Note to self. MUST read my blog emails more often. Huge and sincere apologies - I wasn't ignoring you deliberately, honest. (If you know, you know)!!
Morning.
Well, yesterday was much more energetic and cheering than previously The sun was shining and - guess what - I put up and used the washing line! Three cheers. The solar panels were working overtime for a while too, which was nice. At this time of year, while my electricity bill isn't terrible, it's more than twice what it is in the brighter months. Given that the weather going into the new year looks to be absolutely dire, I will take yesterday with thankfulness.
What wasn't so great was that my hearing aid is on the blink again - sigh. I definitely need to make an appt quickly to have it looked at.
However, I was cheered up by an email from Ray of the Broomfield Coach Trips. Next week is the trip to see The Nutcracker in London and I am so, so looking forward to that.
I topped up the water softener and realised that was my last bag so I ordered some more. It's something I really need to have and ten bags (10kg - I can't lift the 25kg ones) will see me through most of the coming year, given that it is currently fully topped up.
As well as doing the washing and most of the ironing, I started the freezer audit. Getting that started cheered me up no end!
The day finished off with a beautiful sunset - we haven't had that many lovely ones recently so this was much appreciate by yours truly. I might make this my new header at some point . . .
On the Sixth Day of Christmas
I gave unto myself
Under eye patches
Two bits of puzzle (forgot about this bit)
One coffee pod (caramello, it says on the top)
And a cho-co-late liqueur
(raspberryflavoured today)
I actually have no idea what was going through my head when I bought these. I've never, ever used anything like that, have you? Do they do anything (generically, I mean, not this brand)?
I used some of the body wash Jo M freebie from yesterday. It is a very small tube but a little goes a very long way and there's three baths' worth in there, for sure. Woodland Sage and Sea Salt doesn't sound that appealing to me, it makes me think of stuffing, but it was lovely! Some of the little tester perfume freebies are the same scent although each one won't last as long as the body wash! :-)
And here's the puzzle - half done!
Today, on my Little List, it says:
Downstairs
Shopping (just a few things for New Year's Day when the family are here) Sort out end of month finances
Fridge
Continue freezer audit.
Read gas meter and send off.
Quite enough to keep me out of trouble!
If you are partying tonight, have a wonderful time. If, like me, you are peaceful and quiet at home, enjoy whatever you will be doing and, everyone, have a lovely and happy day, no matter what the weather decides to do. xx
Morning, one and all. Sorry this is late. I seriously overslept this morning, after a really good night's sleep. I must have needed it and I do feel brighter this morning now I have proper woken up. It's been dull, damp and dismal for several days now but this morning is bright and sunny - so much more cheering, even if it does show up the state of my windows.
I didn't do much yesterday and I think that's the problem. I need to do a bit more, get myself out of this lethargy and achieve something other than crochet. Do you get that feeling sometimes?
The puzzle is coming on nicely. It's harder than the previous one when each block had a defined edge pattern, but it is fun and the new board is great.
On the Fifth Day of Christmas
I gave unto myself
Jo Malone freebies
One coffee pod
And a cho-co-late liqueur
(plum flavoured today)
I'd forgotten about the freebies. Both Beth and I like Jo Malone and there's a 'shop' in our John Lewis so it's far too easy to get there! She (Beth, not Jo Malone) gave me some freebies and I also had some so I thought 'why not?'
Alex also gave me some as part of my Christmas pressie so I am pretty well stocked up with random stuff when you think of the M&S calendar as well.
I'm enjoying those calendar products, by the way. The Wow shampoo and conditioner are both lovely so I looked them up on Amazon. They are expensive, more than I would want to pay usually but, maybe, for a treat. Having said that, it's good stuff and I don't need to use as much as my usual cheapies.
The styling cream (can't remember the brand off the top of my head) is also really good and leaves my hair feeling great. Again - expensive. I can see why people said the M&S calendar was 'good value' (assuming you use that sort of thing).
Well, I'm well behind myself today and I need to get myself moving again after several days of lethargy. So I have one of my Little Lists to cover the next few days.
kitchen
washing, drying and ironing
downstairs
shopping
start freezer audit
I will leave downstairs and the shopping (just a few things for NYD as family is round) because if I do downstairs today, I will feel it needs another going over on NYD, before the family arrives.
Better shut up, get this sent and get going. Have a good day, everyone, whatever your plans are. Stay warm and be happy. xx
Morning, everyone, and welcome to . . . Sunday (I had to think about that one - all the days are merging into each other at the moment). It feels a bit colder this morning and I suspect I will end up turning up the heating a bit.
