Out with the old in with the new

Today is the last day of 2011 and according to Mayan Predictions the last one ever!!!  Not a big believer in those sort of things but just in case it is right it means I have an awful lot of things to achieve before the 21/12/12, just as well really as I am only making one resolution for next year and that is to manage my time better.  The theory being if I master that then I shall accomplish all the other things I want to do.....da da, simplas!!

Last years resolutions were  - 1. No more "I should of....." instead "I did....." , 2. To get on and do things instead of thinking about them and 3. To seriously look for another job.   Did I acheive them? definitely number 3, changed jobs in August and love it.  Number 2 - definitely better than I use to be but still along way to go.  Number 1 ...hmmmm not quite, still abit hesitant but getting better.

So that is me sorted for the next 12 months, oh, will be continuing with my pre mid life crisis list as well!

To end the year I thought I would share with you a random photo of a bunch of guys who are amazing on stage and I am really sad to say I didn't manage to get tickets for their final performance next year, maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but they certainly put a smile on my face :D  - Westlife.

Christmas Eve - JYC 24

As mentioned previously Christmas Eve we normally go to Mousehole, but it was brought forward this year due to my working the Christmas weekend in the evenings. So Mick suggested they popped down to see his mum and dad in Falmouth then Bernadette came up with the idea that she would make chicken and leek pasties and take them down there to cook for tea. So whilst Amanda went to work, Mick played in the garage (as boys do!!) I played assistant cook to Bernadette, preparing the pasty contents for the chef to put together, and though I say it myself she did a very good job of them and they tasted delicious and I have just realised that we didn't take a photo of them!!!!
Christmas veg was also prepared, hoover whipped around (again - makes me sound like some domestic goddess which I am definitely NOT!). Pressie's handed out to the girls before bedtime, but not opened! Then off to bed which for the girls is to share a room as they have done for the last so many years on Christmas Eve.  A couple of related photos but no pasties - sorry!

Pressie's on Christmas Eve, the sack on the floor is one of the one's mentioned in my previous post, just to prove they do exist and I didn't realise I had a photo!!

and one Amanda will not thank me for (sorry darling) her mattress moved into B's room and as it was Christmas Thomas and Racky had to come out as well. Thomas has been with Amanda for nearly 16yrs now and as you can see if very well loved.  He is much travelled, US, France, Carnaries just to name a few holiday destinations he has been to.  He has to wear a jacket now as there isn't really a lot left of him for me to so up, he has catarats in both eyes and hearing loss in both ears due to loss of ears. 

Stockings or sacks? - JYC- 23

When I was a child Santa delivered our presents in a pillowcase that he borrowed for the evening and one of dad's socks (clean I hasten to add!!).  In the sock would be an orange,an apple, a couple of nuts and four or five chocs, I remember this being really special to me as that was the only time we any of those items.  I tried doing it for my two a few years back and I was greeted with "what's all this about?"  It just didn't have the same magic/meaning :(  shame.  Nowadays Santa delivers his gifts in a fabric sack that a family friend made for the girls years ago and a fabric stocking that I made for them when they were little and I did such things as sewing!!  Do I have a photo of these items ....no, so here is one of my wreath holding pride of place on the gate, (couldn't get a hook to attach it to the door!)  this is a new tradition that I have started this year, so enjoyed making this - really don't want to take it down, it may have to take up residence in the green house!!

Annual trip to Mousehole - JYC 22

Today we went down to Mousehole (normally Christmas Eve, but I am working this year so we brought it forward). We had a walk around Mousehole, then went back to Newlyn for fish and chips - and they were amazing the best I have tasted in a very long time, yummy (Lewis if eve in Newlyn and looking for chips!)  So we had a stroll around the harbour whilst we ate them.  On the way home we did a quick diversion to Angarrack to see the lights.  (I must go back before they come down - amazing)  So here are some photos from the evening.

Mousehole harbour

 Happy New Year in Cornish

 Fishing trawler in Newlyn harbour. (love this one)

Angarrack lights.

All images taken with my new compact.  I collect £2 coins and once a year (or just over) I see how much I have, this year I bought myself a compact to go in my handbag :)  so I thought I would give it an outing.

