A BREATH OF FRESH AIR!

After spending a couple of days indoors, doing all the lovely festive things you do at Christmas, we were itching to get out and breathe in some fresh air.

Yesterday, we drove up to Aldeburgh and took in some sea air,  stretching our legs as we walked along the coast path to Thorpeness. 

There were many others joining us. Couples arm in arm, dog owners and their dogs and children trying out their new bicycles who were either very wobbly or just careering down the path.

As I walked I thought back to when our family were children and laughed to myself. To get our son to do the very same walk we would have had to lure him to Thorpeness with the promise of hot chocolate and a biscuit and lure him back to Aldeburgh with yet another promise of a packet of chips.

Yesterday all was very hectic but also all very happy.

There was a wonderful bright, cloudless sky and no cold wind to chill our ears and fingertips.

  We saw an abundance of geese flying above us while we walked and here on the Mere at Thorpeness the swans and ducks came close to the shore.

We walked up to see the windmill 

and the very famous "House in the Clouds"

which you can book for a holiday let,

(I wouldn't mind doing that before I'm too old to climb the stairs!)

As the afternoon began to fade we walked back into Aldeburgh.

(No photos, I'm afraid, I was too busy looking out for a table for late lunch - and very nice it was too!)

We just had time, to do a little sale therapy before returning home for tea.

READY OR NOT, CHRISTMAS IS HERE!

The garland is made!

The cakes, decorated!

And the socks, well they are finished too!

Thank you for reading my blog this year.

Happy Christmas to you all!

A FIRST ANNIVERSARY!

I can't believe that a year has passed since these four little ladies made an entrance.

 A year ago the day never brightened, the clouds were grey and heavy and the rain fell continuously. Very much, like yesterday!

Despite the weather, the day was perfect in every way.

The venue was adorned with beautiful decorations and was very festive.

The cake looked and was indeed splendid.

I've included this picture because although we are celebrating a very special anniversary, our very good friend and neighbour who made and decorated the cake passed away during the year, unexpectedly.

She was a very talented lady and I think she would be pleased to know that Peter is now eating the top tier which she made especially for him as he is partial to fruit cake!

So our daughter Kate and her husband Peter celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary today.

Congratulations to them both!

A little ps - I'm still knitting the sock!

ONE DONE, ONE TO DO!

My marriage has certainly reached new heights this morning.

My husband exited the bathroom at 6.30am to find me sitting bolt upright in bed, glasses perched on the end of my nose with knitting in hand as I decreased the toe section of this sock.

His face was a picture of astonishment and he questioned, " Is that it, once that's finished?"

"Of course not" I replied, trying hard to focus with my not quite awake eyes, "I've got to make the other one yet!"

He left for work and I muttered and tutted as the sock finally reached it's near conclusion.

Only one more week of madness!

HO HO HO, IT'S NEARLY CHRISTMAS!

So, here we are with Christmas fast approaching and I'm really now getting myself prepared.

I made the finishing touches to this bag this morning and I'm really pleased with how it looks. The socks fit perfectly inside and I found this ribbon in my box which I bought many moons ago and forgot I had. 

The socks look good too

They should keep someones feet very warm and cosy!

I have another sock on the needles now and one to go.

Plenty of time!!!!!

I thought I'd share some of my christmas decorations with you too.

I've had this wreath for near on 10 years. I bought it in Harrods in the January sale at a very reduced bargain price and every year I bring it down from the loft and it always looks so festive.

This little chappy is fairly new and happily sits on my fireplace.

I went to my local wholesale florist and bought orange and apple slices and cinnamon sticks which I had hoped would fill my lounge with delicious smells. 

While I was wiring them to pop them on the tree my hands smelt lovely but unfortunately now they're hanging on the tree I can't smell them at all.

Never mind, they have at least made the tree look very pretty.

The glass bauble is one of two we bought while in Venice a few years back at the Morano glass factory. They really do glisten.

A busy week ahead, presents to wrap and even presents to buy (oh dear!), cakes to decorate and socks to knit.

As I said at the beginning of my post, plenty of time!

RISK OF FLOODING!

 Yesterday I was helping my daughter and son in law move into there new home so it never was going to be an ordinary day. Up, just after 6am, we all worked really hard and by lunch time we were already waiting for the keys to their new new house.

We knew that a tidal surge was forecast for the east coast so throughout the day we kept a close eye on the environmental website as we began to help them move in and unpack.

After a busy day like that I was keen to get home, eat some dinner and relax but as we tucked into our fish and chips the phone rang. The recorded message from the environment agency advised us of a severe flood warning. Our first thought to be honest was "really!!" We sat there, not sure what to do at first. Then I looked around and saw the photos of our grandchildren on the low table and before long Michael and I were moving small objects and items we could move easily upstairs.

We still weren't sure if we were over reacting but the knock on the door and the warning from the policeman advising us to prepare for evacuation made us realise we were doing the right thing.

Our thoughts swung from should we stay or should we go and if the flooding was effecting other parts of the country, I would be the first person to be watching the news and saying, "why don't these people just go!"

But, believe me when you're put in that situation, it's not so easy.

So we stacked up the furniture on books, lifted as much as we possibly could to a higher level, even tied up the curtains and waited. 

This was our lounge at 1am this morning.

I took water, biscuits, candles, matches and welly boots upstairs and we listened to the excellent coverage on the BBC local news. Then, even when the tide had started to ebb and it appeared that the waters hadn't breached the seawall it was so hard to sleep. Probably the continual cups of tea we'd been drinking didn't help that!

We were so lucky, although I know people further up the coast were affected by the flood water. 

My hat goes off to the wonderful job the emergency services and the environmental agency did over night. We couldn't have been looked after better!

A little bit of news from earlier this week. On Monday I met a friend at RHS Hyde Hall and we had a lovely walk around the gardens and a nice lunch.

I thought these grasses looked beautiful and stood out against a rather grey murky day.

I have also been having a sock issue this week. I don't know how it happened but my markers ended up in the wrong place when I was completing the toe of the sock to match this one. 3 times, I had to undo it and restart it. I really thought I would have to start  the whole sock all over again at one point but eventually it all came together and now is finished. I'm just knitting a little bag to put them in.