I have had two weeks off work over the Christmas and New Year period. The longest holiday I have had since visiting my in-laws in Florida this time last year.
Now my only problem was; should I sit on my backside and knit and sew the holidays away, which is what is what I thought I wanted to do or follow the little bit in the back of my head that kept saying, “you will regret doing nothing” ……..
So ... it began; my holidays started on the Friday afternoon before Christmas, shopping! I don’t go bananas, buying lots of extra food as this will just go to waste but we do have extra treats like different sorts of cream and some sweeties for the table.
Toby had got off work straight after his early morning parade, so he turned up at my work very early, so he was put to work, stuffing envelopes as I was doing the wages. Then when I finished at 1pm, he had the wonderful experience of escorting me round the supermarket. Noel had finished work at 12 noon and gone down the bar for a Christmas drink (coke, due to his long drive home) and then he came and met Toby and me. This way we could share the packing, loading and unloading and putting away. Now that's what I call family team work.
During Saturday and Sunday, I started cooking; I made lots of leek and potato soup ready to take back to work and some fresh bread.
A take away plastic container takes 400g of soup, which is the same as a standard bought tin of soup.
I also made homemade mince pies, with the mincemeat I had made in October. Now, I am not that keen on pastry but I had forgotten just how nice homemade pastry is. I have not made any for years and had lost confidence but with the extra time I had because, Noel was walking in the Brecon Beacons. I took my time and what a successful outcome. I would hope to never buy another shop pie or sausage rolls again.
Saturday was a lovely sunny day, cold but bright so Toby and I went for a 4 mile walk along the Ridgeway between Hackpen and (nearly to Avebury) with the dogs.
Sunday and a few of the other lovely days we had during the holiday period was spent digging the allotment. These pictures were taking on Sunday which had started as a frosty morning but when the sun came out, it was just lovely and the soil was not hard at all. We had a really constructive hour on this particular day.
Monday: up early and straight down to our local butchers BV Berrys to pick up the turkey, except it felt like the rest of Wroughton had the same idea. So I just got chatting, can’t think of anything better than chatting while waiting for my turkey and sausage meat, I felt like I was back in the 1940’s. I wanted to take a picture of the long queue outside the shop with the dark grey (looked like snow clouds) and how old fashion and Christmassy it all looked, but I was just a little embarrassed, so I hope you can imagine the scene.
Noel and I went up to the coal merchants to get enough coal and firelighters to last us over the Christmas period. We have a wood stove in our conservatory, which means we can use this large room all year. On the way back home we picked up our milk which is locally produced, and the local residents can buy at Covington Farm Newsagents in the village. It was now time to return home and I made a start on the sausage meat ready to stuff the turkey and some sausage rolls.
Here is a picture of Noel and I after taking turns grating the onions for the sausage meat mixture.
The onions were so strong LOL
I cook our turkey on Christmas Eve, mostly because our oven is to small to cook everything on Christmas Day but also because I would hate it if I over slept and didn’t get the turkey cooking on time.
We all then went to friends for dinner to kick start our Christmas off. We had a lovely evening and some very nice food.
Christmas Day
Noel and I wanted to start our day by walking around Avebury but it was throwing it down – so we looked at each other and decided to have another cup of tea in bed, the walk could wait.
The day itself was lovely and quiet, just the four of us. Which I am sure will be the last one, as Toby and Louise will be in thier new house for Christmas 2008.
Poppy and I made the crackers, we filled them with wooden 'executive toys', a great buy as they have been keeping friends and family entertained (read as frustrated) ever since.
Toby left mid afternoon to travel up to Louise in Hull, after we had opened our presents, we were all chuffed with what Santa had brought.
Noel’s main present was a GPS watch so that he doesn’t get lost in Wales! Poppy had a new mobile, which I have to say, I really didn’t want her to have but it is all she really wanted. I had tried for weeks and weeks to get her to give me other ideas but all she kept saying was “I would really like a new phone, please”. I had already had my present, which was Buddy, shared over my birthday and Christmas, however I did receive a lovely signet ring with my initial; hand-engraved on the surface. However, just look at this presentation, Noel sewed the balls of yarn through the big box which also included my ring, so that I would never guess what this present would be. How clever and thoughtful, just one of the reasons why I love this man.