Left to do - JYC 21

List of things left to do :- 

1. Wrap the last of the presents (yes I forgot some derrr!!),
2. Do some baking ( though my waist line says otherwise),
3. Put the hoover around (sounds good!),
4. Photograph something (why did I start a 365 project NOW!!),
5. Buy some more pringles (have eaten the one's I bought for Christmas),
6. Go for a run (so I can eat some more pringles!),
7. Go through the radio time to see what is on ( a big zero no doubt),
8. Give up because if it isn't done now it is not going to happen :)
   
   
   

An unexpected surprise -JYC - 20

On Thursday Mick and I popped in to see his brother and wife to drop off presents and for me to raid Margaret's knitting pattern collection and photograph her tree.  Margaret always has a larger than life Christmas tree and I wanted to photograph it for this journal.  Well you could have knocked me down with a feather when I discovered there was no Christmas Tree, still in shock actually.  The children weren't bothered, neither was Dave (brother) so Margaret didn't bother!!!!!!  NO CHRISTMAS TREE........what!!!! 

So here is a photo of some good British Christmas weather instead ...

 Taken through the car windscreen, whilst I plucked up the courage to go out into it to go to my first call of the morning.

26wk Photo Challenge - Christmas

For the last two weeks the theme for the challenge has been Christmas - here are my three. 

 Table part laid Christmas Eve for Christmas Day.

A-DEP mode, ss 2", f11, ex comp -1 1/3, ISO 400, focal length 28mm

 Lights at Mousehole,

ss 1/25, f4.7, ISO 800 (taken with a compact)

Zoom burst of our christmas tree,

AV mode, ss 5", f22, ISO 160, lens 10mm-20mm.

Yvonne's are here and Louise's are here (see we have had the same ideas!)

The theme for the next two weeks is to choose one lens and only use that for the whole two weeks.  Ideally pick one you don't normally use.  If you don't have different lens then choose a setting on your camera that you don't normally use and stick with that for the two weeks.  I am going to use my 10-20mm lens.  Bought it last year but it has spent most of the 12 months back with the shop and the manufacturer, so I haven't really had the chance to find out what it is like.  Upload three images by the 10th Jan for feedback, but most of all have fun.

Dear Santa - JYC 19

Dear Santa,

What I would really like for Christmas is to wake up to the sound of silence due to snow falling steadily all night and turning our world into a white winter wonderland.  I would like to have all my family around me. I would like to turn the tv on and not be bombarded with extended episodes of one soap or another with characters shouting at each other, just some good old romantic comedy films that you could loose yourself in will do. I would like to be able to walk down the street and to hear everyone saying "Merry Christmas" to each other not how a fight nearly broke out in a well known supermarket between two grown men over a TRIFLE!!!!  hello..... what is all that about, it is a trifle for goodness sake???? 

But for my sins I live in the real world and I know the above is just a dream, so maybe I shall just ask for everyone to have as good a Christmas as possible and to hear of no more tragedies over this once special time.

Merry Christmas Santa,

Love Karen xx

PS - I still have copies of all the letters the girls have sent you! x

Food Glorious Food -JYC 18

For those of you who don't know me well, as far as food is concerned I love it so long as I don't have to cook it, cooking and I have never really gelled if you know what I mean, it is something I do out of neccessity not pleasure.  Though I do enjoy baking and thankfully I do enjoy doing a good old Sunday roast, so Christmas Day is one day I am happy to don the apron and go for it!!  We use to have traditional, then one year one of the girls said "do we have to have turkey?"  and the answer was "no, what would you like?"  and it has been that way ever since. So around Nov time we have a chat as to what we would like and a decision is made.  This year we are having a lovely bit of brisket, cooked very slowly in the rayburn, yorkshire puds, roast veggies, sausagemeat stuffing with nuts, cranberries and onions and a good serving of gravy.  If there is any room left Christmas pud.  Amanda's quiches (to die for) for tea and that will be us done - oh and all the sausage rolls, crisps, and chocs, thrown in for good measure.  Will I be able to move to go to work in the evening?....... I doubt it very much. :) I forgot to say bacon butties for breakfast - I really do have some bad childhood eating habits, (prefer my veg raw as well!!!)

Stuffing in the making.