I had a disappointment yesterday. My friend, who was coming to stay for a few days, is not at all well so won't be coming. What she thought was just an upset tum is probably something more virally, she feels unwell and shouldn't be driving, nor should she or I risk sharing it. So no go today. Possibly next week instead but she's not sure she can make next week. There you go, poor Sonja, it sounds like she's feeling rotten quite apart from the disappointment. If you read this, get well soon, dear Sonja.
No food waste though as planned meals are shelf stable or in the freezer (or fresh veg, etc), so it will keep.
On a happier note . . .
I had a surprise yesterday. There was a knock on the door and it was the postman with a HUGE flat box. It contained the new puzzle board that I wasn't expecting until Monday - well done, Post Office!
So I set to, slid the sections I had done onto the new board and joined them together (easier said than done) before taking this photo.
It's lovely. The old one was just a thick cloth that you rolled around a cardboard tube between times and not only was it a right fiddle, it puckered and didn't always lie flat. This one is nice and firm with a see through cover to keep the puzzle bits in place when you're not doing the puzzle. I'm happy!
I finished the three 'tiles' that I started on Friday and put them on my blocking board - which is just a little bit too small but not to worry, it will keep them in place until I get round to steam pressing.
Aren't they lovely - well, the one you can see anyway? The other two are underneath.
I've started the other five in the same colourway and am adopting the same structure - do one round of each, sew in the ends, do the next round of each and sew in the ends. It seems slow progress but saves time in the long term.
And, looking at the one on top, I have just realised I have made a mistake - and it's just going to have to stay because I'm not frogging that much. It is a colour mistake and I doubt very much it will be noticeable, especially if I do the same 'mistake, on half of them.
And - talking of steam pressing . . .
On the Fourth Day of Christmas
I gave unto myself ('unto' fits the rhythm better than 'to')
One steam presser,
One coffee pod
And a cho-co-late liqueur
(kirsch flavoured today - yum)
This is the other more costly item (the first was the Granny Square book and the project notebook).
I knew what it was - biggest parcel - and decided to open it today because I am going to need it. I will be able to steam press the tiles on the blocking board so they will all be exactly the same size. The overlap is a slight nuisance but I can do that on the ironing board as it's just a little bit.
So, instead of a day chatting, catching up, exchanging Christmas gifts, etc, etc, I have another day to myself. I did some dusting, etc, yesterday before I heard from Sonja but the washing is building up and the kitchen could do with another clear out. So it won't be quite such a lazy day today but I'm sure I will have plenty of time for crochet!
Have a lovely day, everyone, and stay safe and warm. xx
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the weekend - although it does feel like a constant weekend right now with many people off work until after the New Year.
Plans have changed. My friend, Sonja, was coming over from her home in Milton Keynes this morning for a few days but, sadly, she has an upset tum and is delaying it until tomorrow when, fingers crossed, she will feel fine again. I am sorry but not sorry. Just in case it is something transferrable, she's giving it time to work through and I am grateful.
I spent some time in the kitchen yesterday and now there's a lovely, thick lamb and veg (including some dried country veg mix) simmering a way in the slow cooker and three lamb and Christmas veg pasta bake portions in the freezer. I'll add the lamb to the soup last thing so it stays in chunks and that will also provide me with easy freezer meals for January.
Then I will freeze the rest of the lamb in stock for roast dinners and that's the Christmas leftovers all done and dusted. Yay!
What with the above and the stuff I didn't use, I am well stocked for quite a while and January is going to be another low spend month anyway.
I started the Persian tiles crochet thingy and it isn't as hard as it looks. In fact, the hardest part is negotiating the two patterns.
Two, because there's the basic patters colourway and pattern where you make sixteen octagons all the same, nine Persian Granny Squares, twelve Large Granny Squares, and so on or . . .
There's the alternative using different colour way that the designer (Janie Crow) calls the Marrakesh blanket and that's the one I am doing. So there's eight of Octagon one, four of Octagon two and three . . etc. That's not so bad as the colourways are clearly stated, you just have to read from one pattern to the other. What makes it slightly more awkward is that the colours in the kit don't completely match the colours on the list. It's not hard to work out and I have noted the differences on the list but . . .
So I have nearly done three octagons, all the same, in car factory way - three round ones, three round twos, etc. AND, given that there are fourteen rounds, I am sewing in the ends as I go. Having to do them all at the end would be a deal breaker, I think.
(Imagine music)
On the Third Day of Christmas,
I gave to myself . . .
one cross stitch kit,
one coffee pod
and a cho-co-late liqueur
(pear flavoured today)
The kit was half price from Hobbycraft and I don't know what I will do with the finished thing - make a card, probably.
Given that I have another day to myself and I now have new crochet and knitting projects and a mini cross stitch kit, guess what I will be doing apart from the usual housework!!
Good morning, one and all. How are you today? Recovering, I hope.
