1st Christmas Party of the Season

 I am desperately trying to get organised for Christmas this week as I know I am rapidly running out of time. I have a few crafts that I want to complete and I REALLY want to get my most dreaded Christmas task out of the way- writing cards. Unless I do them before December then the task gets pushed further and further down my to-do list and before you know it I have missed the last posting dates for International post and I am at the last minute for normal post. Family and friends cards in the past have been written just before we visit and neighbours cards have been frantically delivered a couple of days before Christmas. Now, if I get the cards done early then I am not stressing. I have been organised enough to avoid having to do International post by getting Mum and Dad to take the ones for my sister in Australia ( I even sent birthday cards for next year for them all) and our Goddaughter came over from America so I was able to send back hers and her family cards at that time. 

I have been working on these diamond art tree decorations. I had originally bought them to do a craft session with at school but there was only one pen included in the kit, so I decided to do something else instead with the group and do these at home. It is a bit like doing paint by numbers but with little dots instead of paint so anyone can easily make something that looks good

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I also wanted a quick knitting project after marathon of the jumper so I chose a little keyhole scarf as I sometimes want something warm around my neck that isn't too bulky and this was perfect. The pattern was free and I already had the yarn and the needles. I added the brooch just as a bit of decoration.

I was hoping to put the decorations up this weekend but time just ran away with me. Mum and Dad came over on Saturday morning, Craig was busy so I had to walk Penny in the afternoon and then we had out first Christmas party of the season on Saturday evening and we had to be there by 5.45pm. It was a combined Masonic Lodge event and we had to be there as Craig is the Worshipful Master of one of the Lodges and a Past Master of the other. It was a fun evening and the brass band were quite entertaining and we all had to sing along with them.

It meant as well that I could wear my Christmas Charm bracelet with the new Pandora charm I had bought in the Black Friday Sale.

On Sunday Craig and I went to the early showing of 'Wicked for Good'. I loved it and was most disappointed when it ended. I will definitely be watching it again when it is available to stream. We met up with friends and ended up being out of the house for over 6 hours and by the time we got back I had to start preparing dinner and then getting things ready for the next week.

I am well aware that I have a lot to do still and I feel like I am running out of time to get things done. I will have to get some presents bought this week as next weekend my sister-in-law and her family are going down to my Mother-in-Laws to do the present and card exchange I although I have done the cards and got a couple of the presents I still have more to get. I know what I am going to buy most people but I am struggling to think of things to buy for my in-laws as they have most things and I feel like I end up buying the same things every year. Does anyone have any suggestions? (not alcohol)

Apologies and a Catch up

 I am sorry for my lack of posts this year but I have been in a bit of a ‘funk’ for a couple of months with regards to blogging and to be honest I am not entirely sure that I am fully out of it. I just feel that I have nothing to say that would be of interest to anyone. The December posts had been written and scheduled and I had fully intended on participating in Blogmas. I even had the titles of the all the posts prepared but then I just lost my mojo to complete them. It wasn’t as if I had the excuse that I was too busy, not much more than normal, hence the’ radio silence’ for this time.

Christmas and New Year were lovely, we spent time with both families and I wasn’t in work between Christmas and New Year. It was so nice to be able to celebrate with family and friends unlike last year when we were on our own.

I did some crafting in December but they were only little projects that only took a few hours but they satisfied my ‘need’ to create. I find that if I don’t do anything crafty for a few days then I feel a bit antsy.

 

                                                            

 

Needle felting the gnomes was fun and I can highly recommend it as a stress reliever. Stabbing the wool into the shapes is extremely satisfying and helps get rid of any frustration you may be feeling especially at that time of year. 

I didn’t take any photos as I rarely picked up my phone or camera. Sometimes you just have to live in the moment rather than record for posterity.

One picture I did take was of Christmas Zippy. He used to be at the centrepiece of Manchester Town Hall’s Christmas decorations but as the Town Hall is currently under renovation I wondered what had happened to him. I found out- he is now outside the Kelloggs factory lighting up the area. I am so glad, I hated to think of him being stuck in the dark in some storage area.

 

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to whatever 2022 will bring.