 Stuffing ready for the oven :)

 Mince pies ready for eating:)

Christmas Shopping JYC 17

I heard on the radio that is was said that "Christmas would not happen in households if it wasn't for the women?"  Well that is certainly true in this household.  I nag for ideas for people if I am struggling with someone, I do the gift shopping (including my own gifts!!), though Mick has been known to ask the girls to do some bits for him for the last couple of year, both in the high street and on line, I write the Christmas cards, post the Christmas cards, I do the food shopping (mostly), Mick sorts the meat out. The girls help me wrap presents, I get the decorations out, the girls help put them up, (I take them down and pack them away for another year), the girls and I do the baking, I drag Mick out to various Christmas do's (which he enjoys in the end). 

I do enjoy the act of buying gifts for people, but I am finding it more and more difficult these days, as most of us have so much and if we want something during the year we tend to get it, so come Christmas there is nothing left to get.  I hate getting a gift for someone just for the sake of giving a gift. I like to thing the gift will be something they want or will like at least.  If I really can't think of something I will give vouchers or money which I hate, but at least the recipient can choose then.
This post makes it sounds like Mick just sits back and lets it all happen around him, well .... he does "laughs" he just doesn't do hussle, bussle times.  We do joke in the house and the girls go round singing "here comes Mr Humbug, here comes Mr Scrooge" from the Muppets Christmas Carol film (one of Mick's favourites) lol  BUT  having said all of that if I asked Mick to get something or do something he does it for me and more importantly I don't think I would have it any other way - though I am open to offers!!

A time for sharing, chocs that Mick's mum & dad gave us yesterday.  A tub of Celebrations.

Christmas time = family time -JYC 15

Christmas time is a time when the family get together, it has become a routine since we moved down here to Cornwall. We always stay at home, one year (as is this year) Mick's parents will spend Christmas Day with us then on Boxing Day we all go to Mick's brother's - then next year we change round. My brothers and I share a phone call each year. "simples" as Aleksandr Meerkat would say. Some of you are probably wondering if I ever spend a Christmas with 'my' family - once again simple answer "no", in fact I can't remember the last time I saw them at Christmas and I guess it never will happen, so I don't dwell on it.

 Anyone remember the Tesco Chilly soft toys they did a few years back, well we have them all surprise surprise - they came along when the girls were little and each year they brought out a new one and it appeared under the tree (not from me I hasten to add) so each year they come out, this is the medium size seal!!  Yes there is a small and extra larage to go with him!!

My tree :)

 Pressie ready to deliver to family.

These posts are getting alittle bit out of order and behind, I shall try and catch up before Sat!!

Gratitude at this time of year - JYC 16

Every now and then something happens which pulls me up and makes me take stock of what I have, to realise how lucky I am and to be thankful for what I have and not to moan about what I don't have.  Christmas is one of those times.  So here is my list of what I am thankful for (easier to list than write about each one, otherwise this post could end up as a novel!!)

1. For being born into the family I belong to,
2. For being lucky enough to have found a man who loves me for being me, all the bads bits with a few good thrown in,
3. For having two wonderful daughters - who really haven't given us too much stress over the last 18yrs, compared to what some parents experience,
4. For the good friends I have - may not be a large circle but they are very special to me each one of them.  You know who you are - thank you,
5. For my health, Mick's and the girls - touch wood we have never had too much illness in the house,
6. For always being in employment - certainly a wide variety, but I wouldn't change any of it,
7. For my life style and location,
8. For actually being alive and able to enjoy this wonderful world we live in,
9. For Mick keeping my feet firmly on the ground, so we as a family live within our means but comfortable,
10. For all the cyber friends I have made here in blog land, may be one day I will have the pleasure of meeting you all,
11. Think I had best stop there and just say "Thank you"

I guess a thank you is more poignant this time of year when you think about family and friends getting together to share time and memories - then there are those who have no family or friends to see, talk to, laugh with.  Those that will be sleeping outside - are doing so now in this horrid weather we are having - will anyone wish them Happy Christmas? 

For a photo I thought I would share this one that my cousin sent me the other week,  yep that is me, with my mum, dad and two brothers. Sadly Dad died when I was 11 and mum in 2006

My Grandma, she died when I was five, so I didn't have long with her but I have very fond memories of her, spending time with us.  She is responsible for my stamp collections, (not that I have looked at it in years and years), bought me my first pair of knitting needles and two balls of wool in alittle box. 

Skywatch Friday (on Sunday!)

Taken this morning as I went to work, just couldn't resist it.

For more skies from around the world go to...