Yesterday was really lazy round here. I started to sort out the lamb leftovers (there's loads) and made a stock in the slow cooked using the lamb bones, a stockpot, some red wine and some rosemary - more or less what went into the original slow roast lamb, in fact. I need some stock to freeze some portions of lamb, otherwise it will maybe go rather dry.
I had lunch at Beth's and then she taught me how to play Ticket To Ride which I have never played before. I really enjoyed it - have you played it?
Then it was home to catch up with more recordings, knit and just chill.
Beth and I had a little chat about next Christmas. I might be away, I don't know yet, but whether I am at home or away, Beth said she would like to host The Day next year. How lovely is that. I can help out, of course, but it will be nice to have the pressure off.
The Second Day pressie is a reed diffuser (I love diffusers), one that I got from Aldi ages ago, with an orange blossom Columbian Arabica and it is really nice - not too strong but it has a nice flavour.
The choccy is plum liqueur - sounds nice, doesn't it?
I did the next two sections of the puzzle but I have splashed out and treated myself to a proper puzzle board which should arrive Monday. So, at the moment, I am making up each day's two sections on A4 card which, I hope, will enable me to slide them onto the board when it arrives and join them together. Fingers crossed. Then I will take photos.
Things are starting to get back to normal again today. It starts with Slimming World, a weigh and go session today and we have no idea who/how many will come but we will see.
Once home again, I want to finish sorting out the lamb leftovers, dust and sweep downstairs and get the blue room ready because my lovely friend, Sonja, is coming over to spend a few days here from tomorrow.
Once that is all started I will either get on with my knitting or I might be a brave girl and get down that Persian Tiles crochet that I think will really push me out of my comfort zone good and proper. If you hear howls of anguish coming from the general Mid-Essex direction, you will know why!
Time to stop rambling and get going with other things. Take care, everyone and, whether you are back at work, still on break or retired, have a lovely and enjoyable day. xx
A slightly bleary 'good morning' to you all from a just-starting-to-get-light mid-Essex. I hope yesterday was a lovely time for you and that your pressies, whatever they were, whether you gave them or received them, gave you much joy.
It was lovely for me, here. A fairly quiet morning with time to potter and get everything finished, into the oven, etc. Jamie's slow roast lamb recipe was so good - the gravy it gave was amazing with just a touch of balsamic vinegar (thank you, Dave, for that suggestion) and some thickening granules. Right at this moment, the considerable leftovers are gently warming in the oven so I can get all the meat off the bone and have a think about how to use them.
We have a family traditional standing joke around the wooden nativity set. I think (but could be wrong) it started many years ago when, after I had carefully placed the baby in the manger first thing Christmas morning, he was kidnapped and a ransom note was left. Since then, each year, Beth has worked out some sort of joke/trick culminating in the Tribbles joke where every time I disappeared into the kitchen to do something, more tribbles appeared around the manger and stable until they were all over the floor as well.. I honestly don't know how she thinks of them.
This year there was a card with the following words of wisdom . . .
"When John the Baptist spoke of the 'Lamb of God', he forgot to mention baby sheep usually come in MULTIPLES."
. . . And so they do!!
We had good food - the roasties still have to be put on the table - there was - er - enough!!
The not-Christmas pudding, aka gingerbread cheesecake, went down a treat - and there's loads left to freeze in slices.
We played games - well, they did, I had a snooze!!
We watched the new Wallace and Grommit programme. Really good with lots of laugh out loud moments and some of us managed to get through surprisingly large amounts of alcohol. How I woke up feeling only slightly bleary I shall never know. There's no justice, is there?
And Beth loved her hexa-cardi which fitted really well. Cheers!
I didn't watch the King's Speech as the others don't, so I will catch up with it today, but I did watch the Channel 4 alternative on YouTube this morning and I thought it was good so here you are - in case you didn't see it - from everyone's favourite person at the moment . . .
Now it is Boxing Day and the start of a frankly and slightly nauseatingly self-indulgent Twelve Days of Christmas.
In a basket, there are twelve (well, eleven now) parcels containing this, that and the other. Most are just little things, a couple are a bit bigger and, although I can remember most of them, apart from the two bigger ones I don't really know which parcel is what so that's nice.
The box leaning against the basket is twelve Nespresso capsules behind twelve doors, a gift from Beth, so that can join the daily opening.
This looks huge, doesn't it - it's not. I found it in HomeSense and it is a little box with twelve liqueur choccies (really only 4-5 cms tall) so they can also join in.
And there's last year's puzzle, two boxes per day - I haven't done that yet.
So here's today's. One of the two parcels I can remember.
The choc is raspberry, the capsule is 'cioccatilino (it says on the foil lid) and I'm going to browse my way through the book today.
