Monday: Advent day thirteen

Good morning!  I have no idea what it's like outside yet; I got the freezer stuff in yesterday evening.  Yesterday was a mix of a day with some sun and some drizzle and fairly mild.
Thank you all for your absolutely lovely comments about the wreath.  I like it very much but I guess when you make something you are always looking for ways to improve next year.  I've put myself at the top of the list for next year and have invited Beth to come along too - she will absolutely love it, I know.

The Christmas door mats are out and the usual ones are spanking clean and tucked away for a few weeks.  The Christmas doormats don't do such a good job but they look festive!

I set to and had a go at mince pies, making my own pastry from the recipe Chris gave me which is actually a very old Mary Berry recipe.   I needed to adapt it slightly as the fats were a mix of butter, hard margarine and lard.  Beth can't have lard so I added the lard amount to the butter and found some 'baking fat' (delightful name) in M&S which is veggie-friendly (as is marg but M&S didn't have hard marg).  Mum always used to say that lard made the best, shortest pastry but when Beth became vegetarian she stopped using it for anything that Beth might be able to eat.
I was a bit unsure but went for it.  
And you know what - when I did the absolutely necessary quality testing, they were delicious.  I may have found a pastry recipe that works for me, amazingly.  What recipe do you use for shortcrust pastry?

They *look* OK too.  :-)

Through the day I did some washing as I noticed the clothes basket was overflowing somewhat and later on I was able to do some ironing too although there's still plenty to finish off this morning.  

I filled in an online form thingy relating to my booster vaccine tomorrow and must remember to check the route today.

Most of today is usual Monday stuff.  Circuit training is back at Lindsey's again and tuition is the last before Christmas so I MUST remember the pressies.
The Christmas thing is getting the blue room sorted.  I have Santa bunting to put up and a bed to make with a festive cover.  
I have to pay my car tax today but that's a most simple matter, involving a few clicks, checking my mileage and entering payment details.  Gone are the days when one had to trudge down to the post office and come home with a little paper circle to slot in the tax holder.
And finally, I think I will make a few more mince pies.  It's on the calendar for tomorrow but I might not really feel like it tomorrow.

Today's Advent music is John Rutter's lovely 'Star Carol'
'Sing this night for a boy is born in Bethlehem'
Lovely!

When living in Sydenham, I used to go to a ladies choir, the Sydenham Singers, which started off as an adult education thingy, and this was one of the pieces we sang one Christmas.  It's really set for s.a.t.b. but we did an arrangement for ladies voices.

Sunday: Advent day twelve

 Good morning.  Yesterday's red sky foretold accurately.  It was dry (just) when I walked home wreath in hand, but it started drizzling soon after and it has obviously been raining overnight although it is dry and mild at the moment (around six o'clock).  I think today might be a day to snuggle down inside although I've not checked.

Yesterday was lovely!  The wreath making morning was great fun - there were ten of us but only two of us hadn't been to one of these before.  The basic ring had been done for us and there were so many different ornaments/decorations to choose from to wire and fasten to the ring.  Now I know how they make those bows.

It's on the front door now and will stay there until after Christmas.

No, it's not brilliant, I can already see where there are 'problems' but it's the first I've ever made so I'm pleased with it and it does look nice on the door.

I did a bit of sorting and tidying but most of the day was pretty lazy really.  The new Pinch of Nom books looks promising after a first flick through and I will read in more depth today.  There are loads and loads of things I want to watch over the Christmas period so there's an awful lot of highlighting in my copy of the Radio Times.

Did you watch Strictly?  However can one choose; they were all so good that they really should all be in the final and, if there hadn't been dropouts, probably would have been.  I've voted but I did feel a bit mean!
I know that the info about who has been eliminated is out there already but I never go looking, I wait for the results programme.
And I am very much looking forward to the final next week.

Today, the Christmas thing is to put out the Christmas door mats.  That means washing the others ready for the New Year.  I think I might also do some mince pie making for the freezer and I do need to read through my biscotti recipe and make a list of ingredients I need to buy (pistachios, for example).
Really, though, it is going to be another lazy day and I will make the most of it as next week is busier, one way and another.

