Jollities

I was badly remiss this year in showing our pre-Christmas shenanigins. On January 1st I'll have been writing this blog for a whole five years so there are quite a few Christmases to look back over to be sure. 

This Christmas has been the calmest ever, all preparations were chilled and we just had the best relaxing, fizz fuelled fun time. I hope you all had just as lovely a Christmas too.

We decorated the tree and house the moment the girls broke up from school on the 13th. Bing Crosby sang his heart out while we rustled through boxes oohhing and aaahing at old loved decorations.

The week before christmas we met up with friends for cinema trips, lunch and walks in the woods. We made sure mid-week there was cosy time for stitching and just being. Little Bun planned a hoop hanging for Grandma. In art they are tackling embroidery at the moment. I made a sampler with her to help her choose her stitches and she loves it. Seems satin stitch is her favourite at the moment. I added French knots for snow later on as being left handed they were a bit tricky.

Miss Rosey chose christmas puds to hang on the tree and I made one as a brooch. Then inspired partly by a decoration from a friend and the ones in CK's book I got the bug for making tiny felt houses.

In all I made four, but I know I'll be making more for the tree for next year as they were seriously addictive. All sewing stopped late afternoon as we had to get ourselves ready for a pizza date with my man and our mates who were already getting fired up after work in the pub.

By the end of the week it was the first Christmas birthday when my man got a bit older. We went to see the Christmas show at the end of the pier which we love doing each year. This year it nearly didn't happen after the storm tore up half the pier. I booked an afternoon show as the girls were a bit nervous, but it just lacked the same atmosphere as sparkly nightime shows.

Next in the festive round-up we had a visit to Santa planned at the steam museum. We rode the Gallopers, dodged about on the elderly Dodgems and had a great time. Little Bun at 11 still wanted to see the man himself, but at 13 Miss Rosey was deemed too old, although she still knows he's real. We've always told our girls that if you believe in magic it exists. It only goes away when you stop believing.

The day before Christmas eve Little Bun and I had a fabulous bake up of trifle, mince pies, cheese nibbles and chocolate mousse. It was lovely spending time with her just chatting about this and that. 

On Christmas Eve Miss Rosey had our time and made the Butternut Squash Soup, Chestnut Wellington and pate, although the wee cook in the family couldn't help but join in.

Once Grandma appeared that evening we headed off to church. There's something so magical about walking to church with the bells pealing out.

As usual that night the girls couldn't sleep for excitement, but managed to be awake at 6am. How does that happen? Stockings had been filled so fears that they might have been even a tiny bit naughty this year were put to rest.

At breakfast we teased them that we'd wait and open the presents after lunch. When I was young all the washing up had to be done first and it was about 3 o'clock before we opened anything. Suddenly the dining room door swung back against the wall (it's a door that never moves on it's own as it's pretty stiff). Little Bun jumped at that but I told her it was fine. After we cleared the table, Miss Rosey went to the sitting room alone. When we walked past the door my man was in there with the girls and the woodburner fire was lit. I'd laid the fire a few hours back, but not lit it. When I asked no one else had lit it either, my man said he'd walked in assuming I had. Then I had the most intense feeling of buzzing in my head and at the same time my mum said my head feels odd. I called out Happy Christmas Dad. 

This may all sound strange to you, who knows, but this is all very normal to us. Little Bun told me while we were cooking that she believed when you die you can choose to stay with your loved ones or you can move on to continue your spiritual growth. Several times I've sensed my dad with me, heard his advice and so has Little Bun. For some this probably sounds nuts, to others creepy, for us it's comforting and makes sense. 

Anyways lets's get back to normal blogging chat. Here are the two secret makes that I was busy working on for my lovelies.

A Daschund for Miss Rosey and a Deer for Little Bun. They were fiddly, but I really enjoyed making them even though I was stitching late at night as they just won't go to bed early when you want them to.

We've still lots more festive fun to go yet though as there's still another week of holidays, yay. On Sunday I hit my mid-40's, which I've been told is quite near 50 by my lovely man. I reminded him that I've avoided wrinkles so far (which I put down to Irish skin) and don't feel very grown-up as yet so I don't know that 50 will be any different really.

My next post or maybe the one after (depending on when I get on here again) will be just in time to celebrate five years of blogging. I think a giveaway birthday celebration will be in order don't you?

See you soon.