The giving of presents -JYC 14

The tree is up and dressed (apart from some twinkling due to lights failing!!)  and presents are starting to appear under the tree as if by magic.  These presents are the girls gifts to each other and to us, then family presents.  Come the day, the girls tend to take it in turns to hand out the pressie from under the tree as they usually know by then whose is whose without even looking at the label.  The girls spend a lot of time discussing what they are going to buy each of us and planning everything for the day, they still get excited over the whole day, which is lovely.  What is really nice is the amount of thought that goes into what they buy each other and Mick and I and how excited they get waiting to see our faces when we open our presents from them.  They always reduce me to tears with their generousity and thoughtfulness - I'm just a big softee really.

Christmas music - JYC 13

I love to hear Christmas music playing in the shops but I do object to it all starting so early.  December 1st is earlier enough for anyone, that is the time I drag out the Christmas favourite double disc and play endlessly in the car or house, this year Michael Buble's Christmas album has join my collection and is very enjoyable, but what I do lack as far as music is concerned is a good selection of traditional Christmas carols - must look for one as I don't think you can beat a good choir singing carols.  But I guess the song that does it for me has to be Bing Crosby and White Christmas.  As I write this the hail has started to fall!!!  Where's the snow that is what I want to know :)
Another thing I love to see is the Salvation Army band playing in town, hmmm, as for carol singers they are a very distant childhood memory of the past and now only seen in films.

image copied from google images.

image copied from google images.

 

It will be different this year - JYC 12

I shan't dwell on this bit too much for obvious reasons (some of you may understand others may not - so be it).  I think I have already mentioned that this will be our first year without our handsome hound (as we called him) Sammy.  He will be greatly missed, we shall smile and laugh about the way he just so wanted to be involved in the whole christmas day thing, from opening presents to helping cook lunch!!!  How he never broke my neck I don't know :).
Mick and I shall always smile though thinking about the first Christmas we had with him.  Bernadette was 4yrs and Amanda 2yrs.  Brenadette had worn us down re a dog, Mick had always wanted an English Bull Terrier so we hunted high and lo for one and found one in Exeter.  Mick and I went to see them without the girls then nearer the time when he was ready to be collected, our neighbour wrote a letter to Bernadette asking her to take her mum, dad and Amanda to an address in Exeter where an extra special christmas present was waiting for her, she needed to take a large cardboard box and a blanket, then signed it father christmas.  So off we all set, we asked Bernadette on the way there if she had any idea what it might be and she said "a barbie horse"  (typical -would have been so much cheaper!!)  We arrived at the house went in and when we were in the lounge the owners let the puppies in six of them came running in and were all over us, Amanda giggling her head off and Bernadette stood there in silence, eyes wide open.  Then we heard a little welp looked at the kitchen door and this bundle fell though the door way, got up and went over to Bernadette!  She couldn't believe it when we told her one was coming home and that is how Sammy arrived.
I guess our other memorable Christmas was 1994, Amanda was due on the 28th Dec, as Mick says it was the driest Christmas he has ever had "laughs"  - she kept him dry until the 4th January, well worth the wait though.  Now she towers over me and can almost look Mick in the eye in bare feet (he is 6'2")!!! 

monthly photo...

...taken today instead of Sunday just got back in the car and we had the most horrendous hail storm!!!  Couldn't hear my music for it - and that is saying something!!

26 wk photo challenge - Christmas.

What am I like?  I forgot to post re the next theme in the 26 wk challenge.  It is all about Christmas for the next two weeks with a bit of added bokeh for some fun.  That is it, spend the next two weeks photographing anything to do with Christmas then on or around Boxing Day post up your first, last and favourite photos.  Then we critique each others photos. Anyone welcome to join in.  Here is a great article about bokeh images and some fantastic photos to demonstrate.  Have fun everyone.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...JYC 11

....don't know any more words!!

I had to smile to myself this morning driving back from Asda, the car in front had a christmas tree in the back with it's branches boucning around as it went over the speed humps in the road.  All we needed was some snow falling and it would have been magical!!  It made me think about when I was a child and we always had a real one.  Off we would go to where ever we got them from then and choose the one we liked best whilst dad grumbled about getting it on the roof rack and having to put it in a bucket once home so we could decorate it.  I didn't realise then that there was any other kind!! 