Today's music is 'The Carol of the Bells', composed by Ukrainian Mykola Leontovych.  It is musically interesting, being based on an ostinato.
Wiki says:
The music is based on a four note ostinato and is in 3/4 time signature.  The ringer of the B-flat bell, though, feels it in 6/8 time.  The carol is metrically bi-stable, and a listener can focus on either metre or switch between them.  It has been performed in many gentres:  classica, metal, jazz, country music, rock and pop.

I like music with a bit of a listening puzzle to solve.

There's a lot of choice on YouTube and, if you're interested, it's worth listening to a few versions in different styles.  I was torn between Pentatonix and Libera but went for the latter in the end!

Enjoy!

Saturday: Advent day eleven

 Morning!  After another lovely, sunny day yesterday, it was quite cold overnight and there's a hint of a frost this morning.  I looked out the front to put some rubbish out and was greeted by a stunning sunrise so I just HAD to grab the camera.  Fortunately, no one else in the cul de sac seemed to be up, judging by the lack of lights, and anyway, even if the were, I was perfectly decent in pjs and dressing gown!

It looks like the weather is going to turn if the old saying about red skies in the morning is true but it was beautiful and I'm glad I caught it.  The only windows that look out the front is the little bedroom and the kitchen (and a few with patterned glass) and the curtains were drawn anyway so I could easily have missed it.

A few days ago, Sue commented that she's rather like to see that Santa hat I keep donning.  So, her wish is my command; here, for Sue, exclusively modelled by none other than Santa himself - the Santa hat!

(I don't think Mary is too impressed!)

The highlight of yesterday was our girls' chat in the evening.  We had a lovely catch up session with lots of chuckles, a few tears and a good old sharing session.  My gift haul was a bottle of bucks fizz (I love this), some hyacinths to plant out, some narcissi in a bowl to grow inside before putting out later next year, some shortbread biscuits and a vanilla candle.  I gave them all a pair of the wrist warmers I have been knitting and a little bottle of the home made liqueur with a couple of little cans of tonic.  They were strawberry (picked at Lathcoats), blackberry (the last ever from Dad's garden) or raspberry (from the allotment).
We've decided we must do this once a month next year, until the time when we all feel safe enough to meet face to face again.  

Today is something I have been  looking forward to for ages.  I am off on a Christmas Wreath course this morning and should come back with my own wreath for my front door.  I can then dismantle the cobbled together effort currently on the door, thank goodness. 
The venue is just down the road from here, about five minute's walk away so very convenient and I must remember to take my biggest supermarket bag to carry my creation home again afterwards.

Once home, I'm taking the day off from any but the most essential chores.  I'm going to check out a few Netflix Christmas films, have a good old trawl through my new Pinch of Nom book for likely recipes (a flick through looks promising) and, as I got the TV Times Christmas mag yesterday, I will dig out a marker pen (assuming they still work as they date back to when I was teaching so may not) and highlight everything I fancy watching through that fortnight.  If there are clashes, it won't matter nowadays as I can set to record.

I will do some knitting, some reading and generally have a very lazy and self indulgent day.

Bliss!

Something old and folky today - The Boars Head Carol, sung by Steeleye Span.  You can just imagine the country folk gathered in the local hostelry, singing heartily after a few yards of ale!

Wiki says:

The 'Boar's Head Carol' is a macaronic (I had to look that up) 15th century English Christmas carol the describes the ancient tradition of sacrificing a boar and presenting its head at a Yuletide feast.  Of the several extant versions of the carol, the one most usually performed today is based on a version published in 1521 in Wynkin de Worde's 'Christmasse Carolles'

So now we know!!

Friday: Advent day ten

 Morning everyone.  It feels really chilly outside this morning, probably because of the breeze.  I was glad to get back in  from my visit to the freezer!

Yesterday turned out to be lovely and sunny until later on when we had some drizzle in the evening.  I had a great hour with Chris who had provided some festive nibbles.  I will be returning the compliment next Thursday but we've decided not to meet just before Christmas as there will be so much to do and Chris' son might very well be there by then.

The pastry for her (home made) mince pies was absolutely delicious and, as I am shocking at making shortcrust pastry (although my puff pastry is good, thanks to Thermione), she took a photo of the recipe and sent it over.  For the life of me, I could not work out how to get this photo off my phone from where she'd sent it and onto my hard drive so I did a bit of searching and found how to link What'sApp to my PC, something I have wanted to do for a while.
I'm not particularly technical and stuff like that scares me rather so I was really rather pleased with myself!

