Yup - the seasonal cold has landed. It's been threatening with some sneezing and a slightly sore throat overnight for a few days and yesterday it hit. Can't complain (even if I do); I haven't had a cold for ages and much better now than in three or four weeks' time. AFter a rough night, I am taking it easy today.
Just wondering what the record is for number of sneezes in a minute - I must be close. 🤣
Beth and Alex left around eleven yesterday and I did a bit more getting stuff out and about. Up went the window bunting that Beth made all those years ago, out came the candles - some of them, anyway - and down came the presents. I didn't get out the cushions because they are in the garden room cupboards and I didn't have the energy. However, I did change my sheets and now have the winter bedding on and I swept the living room carpet because it was a bit 'sheddy' from the tree. And I did a bit of washing. That's enough for one day!
A few more photos - and if you have any doubts about my sanity, keep your thoughts to yourself, please. Tradition is tradition.
The Guardians of the Christmas Tree (I know - infantile really).
From left to right, my brother, David's teddy bear, son Dave's teddy bear and my teddy bear, Tubbalina - and I really don't care if you think it is childish!
It is family tradition, OK?
The Faithful Attendants of the Guardians. (just don't say it, OK!).
I've started knitting my own gonk which will join them when it is finished.
The pressies are under the tree. Not as many as in bygone days but they do finish the tree off very nicely.
And Santa and Mary Christmas are keeping a genial eye on proceedings. :-)
(Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Jean Greenhowe, would it. Such lovely patterns)
Today's M&S calendar does not hit my spot. It is a little bottle of bright red nail varnish. I would love to be the sort of person who always has beautifully manicured nails but I am not. I keep them clean (of course) and not too long and that is about it. I have tried and even paid to have them done a few times but the effect never lasts (and gel nails are definitely a step too far!)
I might take it into SW on Friday and see if anyone wants it. I know my friend, Diane, has lovely nails but they are gel nails, professionally applied and neither Chris nor Val colour their nails. Can't win 'em all, can we?
Today's Advent of Change is supporting a charity called 52 Lives and it says 'Today you have sent a kind card and a Christmas gift to an elderly person living on their own.'
I am keenly aware that, if things had been different, that might be me. I'm fortunate - I have family and friends close by and I have my health (for now) but one never knows what the future holds.
I thought it would be good to post a link to each day's charity (where I can find one) so you can learn more if you are interested.
And I've started the puzzle. It's a bit of fun each morning. :-)
Today, I have circuits and then a dental appointment. I really don't feel up to either but will phone the dentist to see what their policy is regarding turning up with a nasty cold. I don't think it is covid but will do a test before I phone and then see what they say. I suspect they will say 'come in' and I'd like to get it done really. However, I won't be going to circuits. Poor Lindsey - that's five of us who can't go for one reason or another.
Have a great day, everyone. xx
Today's advent music couldn't be anything else but ' It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas', could it?
There are plenty of choices on YouTube but I have chosen Michael Buble's version. Very croony!
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Blogmas here in my blog.
Yesterday was full on but it was absolutely lovely. I whizzed around getting stuff ready and had time to get the Christmas tree in from the garage, section by section, set it up and fluff out the branches (I believe that is the correct term anyway) which always takes longer than you think it will take.
It's actually a jolly nice tree - which it should be, it cost enough! Worth the money though. It's still as good as new after - ooooh, must be six or seven years now, surely? Thank goodness I didn't go for a flocked one; they make such a mess when you're setting it up, it's as if you've had a snowstorm in your living room!
And I was so pleased to finish what I had been making for Beth and Alex's decorations this year. Here it is . . .
Cute, don't you think. There's some quite tricky knitting in it and I did adapt the pattern somewhat, especially the hat, but it worked fine. I love it, I really do, and I'm thinking of making one for myself, in my decor colours of red, green and gold. I have the sparkly yarn!
After a coffee and mini mince pie, we set to and . . .
Aaaaaahhhhh - lovely, innit as Beth would say and, thinking of Beth, she took the next few photos and they're better than mine so I have nicked them.
I shall probably use this as a banner.
We set up both nativity sets.
This is the family traditional one that I bought when Beth and Dave were littlies from a lovely little company based, I think, in Devon and which made fantastic wooden stuff like farm sets, Noah's arks, etc. And, of course, nativity sets.
(I took this one - another banner, don't you think?)
I knitted this one for Mum in her last years, after she admired one I was making for a friend. When she died, Dad asked me to take it so it is now an ongoing part of our Christmas tradition - and I expect Beth will take it over after I pop off too.
We had a lovely buffet and watched several Christmas films, starting with The Snowman and Father Christmas (of course) and then on to Muppet's Christmas Carol, Elf and, last of all, Frozen.
And finally, we didn't set this up, I did it earlier, but it's nice. I used to have wadding underneath, for snow, but it was a right pain and the trees kept falling over.
And that was yesterday.
Today, December 1st, I have opened my physical advent things.
The Advent of Change says:
Today, you have given healthy, hot meals to someone who might otherwise have gone hungry over the Christmas period.'
The charity is Food Cycle.
I think that is great!
A very good start with the M&S one too. It's an eau de perfum called Wild Vanilla Orchid and it's lovely. Very flowery and fresh and I will definitely use it and might look for it again when this one is finished.
I'll make up the puzzle and watch the online calendar later on.
Finally (sorry this is so long), the other day Catriona posted a poem on her facebook page and it made me laugh so much, I asked her if I could - er - borrow it for in here.
I have a star at the top of my tree, not an angel, but that doesn't matter - here it is! You have to imagine the accent.
Just brilliant. Thanks, Catriona.
This has been a long one and if you got this far, well done you! Have a great first of December whatever you have planned.
Beth and Alex are still asleep upstairs and will be going home this morning. I have a floor to hoover, loads of washing/drying/ironing to get on with, Strictly to catch up on before the results show and a Christmas crochet project to start - except that I might leave that for a day or so.
And a few more Christmas bits and pieces to get out!
Advent music below - enjoy.
The first piece of Avent music just HAS to be, as always, O Come, O come Emmanuel.
This is the traditional version, from the incomparable choir of King's College, Cambridge.
Here's a more rocky rendering from 'King and Country' which I really love.