For years we have had an artificial tree, purely for ease, as everytime Sammy went near it he would be showered in pine needles!!!  I shall be fishing the tree and it's decorations out later for the girls to put up tomorrow when Bernadette gets home :). I love to see the colour co-ordinated trees with just the right amount of decs on but surprise surprise that is not our tree at all. The decorations consist of one's that my gran had, my mum had, one's I bought when first married and the ones we have bought for the girls each year. This year I have made them one :). There is no colour scheme it is covered in well loved decorations ranging from a blown egg shell my granny did (and she died in 1968!!) to modern day plastic snowflakes, paper one's the girls made at school, glass baubles, you name it it is there!! Then right on the top sits the fairy who I grew up with, she use to have a lovely white net dress but something happened to it so I remember mum and I making her a new one out of crape paper and she still wears it. Here she is from last year.

She does have a habit of slipping off her perch at the top and landing half way down.

Here it is looking good naked!!

Fully dressed and in it's place for the next two weeks.

 

It's a wrap - JYC 10

Pressie's all bought so that means it is time to wrap them up.  So much choice of paper to choose from where do I begin.  Well to be honest price does play a big part in it for me, at the end of the day it is only going into land fill!!  I don't buy the really thin cheapy stuff but then I don't go for the most expensive either.  No more than £2 a roll for me, usually less.  If you shop around you can get some very nice papers and I have noticed that this year all mine having cutting lines on the back which makes it great for a girl like me, who cannot cut a straight line to save her life.  So I have spent the last couple of hours happily sat wrapping pressies for the girls and Mick whilst I am home alone.

All are safely hidden away now away from prying eyes!!!

More traditions - JYC 9

Once the girls arrived I soon realised I do like to have some form of routine in the house and we are a family of habits. They were always in bed early by 7pm when small and still by 9pm when at secondary.  Tea was always on the table at 5pm now 5.30pm due to college buses.  Etc etc.  Christmas Eve & Day is similar.  The presents are put out in the girls stockings that I made for them when they were tiny, nowadays they are placed with the tree - when they were small they use to appear at the bottom of their beds whilst they slept peacefully.  I can't remember when it started but Christmas Eve is the one night they share a room as well, their choice - wonder if they will do it this year?  Then in the morning we open our presents first, then have a breakfast one which we have all agreed upon before hand, sometimes a bacon butty, sometimes salmon bagels, whateve takes our fancy.  The rest of the day we chill and relax. Each year I try to persuade them to go for a walk and fail, though Bernadette did ask if we could go for one this year ..... so maybe ... who knows. Every other year we are joined by Mick's mum and dad for Christmas Day (this year) and we join the rest of his family on Boxing Day.  Think this is going to be another picture less post.

The World is changing... JYC -8

.... for a few weeks anyway.  Over the last few weekends there has been a group of men busy climbing ladders, checking bulbs and erecting signs around the village.  House owners have been out as well adorning their property's with festive lights.  Truro city even twinkles once the night sky takes over.  The roads have shrunk over night as have the car parks or have they just removed some!!  The shops are filled with 'the perfect gift' items (hope no one thinks they are the perfect gift for me!!!!)  My usual CD's in the car have been replaced with Christmas tunes and a new one to the selection is the Michael Buble Christmas album - it is delicious.  When the rain stops pouring and the wind stops blowing I shall venture out and take some pics of the lights to add to this post but until then it shall remind a pictureless post.

26wk Photo Challenge - Self Portrait!!!

Everyone loves having their photo taken don't they??? No!  Prior to my phtotography crush I would avoid the camera at all costs but since I have become interested in photography I have found a slight willingness to be in front of the camera (still prefer to be behind it) but I am a big believer in not expecting anyone else to do something that I am not willing to do, or maybe it is an age thing, maybe it is because I'm more confident now than ever before, or is it because I have nearly reached the half way mark and decided it is time I started to look in the mirror and see just who this person I call me is and has become!!!  I do not class myself as photogenic and never will, but below is ME!!  All straight out of the camera, no cropping or tweaking, all using natural light as my light source.

The first - totally exposed, no war paint and not in the right frame of mind to be doing a self portrait. (does it show!!)

AV mode, ss 1/25, f4.5, ISO 200, focal length 31mm, WB auto

 Image two - when thinking about this theme I had lots of creative ideas - but when I tried to put some into practise they didn't quite work out, one I shall revisit and spend more time on.  Getting a reflection in the window.

 AV mode, ss 4 sec, f5.0, ISO 640, focal length 40mm, WB auto.