Then I popped out to do a bit of shopping, mostly Christmas related stuff as some of the use by dates now include the festive week.  The more I can get in advance, the easier the last shop will be.

The rest of the day was homey stuff - plenty of ironing, some tidying up and so on.  The new Pinch of Nom book arrived but I have earmarked the weekend for having a good look through.  I was expecting to be out on Sunday but poor old Alex messaged to say that now he has the horrendous cold that Beth had last week so is cancelling again.   I'm glad he did - I really don't want what they have/had.

Today is SW day and, after an extremely naughty week, I am dreading those scales.  However, what will be will be so no excuses and take the consequences.
Once home again, the day is pretty much free.  There's no Christmas stuff to get out today but I do need to take the decoration boxes, etc, upstairs to the front room where they will sit until twelfth night.
Also, I want to do my Christmas cards.  I don't send many, preferring to make a donation to a homeless charity instead but I do send online cards (using the Jacquie Lawson site) to people and, as I can date them for when I want them to arrive in mailboxes, it's a good idea to get it organised nice and early.

Then, come the evening, we have our Girls' Online Chat so I will be in Messenger at seven, ready to invite the girls along!  Should be great!

Today's Christmas music is another two for the price of one, two of my favourite versions of the joyful carol 'In Dulci Jubilo' (or, as I learns it as a child, 'Good Christian men, rejoice')

The first is the fantastic Mike Oldfield version where he plays all the instruments, pretty innovative for the time.

The second is my absolute favourite, the Pearsall choral version, favourite of school and church choirs everywhere (which is where I first learnt it), sung here by King's College choir.

So completely different and yet both so joyous in totally different ways.  One makes me want to dance, the other fills me with warm happiness.

Thursday: Advent day nine

 Good morning.
First of all, I really need to say a great big huge, enormous THANK YOU for all the kind, understanding and supportive comments and suggestions after yesterday's post.  I think I must have the loveliest, kindest followers in the world and I really appreciate each one of you.  Thank you so much.

Personal Training was, as always, really good. Lindsey was on her last day of isolation and can join the Real World again today, something for which she is extremely thankful.   Apart from a slightly runny nose, she has had absolutely no symptoms and has remained thoroughly fit and healthy all the way through.  However, as we both agreed, isolation is not about feeling ill or not, it's about not infecting others and helping to spread this horrible thing.

I donned my Santa hat and delivered all the various gifts to J and Beth.  Also, I had an online chat with J where we tried various 'platforms' for having our girls' chat on Friday and decided that the simplest and the easiest was via Messenger.  So that's pretty much all sorted and all we have to do is look forward to it.  It's been a long time.

The decoration thing yesterday was cushions and candles while the day before was bunting.  A few photos . . .

Beth made both the bunting and the cushions.
The more I look around, the more I realise how much family love is on show in my home at the moment.  A precious time.

Here's the candles.  I dearly love a candle (just in case you hadn't noticed!).
It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Clark household now.

The other extra thing I did was set up a little tree in my bedroom.  It's just a small tree that I used to use in school.  We had a decoration making competition each year and the children hung their creations on the tree and the head used to come to choose the best ones - a very tricky job indeed! (they all got a little reward - I'm not totally mean)
After retirement, while Beth was doing craft shows, she used it to hang items on that were for sale.
Now, having come down in the world considerably, it sits in my bedroom!  Poor little tree!

Today's Christmas thing is to get out the throws and the Christmas aprons (Yup - I have Christmas themed aprons, sorry).
Also, not specifically Christmas related, the new Pinch of Nom book should be delivered.  I am very much looking forward to this.

I was planning to start the day with an early morning shop and then go over to Chris' for our festive coffee and chat.  Chris is providing mince pies while I am bringing a couple of crackers.  However, I can't be bothered to get going so quickly this morning so I will do the shop after coffee and chat.  It will be a bit busier but, frankly, it feels safer now that everyone has to wear masks again.  I hope that's not fools' paradise feelings.

The rest of the day is pretty much unscheduled but I did get several loads of washing done yesterday and that needs dealing with plus getting things ready for the cleaners on Friday.
It's going to be a good day.

For today's musical treat, I have chosen another acapella piece with apologies to those who are not so keen on that kind of music.