Today, I need to deal with copious leftovers one way or another and I will be going over to Beth's for lunch so that's really nice.
Happy Boxing Day, everyone, have a good time whether you spend it resting, walking, busy, whatever . . . xx
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And, as this is a twenty five day Advent Calendar, what else could we have but 'O come, all ye faithful'.
My vlogger friends have been playing Christmas Tag - Christmas Questions to answer and then tag others.
I wasn't tagged as I'm not a vlogger but I thought I'd bring them in here and answer anyway. No tagging though.
Here we go . . .
1. Best Christmas memory
I have so many but I think one of the best ones is Beth's first Christmas. Nanna, Mum, me and Beth were posing for a 'four generations' family photo when little Beth looked straight at Nanna and gave her the First Smile - and Dad caught it on camera.
2. Favourite three Christmas Movies
I don't watch a lot of movies but I would say Muppet's Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street (the Mara Wilson one) and Elf. I don't count the Snowman series because they were made for telly and were not 'films'.
3. Favourite Christmas Scent
Hmmm - well, I love citrus as a scent and I love cinnamon and the third one has to be my Jo Malone Orange Marmalade.
4. What do you put on top of your Christmas Tree
A star
5. Build your perfect Christmas dinner/pudding meals
Oh, gosh. I don't think I have one. Anything tasty with loads of veg and some roasties will do me fine. For dessert, something light! NOT pudding or mince pie, thank you! I like them but not after a roast!
6. Favourite Christmas drink
Champagne, the dryer the better. Dad always used to bring a bottle of the Real Stuff with him and it was so good.
7. Top five Christmas songs
Hmmm - in no particular order . . .
In Dulci Jubilo
When a Child Is Born
Once in Royal
In the First Light
Thorns in the Straw
. . . all of which are in the calendar and playlist. But, really, I have loads of them, loads.
8. Do you wear a Christmas day outfit
Well, I won't be going nude!!
Probably my Seasalt dress with a sparkly lightweight jacket/cardi on top - and my bauble earrings (edit: no, I wore my 'rocks', the diamond earrings Beth gave me before the cruise last year)
9. If you have fur babies do you get them gifts
I don't have fur babies but I have brought and wrapped treats for Beth's cats - silly me!
10. Sprouts Yes or No
Yes, yes, YES.
Please.
11. Who will you be spending Christmas day with
My family - Dave, Beth and Alex
12. If you could go anywhere for Christmas where would it be
I'd love to go back to the Arctic Circle - it was proper snow there.
13. If you got one Christmas wish that would last just for Christmas day what would it be?
I think I would want a Christmas with all my family, as they were at their best. Nanna, Grampy, Mum and Dad, Dave and family, John, my two, Anna and Alex.
14. Die Hard - a Christmas Movie?
I've never seen it so have no idea but the overwhelming vlogger opinion is that of course it is. Who am I to argue?
There you go - Christmas Tag. If you fancy having a go, feel free to use the comments space below.
Good morning, everybody. Welcome to Christmas Eve at last! It's very mild outside and the strong winds have died down - for now anyway.
I've just taken the leg of lamb out of the freezer - and promptly dropped it on my toe - ouch. Nothing broken, but it did hurt for a few moment. Hopefully, that is the worst thing that will happen today.
Circuits with Lindsey was great fun yesterday. It was a sort of open house and there were eleven of us, including three youngsters. There was such a great vibe - Lindsey told me ages ago that this was a sort of dream - go have a class where all ages, sizes and genders were exercising together and having a great time. I think yesterday was pretty close.
Back at home, I pottered around, working through my list until it was all done. I decided I would go to Morrisons at about five thirty rather than do it really early this morning so I did, it was bustling but not packed, I got everything on my list plus (don't all shout at me at once) another half price leg of lamb. See, lamb is my favourite meat but I hardly ever have it because of the cost so it was a great opportunity. They are both in the freezer, of course, and I will enjoy them scattered through the year.
And finally, my lovely Slim Win chat group had a sort of online party which was lots of fun although one of us received some bad new towards the end - no details, of course, but please would you think of Stephanie through the day when you can. Thank you.
The puzzle is finished and here's the final photo. This is the best I could manage as there's a lot of reflection off the pieces.
Now to break it us, section by section, and put the pieces back into their own numbered boxes.
The last Advent of Change is about Re-engage, a charity that is committed to older people being heard, valued and engaged.
It says:
Today you have given the gift of friendship to a lonely older person, enabling them to enjoy Christmas in the company of others.
I am so lucky to have both my children still living close by but not everyone is so fortunate and this sounds like a great charity.