Thrid image - war paint on and more in the mood for this project! 

 AV mode, ss1/40, f5.0, ISO 500, focal length 40mm, WB - custom,

Four image - my favourite - just my eyes

 AV mode, ss 1/160, f5.0, ISO 500, focal length 55mm, WB custom.

So there you have it my first serious attempt at doing a self portrait.  Did I enjoy it? when focused yes, would I do it again? yes, did I learn anything from it (apart from how many double chins I have)? yes.  mainly using the light source and positioning myself to get the best without too many shadows, playing with the ISO for indoor use, too get a good shutter speed without too much noise and custom white balance is a great tool to use, very rapidly becoming my permanent white balance.  So easy to set and makes such a difference.

So fire away with your critique, suggestions for improvements etc etc.  Please visit the other girls (Yvonne, Louise, Joy, Eileen    who are taking part in this challenge as well and critique their images as well.  Thank you. x

Found this article the other day about self portrait - which I thought was good.  http://www.digital-photography-school.com/5-benefits-of-a-self-portrait-project

I am committed.....

...some say ' I should be'!! 
Today I signed up to complete a 10K run in aid of the Cornwall Air Ambulance running around Newquay Airport of all places!  We shall run along the runway, through the terminal and all those places that the public are not allowed and waiting for us at the end will be a free massage (that is what sold it to me really, plus the fact it is a one off). There is a 2hr slot to complete the run after which time a bus will come and pick anyone left running up as the planes will start to land again - how cool is that?
So having purchased my new running shoes on Monday I have christened them this morning and managed approximatley 1.5 mile run.  OK I know that isn't much but I need to build up gradually to this!  Bernadette has signed up as well  (we daren't risk Amanda's knee!) so once she is home next Wed (only 5 more sleeps...yessss! ) we shall be out on a regular basis.  So here they are my new faithful trainers

this was taken prior to going out in them hence so clean.  Though they aren't too bad now, stuck to the roads, didn't do the muddy lanes!  The funny thing is whilst I was out the postman delivered the post and I had a cheque from the air ambulance - I have won £25 on the lottery!!!  What a coincidence is that - it was obviously meant to be :)   My sister in law won £1000 earlier this year!!  I'm delighted with my win, it has actually covered the cost of the entry for B and I!  Plus it is another item on my list of challenges under way.  I shall be out again tomorrow morning at 8am with another lady in the village.

Doing something different

This time of year I always admire the beautiful Christmas wreaths that I see on doors, some large some small but all beautiful and to me one of the symbols of christmas.  So when I bumped into a friend the other day (who happens to be a member of the local WI!!) and she said the WI were off to the local garden centre to do wreath making.................... well I just had to jump on the band wagon and go along  and drag my long suffering friend Barbara with me. So off we trundled - and we were given such a warm greeting by the ladies, (we knew most faces but no names!!) and what a laugh we had.  The actual attaching of the fir bits was farily simple - you just had to keep your fingers out of the way!! but the hardest bit was attaching the decorations - I gave up on the wires and used the glue gun in the end, much easier.  So after 2.5 hrs we had created 12 beautiful but all different wreaths.  Here is my offering .

I just need to persuade Mr Bar Humbug I mean, Mick to let me hang it on the door now - the smell from the fir is amazing so strong.

Sky Watch Friday

Hey two weeks on the trot I have posted this on a Friday - must be ill!!   I have several posts to do today so I shall start with the skies of  taken at 9.30 this morning.  The sky is now a beautiful blue with lots of white clouds :)

Sorry about the black bit in the top right hand corner, it is the roof over hang!
Another lovely December day - no snow yet though!!  Click on the link below to see what the sky is doing in the rest of the world.

Lists and lists and more lists - JYC 7

I am a self confessed list addict, I have a list for everything, I often duplicate the lists as well because I either can't find the original or have forgotten that I have done one!!!

