HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We always like to take in some sea air over the Christmas holidays. This year we chose Clacton and yesterday parking in Holland on Sea we walked along towards Clacton pier. There was a chill in the air and as you can see by the picture it was a fairly dull day, but we enjoyed it. It's nice to get out and get some exercise, blow the cobwebs away as some people say.

Here is one for the album, Clacton pier in all it's festive glory.

 I remember going on the pier when I was a child. My Mum nearly had a panic attack when she found out that I was using the pennies she was giving me to take thrilling white knuckle rides on the rickety roller coaster. She thought I was having sedately rides on the ghost train or frightening myself in the hall of mirrors. 

I know, what can I say, I was an only child and she worried about me!

 Michael also used to have family holidays in Clacton when he was little, staying in the Butlins Holiday Camp. That, obviously is now no longer there, houses stand in its place.

We didn't go out on the pier yesterday, instead we headed up under the bridge towards the town, in search of a coffee and a bag of chips! Michael can't go to the seaside without having a bag of chips, so that's a bit of a ritual in our household.

When we got home we cooked sausage and mash for tea and so by the end of the day we were completely "potatoed out."

Sorry, apparently "potatoed' isn't a proper word, I've invented it, according to spell check but I'm leaving it in because I think it describes us perfectly.

Thank you to those who have dropped by my blog this year. I wish you all a Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Charlotte and I decorated the christmas cakes on Wednesday.

The first one is for Charlotte & Jessica to share with their Daddy---------- and their Mummy if there's any left!

This one's for Peter, (Kate doesn't eat a lot of cake!)

Got to look after him well, he's now moved up in status to son-in-law in waiting as he's just proposed to Kate while skiing in Andorra. 

Looking forward to seeing them both and the ring tomorrow when they pop round for breakfast. 

Congratulations to both of them!

And finally this one is ours, no grand piping in this house, I'm pretty useless at that, but I thought I did manage to tie a fairly neat bow on each!

So, we're ready.
Shopping done, presents wrapped, too many vegetables in the garage and too much food in the fridge and freezer. Just the butchers to visit yet again for the turkey and then that's it, sit back, raise a glass of champagne or a gin and tonic or have both the champagne and a gin and tonic and chill out!

Merry Christmas to you all!

FEELING FESTIVE

 I've definitely tried today to get into the festive mood!

As I hadn't much to do today I took the opportunity to decorate our christmas tree.

Now having written about the pro's and con's of buying a tree in my last post I felt I must tell you about my own experience.

Heading towards the garden centre last Friday we could see in the distance some most peculiar coloured clouds and  so at the very point of reaching the huge choice of trees, the heavens' opened and we were caught in the middle of a hail storm.

Michael held the first tree up and said "This one?" I shook the hail from my hair and said "Oh no!"

"This one?" he asked as I run for cover. "Oh yes that one looks perfect. Let's get it!"

Not realising until we got home that it's trunk is somewhat deformed and my poor husband had a hell of a job trying to get it in the pot in such a way that it doesn't notice.

Anyway here it is looking very festive.

I've really tried to stick to colour schemes this year, so we have gold in the lounge, silver in the dining room and red in the hall.

So now at 5pm I'm pooped and decorated out. I've been up and done the loft ladder so many times, do I have a need for a gym membership?

Coupled also with the constant drone of the dehumidifier drying my kitchen and the heat its giving off, I really think a cuppa is now the order of the day and then I'll tackle the ironing and cook dinner.

FINDING THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE!

Why is it so hard to choose the perfect christmas tree?

Yesterday as Michael and I stood in our local garden centre surrounded by hundreds of trees I noted the usual conversations between men and women.

Man - "This one?"

Woman - "Too small!"

Man - "This one?"

Woman - "Too big!"

Man - "This one?"

Woman - "Too bushy at the bottom!"

Man - "This one?"

Woman - "Not bushy enough!"

Man - "This one?"

Woman - "No, can't you see it's lopsided!"

Woman - "This one?"

Man - "Too expensive!"

Michael said, "shall we get our tree today?"

I sighed and said, "No, I think it's best we leave it 'till next week, don't you?"

Other than the christmas tree, I have made a good effort this weekend with my christmas preparations. 

I've purchased the marzipan and icing for the cakes. I've made sausage rolls and mince pies, now in the freezer and I've written my first christmas card.

Needed to get myself organised, part of my kitchen is being ripped out tomorrow. However only a small part, hopefully.  I've got everything crossed as I write.

All repair work to the cupboards and flooring will take place in January. 

Joy of joys!!

MY WEEK COULD ONLY GET BETTER!

My week unfortunately did start on a very down note!

My brand new, all singing and dancing kitchen has sprung a leak.

Not just any leak but a concealed leak, so it really didn't fully reveal itself until Monday and the extent of the damage become known until Wednesday.

The leak has now been repaired, the damage of course hasn't.

"Uurrrgh!"

I was pleased that I managed to finish these two items. The hat is a christmas present for my daughter in law, but I do think it has something lacking. I haven't got enough wool left to make a pom pom but a tassel possibly. Do you think it would make it look more appealing?

The fingerless mittens are for my daughter. I really like these so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she likes them too!

When Charlotte & Jessica came this week they requested doughnuts with pink icing, sprinkled with hundreds and thousands. 

No problem, Tesco's sell them I thought, but not on Wednesday.

So being the soft Granny that I am, I came back with plain doughnuts, icing sugar and hundreds and thousands.

In the afternoon the girls had a great time and put the lot together.

I hope they enjoyed eating them!

On Saturday to get over our "uurrrgh" beginning of the week, Michael and I took ourselves off to Bury St Edmunds where they were holding their annual Christmas fayre. It was so so busy, but  there was such a lovely atmosphere. We did a little bit of shopping and had a very nice relaxed lunch. 

Very therapeutic!

A DELIGHTFUL BAKING EXPERIENCE!

My week has been really good. Lots of knitting, some christmas shopping and on Wednesday my two little chefs came round to bake their christmas cake. They were brilliant! Charlotte beat the butter and sugar together, Jessica whisked the eggs for what seemed forever and then they both combined the two parts together and mixed in the fruit.  

AND
all super gran had to do was, clear up the mess and wipe the grandchildren down!

After 4 hours the cake came out of the oven looking and smelling delicious.
They really are master mini chefs!

11.11.11 A DAY TO REFLECT & REMEMBER

 For the first time my Dad, who served in Burma in WW2 was unable to attend his local Remembrance Day service in Chelmsford town centre this morning, where he always proudly recited the Kohima Epitaph following the two minute silence. 

My Dad at 89 has recently been suffering with a problem with his foot and although it's much better it remains swollen so he's unable to get his "polished shoes" on. Being a smartly dressed man this, along with the time he would have to stand meant that today, he decided regretfully that it would be best to stay at home. 

So there I was at 11am standing in M&S and I felt very emotional. In those two brief minutes of silence my thoughts reflected on how my Dad would be feeling, knowing that he would be thinking about his young brother Len who at 18 drowned when the submarine HMS Vandal sunk in Lochranza on 24th February 1943. 

So for my Dad,

When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And 

  For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today