There are so many charities, so many important causes. I'm very grateful that this calendar has opened my eyes to some of them. We can't support every good cause but this calendar is a way of spreading much needed financial support much wider than one would do individually and I think that's great.
And the penultimate gift from the M&S calendar is a little tube of L'Occitane hand cream for dry skin which is just perfect as my hands have felt very dry recently. I've used a bit and it's lovely, much better than what I have been using which is more scent than anything else.
I think this might be one product I will go on buying.
I won't post about tomorrow's last product until boxing Day when my Twelve Days of Christmas starts.
In my Christmas survival book today it says:
shopping @ 6:00 - did yesterday
Lamb out first thing - done
Any housework? - none apart from the usual daily stuff so done
Groove - it's online and Christine is coming over to do it with me and then have a quick coffee and chat
make cheesecake for tomorrow's pud
Change water in flowers and use day 3 food
Prep lamb and veg
Make Med bread
Anything else?
It all sounds very nice and festive really. And then, this evening, see below.
Happy Christmas Eve, everyone. xxx
Today's Advent music has to be something I will be watching this evening, the iconic Carols from Kings - here's the traditional starter where the soloist is only told just before it starts. Sooner him than me, that's all I can say.
Here you are - Once in Royal David's city.
And here, fingers crossed, is the link to the whole playlist - it should contain every carol/song in this years Advent Calendar. I will be playing it while I do the last minute stuff and then while I relax with my cuppa and my knitting. Enjoy!
(and, if it doesn't work, please let me know. Thanks.)
Edit: I have changed the settings of the playlist - you should be able to play it now. I think I made the same mistake last year: it needs to be 'unlisted' not 'Private'. Maybe a not in the Christmas Survival Book might help next year
After a few days of feeling lethargic and lazy, my get-up-and-go came back again.
I attacked my bedroom and the bathroom, cleaned, dusted, swept and changed my sheets for the ones I always use for Christmas - lovely, soft, brushed cotton tartan duvet cover and pillowcases that are so cosy and snuggly.
I did quite a lot of tidying up downstairs but I decided to leave the cleaning for today because if I had done it yesterday, that chances are it would have needed a going over tomorrow but doing it today means I can forget about it totally until afterwards!
I iced the cake while listening to my Christmas playlist and it was both happy and sad, remembering how Mum always did this in past days.
I wasn't sure how to decorate it so I took two photos of ideas and ran them past Beth and Alex.
They chose this option so that's that sorted. By the way, I went round to Beth's, took some presents and came back with others which are now . . .
. . . under the tree and that's pretty much how it will stay until Christmas afternoon really. It looks so festive and exciting (and keeps most of the clutter in one place).
During the morning, there was a knock at the door and when I opened it, a parcel had been left on the doorstep - a box of posh goodies from Bertie (Chris' grandson) and his mum and dad. Totally unexpected and so very kind.
It was
some fruit cake
a lemon drizzle almond cake
(both now sliced and out of harm's way in the freezer)
tiffin (to enjoy on Christmas day)
some fudge (ditto)
some fancy tea bags which I'm going to start enjoying this afternoon.
I got another parcel a bit later, some flowers from my brother, John. I'll take a photo later as they hadn't opened properly yesterday.
And I had a lovely exchange of emails with him too.
I got three loads of washing done (including the bedding) and, as the sun was shining, I threw caution to the winds and dried quite a lot of it in the tumble dryer. Most of the remaining ironing is now done and there's just a bit more to do today.
And there was still time to sit, chill and catch up on Christmas recordings.
Such a lovely day, despite the gusty winds and the rattling fence during the evening.
The penultimate bit of the Advent puzzle.
Not quite penultimate for the M&S advent box as it is a twenty five day one which is quite nice. I'm starting to think what I can use the container for. I could put some of the special baubles in it but that would mean shutting it away all year. Perhaps I will use it for a crochet project; it isn't big enough to hold knitting needles really.
I'll think of something or, maybe, you have some ideas?
Edit because I forgot to say what today's thing is - it's a small tube of 'sleep and replenish' and is basically a night cream. Again - I will use it but I won't be getting more - Aldi's night cream is fine.
The Advent of Change today is a brilliant one. It is Project Harar which provides cleft lip and palate treatment to children across Ethiopia.
Today you have offered vital treatment and support to a child born with a left condition in some of the most rural areas of Ethiopia.
Beth and I were talking about this calendar yesterday - I bought her one as she had never come across it before. We both agreed that it's something we want to do every year from now on.
I was also pondering on the Reverse Advent idea - that every day through Advent you donate something to your local food bank. I want to get on board with that too although in a different way, not just Advent. I will think it through a bit more.