I do a weekly lists of things I must do and want to do and the standard shopping list on a very regular basis. This time of year is worse as I now have the who to buy for list, what to buy for whom list, to make for list, the what to make list, the postal card list, the hand delivered list, the bought card list, the hand made card list, cards not written yet list, the to buy food list, the got food list, the to bake food list.
Though each year  the two most important lists live in my purse and they are the girls christmas lists (yes they still write them for me) and I was surprised at how many shop assistants this year (men and women) commented on how organised I was and what a good idea when they saw me checking my lists with my full basket.  (personally I think they were just humouring me - but who cares!!) if only they knew how unorganised I really am :)

Below is a combination of the lists outstanding

Door stop granny,
Something for Margaret and David,
Something, anything for granny and grandad,
Awaiting last few postal deliveries,
B's bf ????
Biscuits Aunty Do and Uncle John,
Christmas cake,
Order/buy meat,
Order vegetables,
Wrap presents,
Deliver cousins presents,

They will all get done and those that don't will go on to the new Jan 2012 list - as it isn't worth stressing about.

Good and Bad - JYC 6

I can't say any particular Christmas stands out as being my favourite or the one I want to forget and never remember again, thankfully nothing awful has ever happened to us or ours around this time of year to create a bad memory.  So if I had to really pin it down I guess the worst Christmas I can remember would have been Christmas 1995 (I think!), I woke up with an awful migraine and Bernadette  was absolutely full of cold and looked grey with red eyes.  Amanda was only 11 months old so wasn't too worried about anything - thankfully!  Poor Bernadette tried so hard to rise to the occasion but couldn't and neither could I.  We ended up in bed and left Mick and Amanda sat on the settee staring at the tv :( 

The best, well I couldn't pick one as each is special with special memories. I remember my delight at the outfits my mum knitted for my Tiny Tears and April Showers dolls, they were the best dressed dolls in town (in fact I still have the outfits in the loft!!). The first year my brother, Ian bought me a present, a tin of talcum powder called My Fair Lady.  The pleasure I get from watching the girls open their gifts and the delight and gratitude on their faces, the way they laugh at me when my emotions get the better of me when I open their gifts to me, then how they say " oh hush mum" when I start to tell them off for wasting their money on me and their dad!!  All these little memories make each Christmas time special for me.

Traditions JYC 5

Normally I would say we don't have any traditions with regard to Christmas or any other time of year, but it suddenly dawned on me that over the last few years we have started one.  On Christmas Eve in the afternoon we drive down to Newlyn and have a look at the fishing boats - one of the few days in the year when we can guarantee they will all be in. Then we go onto Mousehole (have to go early to be able to park the car)  have a mooch around the little galleries.  Once dark we have a walk along the harbour to see the lights that attract thousands of visitors every year to this small but very famous fishing village.  We remember those that lost their lives in the Penlee Boat disaster all those years ago and those that continue to risk their own to save others.
Naturally I have to take photos - so the family stand and freeze whilst I loose myself in my camera.  Then when the icicles start to appear on their noses (and mine) I agree to move on.  We then head off to KFC in Penzance (yes we have two down here, one is 19 miles away and the other nearly 22!!) for our Christmas treat - a KFC bucket and a warm up.  We then head home and settle down to a movie night and nibbles.  

Not sure how we are going to do it this year as I shall be working the evening - so it may have to take place on the 23rd instead.

 Mousehole cottages on the harbour front.

Harbour Lights.

Not the greatest shots, my excuse was it was bitterly cold last year and blowing a hooly down there. 

Festive daydreaming -JYC 4

My all time favourite Christmas film and song has to be 'White Christmas' - I love the singing, dancing and the soppy story line.  I get totally lost in it and just wish it was real.  Wouldn't it be lovely to wake up to the sound of silence due to thick snow, everyone to have a smile on their face and words of good cheer to each other. To feel the sense of magic  that you had as a child when you woke up to find presents at the bottom of your bed. Families coming together to share happy times, the less fortunate being remembered and taken in to join in the celebrations.  But it is only a dream that won't come true. 

So instead I am imaging the pleasure of having Bernadette back in the house and seeing her and Amanda curled up on the settee under fleece blankets, with movie snacks having an in house movie night, laughing away together and chatting, enjoying the closeness they share  - then in true mummy style I shall wedge myself inbetween them and snuggle up with them and keep asking iritating questions like "what did he say?" "who is she?" "what's the film called?"  all because the hearing isn't what it use to be :) (They love me really!!) 

Planning some family walks in the fresh cold winter air, if we are really lucky a snow ball fight or two! Sitting around the table as four again. But most of all I dreaming of a White Christmas filled with love and laughter.

 Our winter wonderland view

 Sammy searching for his pine cone

 Shaggy and Lewis enjoying the snow.

 My two angels

Amanda and I making snow angels - well trying to we were laughing so much.