A little thankyou to Bruce at Scandinavian Knitting, who helped Noel with this Fabel Sock yarn.
Walking
Noel and I did manage to do some walking:
Silbury Hill
The first being a 5.5 mile and the second being a 4.8 mile route both lovely walks, which I highly recommend with or without dogs.
Avebury - early
Kennet Canal with Silbury Hill in the back ground
Knitting
I finished my second FCS, which I blocked on Toby’s bed, while he was in Hull and before Toby and Louise returned on New Year’s Day.
The finished shawl, which has been given to a very generous lady called Lorraine Goble:
A close up of the colours:
I also visited Fabricland to buy all the fabric to make Poppy’s new Song and Dance costume, she is singing ‘Wishing you were some how here again’, from Phantom of the Opera, (I have already bought some dark green velour to make a full length cloak to go over the dress),
and some corduroy fabric to make a dress and a skirt for me - perhaps, someday.
Then as a treat and for just 10 minutes before they shut I went to Get Knitted.
New Years Day
Noel and I were up early, to be at Gatwick Airport to meet Noel’s parents, who had flown in over night from Florida for three weeks. However the plane was delayed by two hours, a gentleman had had a heart attack – so my best wishes go to him and I hope he makes a swift recovery.
We then drove across country, making our way back to Southampton; unfortunately just in front of us near Pulborough, West Sussex, at approximately 1 pm; two cars had a head on collision - oh dear – Noel and I administered first aid and traffic control with other car drivers, until the ambulance and two fire engines arrived. Again, I wish these two people a very fast and full recovery. My heart goes out to you both, for this very unexpected accident on awful road conditions and on the first day of 2008.
By the time we had driven to Fareham, we were all getting rather hungry, so we stopped at the Harvester and had a very pleasant lunch before dropping the in-laws back at their UK home in Locks Health, before Noel and I travelled back to Wroughton.
Wednesday
A visiter outside our village pet shop - this is what puts a smile on my face.
After my earlier visit to Get Knitted I realised that I had forgotten to buy Knitting Lace Triangles by Evelyn Clark, (a book that had been highly rated). So when Toby and Louise wanted to visit Ikea in Bristol to buy a few things ready for their new house which is being built, I had an idea. Noel and I have only been to Ikea once before and we had an awful time. It was just so busy, so the thought of going again, we both found just a little stressful. However, I suggested that if we could all get up and get out early, it may just be slightly better. We all managed to do just that, we got to Ikea by 9:25 and there were already quite a few people waiting but the shop didn’t open till 10:00, groan! So the four of us decided to sit in the car but I then noticed that the queue was moving. The shop doors actually open at 9:30 but you have to wait till 10:00 before going through the tills. When we finally emerged into the outside world the car park was full to the brim, we had to laugh between us, we had managed to buy 2 trolleys of ‘stuff’ which we then had to squeeze into the car. A case of "we won't be visiting Ikea any when soon and it's so cheap". I have to say by being there so early the whole experience was far more pleasant and we now know to get there early for future visits. Noel and I will be returning because we have found some wooden blinds for our conservatory and they are very, very reasonable in price - far cheaper than we have seen any where else.
After leaving the over crowded car park at Ikea, I then managed to talk the others into taking me to Get Knitted, and while we were all there a few more balls of sock yarn just happen to fall into my basket with the book, which had literally just arrived and had to be found out back in a delivery box.
My only Sale Shopping - I actually dislike most sort of shopping!!
Now last Thursday, it just happen to be 10% Day at Homebase, and I had wanted for a long time to give the front of our house some colour. So I made several purchases of some plants, which were already on sale and some slightly chipped very cheap big pots, plus four bags of compost. I just needed a good day to plant everything up.
This is how the front of the house has looked for a long time:
So it brings me to my final day off, before returning to work tomorrow ohhhhhhh. Poppy was doing a sleep over and Noel had left early for a different Brecon hike. The weather was lovely, just what I needed, to do all the pots. I am very pleased with my efforts, what do you think?
The long stick by the front door is actually a cherry tree, it will be lovely watching it blossom.