I came across Glad one Spring Harvest when they had a slot in the Big Top one evening and came back the next morning to do an ad hoc concert after a standing ovation and no time to do any more encores that evening.
So here's 'In the first light', another of my all time favourites.

In the first light of a new day
No one knew He had arrived
Things continued as they had been
While a new born softly cried.
But the heavens wrapped in wonder
Knew the meaning of His birth
In the weakness of a baby
They knew God had come to earth.
As His mother held him closely,
It was hard to understand
That this baby not yet speaking
Was the Word of God to man.
He would tell them of His kingdom,
But their hearts would not believe
They would hate Him and in anger
They would nail Him to a tree.
But the sadness would be broken
As the song of life arose
And the First born of creation
Would ascend and take his throne.
He had left it to redeem us,
But before His life began
He knew He'd come back not as a baby
But as The Lord of ev'ry man.
Hear the angels as they're singing
On the morning of His birth
But how much greater will our song be
When He comes again to earth
When He comes again
Hear the angels as they're singing
On the morning of His birth
But how much greater will our song be
When He comes again to Earth
When He comes to rule the Earth!
When He comes back, When He comes back
To rule the Earth!

Wednesday: Advent day eight

Good morning!

I felt I got a lot done in a pretty short time yesterday at Dad's but, oh, it was so very difficult.  I came home with more bits and bobs including several table cloths I found in a cupboard and a few garden chairs.
I managed to clear the garage freezer which is now turned off and waiting, lid up, for Gail to give it a good wipe out on Thursday when she goes there to clean.
By midday, the weather was starting to turn and, as the forecast was not great, I decided to leave rather earlier than planned.  I stopped off at Bickerdike's on the way home and got something I had been looking for and by the time I was on home territory again the rain was lashing and the wind strengthening so I was thankful to be home.  It is now dry, mild and still.  Typical!

However, I totally forgot to cut any holly which has upset me considerably more than it should.  I could kick myself, I really could.  For many many years I have had holly from Mum and Dad but no more unless I can find the time and reserves for another drive up before Christmas - which is doubtful.

Today I have online personal training and then I need to don my Santa hat again and get pressies to J and to Beth, ready for our girls' get together on Friday.

The Christmassy thing is (looks at plan) candles and cushions.  Nice!

Today's Christmas music is an old favourite, 'Walking In The Air' from that most Christmassy of all Christmas films, The Snowman.  Beth and I always start off our Christmas Tree Day DVDs with this film - it sets the atmosphere so perfectly for us.

This version is performed by that wonderful choir, Libera.

 

Tuesday: Advent day seven

 Morning, everyone.  The weather was a bit miserable yesterday and it is predicted to carry on being miserable later on today although right now it is cold, dry and very clear.  Beeb says it shoul;d start pouring just as I set out to drive home.  Nice timing there!

Here's the photo of the knitted nativity I set up yesterday.  It is certainly a nice splash of colour and the background  stable I got for it is just about right.  Maybe a little bit small (poor Joseph is bumping his head on the ceiling!) but not too much - after all, it's not intended to be realistic!!
I might make it the blog banner for a few days.

The day went well yesterday, despite some rotten weather that gradually got colder as the day progressed.  We all puffed our way through circuit training online and D and I laughed our way through tuition later on.  A nice, cheerful day, despite the weather.

Today I'm off to Dad's in a couple of hours with a list of Things To Do.  They include:
cutting some holly
bringing all my things home (must remember suitcase) as I no longer intend staying there overnight - it's just too very sad and lonely
doing another sort out of the garage freezer
ditto for the kitchen freezer
ditto for the pantry (I've already done a lot of that but I noticed that John and Gina brought all their food with them so most of the cans, etc, are really no longer needed
hand over Christmas gifts for neighbours and for Gail
check Dad's mailbox, forwarding anything necessary to John, and open any letters - there's still a few
anything else that catches my eye

. . . and I intend leaving before three so I can get home before dark and before the rush hour.

The decoration thing for today is the bunting.  Beth made this for me and I've had it up for two or three Christmases now so it's becoming tradition.

Here's today's Christmas music, a carol written and performed by local singer/songwriter/church leaders/worship leaders, Pete and Nicki Sims.  It's called 'Love Came Down'
I'm so glad I found it on YouTube - it used to be really hard to find and I never thought of looking there.