A post to make you groan!

 

 

Everybody loves to pull a Christmas cracker and there is always a collective groan when the jokes are read out. I thought today I would give you some groaning practice by listing some of the cheesiest jokes I have found or heard.

What do you get when you cross an apple and a Christmas tree?

A pineapple!

What do you call a boomerang that does not come back?

A stick.

Why was the turkey in the pop group?

Because he was the only one with drumsticks!

 What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?

Tinselitis!

 

What do they sing at a snowman's birthday?

Freeze a jolly good fellow...

 

What happens to elves when they are naughty?

Santa gives them the sack!

 

What do Santa's little helpers learn at school?

The elf-abet!

 

Why couldn’t the skeleton go to the Christmas party?

He had nobody to go with.

 

What happened to the man that stole an advent calendar?

He got 25 days.

 

What do Santa's little helpers learn at school?

The elf-abet.

 

Who hides in the bakery at Christmas?

A mince spy.

 

Who delivers presents to pets?

Santa Paws!

 

Who is Santa’s favourite singer?

Elf-is Presley

 

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?

Frostbite.

 

Why can't Christmas trees knit?

Because they lose their needles.

 

What do you call a reindeer who can't see?

No-eye deer.

 

Why did Santa go to the hospital?

Because of his poor elf.

 

Why did no one bid for Rudolph or Blitzen on Ebay?

Because they were too deer.

 

What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?
It’s Christmas, Eve!

 

How does Christmas Day end?
With the letter Y!

Christmas at Chatsworth House

 

I haven’t visited Chatsworth House for over 25 years. After watching a TV programme about Chatsworth and how it dealt with Christmas last year I decided that I would like to go this year. I only booked tickets for Craig and I as Emma was more than likely going to be working and Matthew said he didn’t want to go.

 We booked one of the first tours of the day so it was an early start to get there on time. An advantage of that was that we were able to park close to the entrance.

 

                                                    

 

I loved all of the displays and the fact that they were still traditional looking. The theme was celebrating the past 20 years that Chatsworth had been decorating the house for Christmas. Every room I went into had the ‘wow’ factor. Underneath my mask I was grinning from ear to ear it was so beautiful.

 

The room dedicated to 2021 was full of decorations from recycled materials. But all through the house there was evidence of this and they gave me loads of ideas for future projects. When I asked about them we were told that they were made by the in-house staff who are obviously very talented.

 

After the tour was over I indulged in my first mince pie of the season before taking a walk around the gardens. There was certainly a lot to see and do.

 

The Christmas market was on that day so we spent a good few hours wandering around and having a look at what was on sale. Although it was busy it was not absolutely packed like the one in Manchester and you were able to see what was on offer. We bought a few things and sampled a few things on the way round.

 

It was a lovely day and it was nice it being just Craig and I as we rarely go anywhere on our own. I am looking forward to doing more things like this in the future.

Festive afternoon tea

 

Hidden away in the woods at Rivington, near Bolton, is a little tearoom that is only open on a Sunday. However, for Christmas they opened for 2 Saturdays for a festive afternoon tea. Craig decided to book for the both of us as he knows that I like an afternoon tea even though he isn’t a fan. The couple who run the tea room were fantastic and agreed to make add cheese scones to the menu ( as Craig does not like sweet scones) and not put butter on the sandwiches (again because Craig is so fussy).

 As Rivington is a place we go quite a bit to take Penny for a walk it seemed strange to be going without her. The owners of the tearoom even asked where she was. I would have loved to have worn fancy shoes but as the path tends to be a bit muddy I just stuck to boots. I like going there as it is decorated in a similar style I would use if I ran a tearoom.

 I was so looking forward to the afternoon tea that I was halfway through eating before I remembered to take photos.

 

The food was delicious and I took a slice of the sponge and a mince pie home as it was too much too eat in one go. Craig had most of the sandwiches and the quiche as well as the cheese scone and I had a couple of sandwiches and the rest of the sweet treats.

 If they decide to do the Festive afternoon tea next Christmas, I will definitely go again but I would take a friend rather than Craig who would be able to enjoy all the treats.