In my Christmas Survival Book (nothing special, just a note book with a nice cover) it tells me that today I will:
go to circuits at Lindsey's
finish the washing and ironing
clean downstairs
do my usual pre Christmas kitchen clear-out - just the surfaces, etc, to give me a clear run)
Make the cooking plan for Wednesday - although that's not so crucial for a slow roast leg of lamb but it will remind me of things I need to get out of the freezer, etc.
I also had 'make Mediterranean bread' but I am out of wholemeal and sundried tomatoes so it will have to wait until I have done the last bits of shopping early tomorrow morning.
That's really not so bad, is it. Plenty of time to chill and watch Christmas telly recordings.
Have a good day, everyone, and make sure you have enough time for chilling and being kind to yourself, OK?
Good morning, everyone. After a nasty, wet, windy day yesterday, it looks as if today is going to be a bit nicer. It has started better anyway - no wind, no rain, a semi-clear sky and the ground is dry. Fingers crossed.
What did I do yesterday?
Well, I made some pastry in Thermione as I said yesterday, and used half to make some mince pie bites and that finished off my jar on mincemeat. I am sure I have enough now.
And I made a batch of the oats and seeds crackers - you make it in a slab and then, when it is completely cold, you break it into irregular shards. They are delicious and seriously addictive but in the best way as they are packed with highly nutritious and heart-healthy ingredients. Also, they are adaptable. I swill be making these again and again and again. Here's the link to the recipe. https://loveandflourbypooja.com/oats-and-seeds-crackers/
Today's Advent of Change focus is Emmaus which works to end homelessness and it says: Today you have helped fund specialist support and accommodation for someone escaping domestic abuse. Wow! https://emmaus.org.uk/
Here's today's puzzle. Either it was a remarkably easy one to do or I'm getting just a bit better at it!
Only two more bits to do and I've really enjoyed it.
However, as you know, My Christmas goes on until Twelfth Night (just be grateful it doesn't go on until Candlemas, Feb 2nd) and, as well as my twelve little gifts to myself, I am getting out last year's puzzle and doing two bits each day.
And M&S has 'given' me another hair product, a blow dry cream, which I will definitely use, starting today!
Today is a busy day, as is tomorrow, because I want everything done and dusted before Christmas Eve. So there's cleaning, tidying, washing, drying, ironing, sorting out, rearranging . . . and a partridge in a pear tree!
By tomorrow evening, everything should be ready.
OK, that sounds much more than it actually is and I will definitely have time to watch all the stuff that I have set to record so I'm not feeling at all sorry for myself!
About this time last year, I was waiting for the taxi to arrive to drive me and Diane to the ship to start our cruise. It feels a bit 'odd' thinking about it. Maybe, one day . . .
How about you? Are you nearly there, going away, having people round, keeping it quiet . . . ?
I like this short poem by Eleanor Farjeon.
How will you your Christmas keep? Feasting, fasting or asleep? Will you laugh or will you pray, Or will you forget the day?
Be it kept with joy or pray'r, Keep of either some to spare; Whatsoever brings the day, Do not keep but give away.
Today's Advent Calendar music is a beautiful rendering of 'Mary, Did You Know?', sung by the One Voice Children's Choir.
Morning, everyone. Day 21 begins and it looks like an easy one for me.
Yesterday's Slimming World party and taster was great fun - Heidi brought three games with her including one that had a prize for everyone. Mine was a jar of Options hot chocolate which is quite nice added to yogurt.
Oh, and we had a snowball fight!!
After tidying everything up and making sure we left the hall in good nick, I headed over to Morrisons and the 'fun' began.
To be fair, although it was very crowded, everyone seemed in good humour and was happy to shift over, move out of the way, make space with a smile or a friendly word. It makes shopping so much nicer, doesn't it? The bill, even after the deductions for points, More Card special prices, etc, was eye-wateringly scary but, when I got home and had time to sit down and think about it, I did get quite a lot for my money really.
They had restocked on the half price beef, pork and lamb and I managed to get the last leg of lamb. I don't need it now but a whole leg of lamb for £15 is too good to leave. I did ponder more beef but didn't because I cut the last one into four small roasts which will do me and Alex nicely.
I got loads of Schloer zero because it was a very good special price and I almost always get a bottle each week.
There was alcohol, of course - that always costs.
I now have plenty of cheese - we all love cheese.
And nuts - raw nuts.
And they had veg at 10p a bag (really!) on my More Card so I got some - I need to get them prepped and in the freezer at some point.
What I didn't get was crisps. There's four days to go and crisps are my downfall. I'm going to walk round on Tuesday (must check opening hours) to get them and, already, a few extra items are on the new list - I'm nearly out of plain flour, for example.
Never ending, isn't it?
Once everything was away in fridge, freezer, kitchen cupboard or garden room, I sat down with a coffee to ponder the bill before jumping up again to do some baking,
Here we are!
