and I can live with that!  
I have bits and bobs to do - ironing, reading through some paperwork, personal training and governors' meeting.  Enough to keep me busy, for sure. 

Have a lovely Wednesday!

Music Advent calendar, day 3 is another prophetic one from Handel's Messiah.  It's the wonderful chorus 'For unto us a child is born'.  This is a great one to sing - it has so much energy.

Enjoy.

Blogmas day 2

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

Here's what I did yesterday.  I did two robins (each picture will appear twice in the blanket) because I am away for four days - I'm trying to get ahead.  I know they look a bit - er - 'weird', but once everything is together, they will be OK.
After I'd made this montage, I did another cross stitch picture and another bit of puzzle too; I'll try and remember to photo that for tomorrow. 

There were a few issues with the cross stitch kit.  The needle provided isn't great but, if it really bugs me, I have others, I had already replaced the fabric which was, frankly, terrible and I was already aware that not all the yarns were provided because it had said so in the reviews.  I do, however, have a nice little stash of silks so that was OK.  I needed a thread holder, of course, but a bit of card and a hole punch later - Bob's your uncle!!

Today's little collection!  The bath bomb (yesterday's was nice and they're not enormous like the Lush ones are) and tin with two tea light candles, the tea bag which was white tea, blueberry and elderflower, two bit of the puzzle because of getting ahead, you can see the thread holder I made, a wee pot of 'potting shed pickle' and today's crochet square is some lights.

(I used some bits and bobs I had lying about, hence the random pot of pickle!)

Today's Advent of Change charity is one that I only know about because of past calendars - Surfers against Sewage!! 
It says:
"Today you have helped clear harmful plastic pollution from our coastlines, canal paths, bridleways and city streets."
Here's the link to their site.  https://www.sas.org.uk/

We all do different things with the baby in our cribs.  Some have the baby there all the time while some add the baby on Christmas morning.
This has been the focus for various jokes perpetrated by Beth and Alex over the years.  I remember the day Mary left a letter saying she and Joseph had left early with the baby to avoid Herod and apologising to the Wise Men for missing them - and their gold!  It took me ages to find where she had hidden them. 
One time there were multiple babies of all skin colours because Lambs usually come in multiples.
One year Mary had gone skiing with the baby and had left a pair of skis for Joseph in the manger in case he wanted to come.
The best of all was when the Shepherds brough one tribble for the baby and we know what tribbles do best don't we?  Each time I went into the kitchen out of the way, more tribbles appeared until the crib was covered.  So funny!
(There are three remaining tribbles there now but everyone knows not to feed them so it should be OK!)

I guess there won't be a joke this year as Beth is hosting.  That's a bit sad really.

Today is busy!  So busy that I have a Little List.  It says:
Groove
window cleaner (OK, so not me that's busy here but I need to be in)
washing, etc
Choose clothes for weekend - make list
Write report shopping at Morrisons
M&S - Pinecone (I know what this means!!)
finish loaves
buy flour?  (this can wait)

Actually, when you make a list, it doesn't seem so bad, does it?  I'll be very pleased to get it all done though.

The loaf is Lindsey's sourdough for next week as I won't be around over the weekend to bake it then.  I'm making it today, will slice it and bag it and she can pop it straight in the freezer.
Lindsey's already mentioned me continuing with this after the year is up (next summer) and maybe working on a barter system using her classes as a swap.  Isn't it nice that she likes my baking so much.

Music Advent Calendar:

Today I'm still on the looking forward/prophecy vibe with that wonderful aria-recitative-aria from Handel's Messiah, 'Comfort Ye' and 'Ev'ry Valley'

Blogmas day 1

Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to Blogmas day 1.

Yesterday evening, the Advent calendar thingies were all ready and waiting.  It looked exciting.

And this is the jigsaw for this Blogmas.  It looks a bit harder than last year's but that's OK, it's only one bit at a time.  I have Mum's jigsaw board ready on the table.

The tea bag calendar, which I had forgotten about (ooops) and Beth's cross stitch box.

So here we are - today's little haul.

A cute little tin with a couple of tea lights (the tins will be very useful afterwards), an English breakfast tea bag (going to have it after I've finished this), some cute little gingerbread man earrings (I will wear them today), a bath bomb (I'll let you know, and today's crochet is a robin!

The first Advent of Change door supports Toybox.  It says:
Today you have given a hungry child living on the streets of El Salvador a warm drink and a nourishing meal.

Here's the link:  https://toybox.org.uk/our-work

Yesterday was very pleasant.  Sunny and it felt fairly mild here.  I got on with the maple leaf blanket but now it is away and out of sight.  I'll get on with it in January.

Today, apart from all the advent stuff, it is Circuits at Shimmy Studio and I'll be taking a loaf over.  Once home, I will do the usual Monday housework and then I can chill with my Advent crafting.

I'll post the photos of the creative parts of  my Advent calendar a day behind - i.e. today crochet, cross stitch and puzzle will be posted tomorrow.  That way I can show you them finished.  

Happy first of December, everyone.  Welcome to Advent!  Do you have an Advent calendar - if so, what is it?  xx

Today's Advent calendar music link is the wonderful version of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel from King and Country.  I just love it and we have to have it on the first day, don't we?

A more traditional version from Kings College Choir (which will feature quite a lot in here over the next three weeks or so)