I baked a loaf that I decided to keep freeform rather than in a tin - I always add some mixed seeds to the dough nowadays but yesterday I also crumbled in some chestnuts and it is delicious! I use a mix of strong white and wholemeal plus spelt and/or rye and it does make a nice, flavoursome loaf that doesn't sit too 'heavy'.
I used Thermione to make some sweet pastry for nine mince pies - one fall apart as I lifted it out so, obviously, I had to eat that one.
Then I made some oatcakes. There's a lovely YouTube channel called 'Ali lives well on less'. Ali used to comment on here occasionally; some might remember her.
Anyway, she does Money Mondays and Foody Fridays and her recipes are great. Simple, frugal and delicious. Often, the simplest recipes are the best and when I make them again, I will try using melted butter instead of oil and adding some finely grated hard Italian cheese (the basics kind).
And here's the puzzle for the last three days. Only three more to go and then I will carefully break it up, day by day, put it back in the little boxes and store it away to use another year.
As I said above, today should be an easy day. I have already made a batch of ordinary shortcrust pastry in Thermione (so it might work better than making it by hand) and I am going to make mince pie bites, an idea I got from another good YouTube channel, Budget Cooking UK.
I know it sounds like I have loads but when I thought about it, there's four of us on Christmas Day, I have a friend coming to stay over next weekend and I probably have five of us here on New Year's Day. And I probably won't need to shop much until well into January.
The other two things I want to got done today is to make Beth's crumble topping for her savoury crumble and to make some of those mixed seed crackers that we loved so much.
And then I can catch up on my recordings, listen to some Christmas music, chill, knit and generally have a good relax.
I hope you have a nice a day as I plan to have. Stay safe, be happy and enjoy the vibe. xx
Two videos today - I always link these two together in my mind, probably because of the breath control needed to sing the choruses. I always need to take a sneaky breath halfway through!
Good morning, lovely people. Happy only-five-days-to-go-mas!
While I think of it, tomorrow's blog might be a bit late because I think I will be going to M&S for a few things Morrisons doesn't have in at the moment (e.g. smoked salmon) and M&S opens at six tomorrow morning.
Yesterday was a lovely day. I went over to Chris' for a chat and she provided mince pies with our coffee. Home made ones - lucky me. They were delicious!
Then Val came over and we went to the Horse and Groom and had a lovely lunch together.
It's just as well I have decided I won't be weighing at SW until January, isn't it?
The M&S calendar has given me some Bloom and Blossom soothing foot and leg mist. Now that will definitely be used, especially as the weather gets warmer again.
I'll have to do the puzzle later as I'm a bit pushed for time this morning.
The Advent of Change supports the National Autistic Society today.
Today you have provided relief and reassurance to the parent of an autistic child by giving them access to emotional support and connecting them with others who have been in their shoes.
Because of Alex, I really do know how crucial that can be.
It's Slimming World today and it is a taster session/party. I'm taking in some turkey, cranberry and chestnut festive baubles (aka little meatballs on cocktail sticks) with some cranberry sauce for dunking.
Then it is the dreaded Christmas shop at Morrisons.
I've made my list,
I've checked it twice (more, actually)
I've tried to make sure
It's naughty and nice
(but not too naughty) . . .
Er . . .
(any suggestions for the next line from you talented lot?)
Then I will be putting it all away and starting to work through a Little List - I have bread to make and I've decided to make some mince pies using a thermomix recipe for pastry in hopes that just maybe, if I hardly touch it, it won't be too like cement!
I'll get them done and in the freezer today and then I could tackle my bedroom which isn't too bad, won't take too long but does need doing.
And then I can chill. Nice.
Advent calendar music.
If you are a primary teacher, you will have come across Out of the Ark, a wonderful, talented company that produces all sorts of music for children - assembly songs, songs for special occasions, musicals . . . so, so much, all with amazing backing tracks, overhead words, everything you could want to make the music fun.
This is one of my favourite ever Christmas songs from them, 'Child in a Manger Born'
First of all, for Chris and anyone else interested, here's a link to some info about the whole Swingle story from their first days to now, through their various incarnations.
I got plenty done yesterday. Circuits was great fun - not the group I usually go to but I know several in the other group.
At home, I got more wrapping done (there's always more, I'm finding), wrote cards, got the downstairs dusted and tidied (great relief), finished the ironing although, like wrapping, there's always more in the offing, worked on my shopping list (too long and too much unnecessary stuff) and went back to Lindsey's for personal training, gift in hand.
And I got my little olive wood thingy on the tree where it looks cute.
I slept well!!
Today's offering from M&S is a purifying pink clay detox mask which seems to solve every skin woe under the sun, according to the blurb.
I've been lucky enough not to have had any real skin problems apart from getting old and wrinkly (which isn't really a problem, it's just a fact of life) and the usual teenage spots during the sixties.
I'll use this though - after all, why not. I was going to do a sort of pamper day on Christmas Eve but I'll have things to do so I'm blocking off a day in the New Year, maybe the first Sunday, to try out some of the goodies from the calendar.
I'm not sure I've ever done a pamper day at home, only a few spa days with Beth.
Today's Advent of Change supports the Panathlon Challenge. That's another new one to me.
Panathlon Challenge provide sports competitions and training days for young people with disabilities and special educational needs - I think that's a brilliant one, having worked as the school's SENCo for many years
Behind the door, it says:
Today you have helped a child with disabilities to throve, by providing a leadership course designed their confidence and self-esteem.
Today is a bit of a sociable day - I'm round to Chris for coffee and chat and I will take Bertie's present round with me - Bertie is Chris' little grandson.
Then Val is, I hope, coming over and I've booked a table at the Horse and Groom as a Christmas treat.
The rest of the day is just the usual to keep a home ticking over and finalising the shopping list. I suppose I ought to give the fridge a bit of a sort out so there's room, although I can put stuff in a box in the shed (the garden room is heated a bit) which is now rodent proof. The old shed really wasn't and did have little visitors from time to time. I never saw them but they kindly left evidence.
Anyway, enough waffling for now. Have a great day and see you again tomorrow. Enjoy the music. xx
Here's your Advent music link for today.
It's the great King's Singers with their version of 'Deck the halls'.
Yesterday was Groove - new festive playlist and good fun routines - and the the trip into London to have fish and chips followed by the lights.
On the way there, Ray announced that, if enough people were interested, the coach driver had agreed to park somewhere nearby so we could have a short while to look round a Christmas Market at Trafalgar Square to sort of make up for the Rochester one being cancelled. After a show of hands and a round with the box to tip (bribe?) the driver, it was so.
Fish and chips first though. The meal was delicious, fresh cooked and very speedily produced, together with a very welcome mug of tea or coffee, followed by an unexpected dessert of cheesecake or apple pie. So nice. No photos though - it wasn't really appropriate.
Then it was all back on the coach and we drove through the area of the Lights. Now, a coach isn't the best place to view that sort of thing and I didn't manage many clear photos but we saw enough to make it enjoyable.
To go with the stalls around Trafalgar Square, there were other things going on - carol singing for example. One adult choir was singing carols while a large group of children wearing Santa hats were waiting excitedly for their turn (teacher's nightmare, I should think, in the dark)
When we got back on the coach, the lady next to me offered to change seats (she had the window seat). Very kind of her. She got her reward as, in the raffle draw (using our seat numbers), she won!
This was the only other half decent photo I took - the Strand Palace, all decorated up and looking much nicer than the photo indicated.
I didn't buy much at the market, just a couple of 'Radiator Bags' which are just gauze bags filled with scented Christmas potpourri (have I spelled that right?) that you lay or hang on the radiator to make your room smell festive (they work!) and this, a dear little nativity tree decoration made of olive wood and with a quirky mismatched roof! It's going to take the place of the usual fridge magnet purchase and each year I can remember this trip when I put up the tree.
We weren't late back either - the traffic seemed pretty light once we were out of London. When I got home, I grabbed a coffee and sat down, reached out for my knitting or crochet and - I didn't have any.
So I have started the moss stitch jacket I planned to start around the 27th.
It's an aran weight yarn on size 4 needles so it should grow pretty quickly and I really do need something to do with my hands of an evening.
On to today.
Today's 'beauty' (fat chance!) product from the M&S calendar is a tube of 'hair treatment' The blurb says 'for smoothness, volume, conditioning, strength and polish.'
Polish!!!???
It's just one of those styling products you add to towel dry hair. I use something similar already so it won't be wasted.
By the way, I used the shampoo and conditioned on Monday and it was OK - very nice to use but I haven't noticed any difference really so I'll be sticking to my lower budget products!
Here's the puzzle for yesterday and today.
The Advent of Change for today supports Big Change.
'Today you have unlocked a further £12 of funding that will support young people to thrive in the UK.'
That's a bit non-specific, isn't it? It seems that this charity works with 'partners' to improve the prospects of young people and every pound donated unlocks a further £5 from these partners for a wide range of projects. Now we know.
This is getting long so I will just say that today is energetic. Circuits (changed from Monday), lots of housework and back to Lindsey's for personal training in the afternoon.
It should keep me out of trouble anyway.
Today's Advent music is the beautiful 'The Angel Gabriel' sung by the Swingle Singers (not the ones I remember from my youth though)
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