Cakes, Decorations, Health

Gosh only another couple of days before Christmas!  I know this is a worn comment, but it really does seem to approach far too quickly.

My husband and I did our food shopping at 7.30 am this morning to avoid the crowds and rush, and I have to say it was great, hardly anyone in the store.  

Each Christmas I cook the Christmas dinner for us, usually the boys, my Mother in Law and her partner and then my Aunt and Uncle come round in the late afternoon/early evening for a light tea.  This year our older son and his fiancee can't join us as they are on their ship.  This year is the first year we will have woken up Christmas morning without one of the boys here.  Will seem rather strange.  Our younger son is coming for dinner this year which will be nice. 

A few 

A couple of Christmas cushions.

This lovely friend was made by an Australian blog friend of mine a few years ago now when I used to actively craft and take part in swaps.  It comes out every year and is very special.

Looking at the two trees one morning.

The teddies have their little Nativity Scene.

The Christmas sleigh came round the other evening so I took a couple of photos of it.

I love watching it go past as it plays Christmas songs and collect for Charity.

It was our Wedding Anniversary yesterday.  We had a lovely quiet day and enjoyed a lunch out at one of the local Cafes.  We then had a wander round the Vintage Shop nearby.  Popped over to a garden centre as we had some vouchers to spend and we bought our yearly Christmas decoration for the tree.  Each year we buy a decoration for the tree.  (I forgot to take a photo, so will have to show that tomorrow)

After Christmas I am going to try something else to try and combat the continual 24 hours a day pain I have.  I figure it is worth at try after having read lots of reviews and viewing several you tube videos from various people who have tried this approach with some amazing success.  I figure what have I got to lose (apart from the cost of the books) and hopefully will have something to gain.  I have to do something as the pain although not intense is constant - some days more intense than others of course. but it has spread and really is quite wearing!

Will obviously report back in due course.

Today I baked four cakes, two Lemon Drizzle cakes and two Fruit Cakes.  

These two cakes I took up to my lovely elderly friends for Christmas.  Elizabeth likes the Lemon Cake and Ray likes the Fruit Cake.

Tomorrow is tidying day!  

Five on Friday

I thought I would join in with Amy's  'Five on Friday' 

As the theme also seems to be Christmas  and I have just started decorating this week, I thought well, why not?!

Initially I didn't really want to put a tree up this year...but on Wednesday I needed some distraction from pain so I thought just go for it, and before I knew it I had both trees up and decorated!

1:  Our Lounge.

Just a few of the decorations we have collected over the years.  All have special meaning and significance.

2:  Outside

The decorating outside hasn't really started yet as my husband has been unable to put the lights up this week due to work commitments so they will have to wait until Monday when he will have a bit more time.

From outside looking in, this Nativity Scene was made by my older son when he was about 7 years old if I remember rightly.  (or possibly younger)

This snowman was our last year's bargain at 75% off!

3: Dining Room

On my writing bureau

On top of the wall unit.

4: Kitchen Doorway

5: In my Garden

Not Christmassy, but still gorgeous to look at, it amazes me that I still have some roses and a Hebe blooming at this time of year.

An overview of the last month!

Well the month seems to have flown by, and Christmas is almost upon us.

So what has been happening.  

Some sad news....

Mason otherwise known as Max died late November, leaving Oscar and Rocky on their own.

On 9th December after chatting to a friend during the day at how well Oscar was doing I was shocked to find he had died sometime during that day after I had seen him alive and well.  

This meant poor Rocky was now on his own....I don't like them being left on their own and when a friend she said she had a baby boar from a recent litter available and would I like him as a cage mate for Rocky I said yes!

Little Sylvester arrived today.  They are still getting acquainted from opposite sides of the hutch!  Hopefully before long they will be the best of friends.

We had the 'Mysterious Case of the Fish out of Water...

I discovered one of our fish beside the pond....no marks on him so no idea how he ended up there!  Did he jump and fall out by mistake?  They are not so active at this time of year, so not sure.  Cat's can't get to the pond as it is raised, the only other explanation would be a heron or something...but would they then have left the fish?  

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Some more miniature painting has been done.

Dusk

Old Boat

Heron in Flight

Sunset on the Sea

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I haven't been taking a lot of photos lately, not sure why...partly because I haven't been doing the walks that I did last year....for much of the past few months it just seems to have been too wet.

I did capture this robin in the garden the other week though.

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I haven't felt much like preparing for Christmas this year and it has taken some getting into the mode of it.  We have decided no presents this year....everyone has too much and don't really need anything, so we thought we would make it more about family instead.   We will be having my Mother in Law and her Partner come round for the main Christmas Dinner and then my Aunt and Uncle will also join us later in the afternoon for a light tea.  We will get some games down and play some games and hopefully enjoy each other's company!

My older son is away this year - he is working at sea and will be spending Christmas on board his ship.

I have done a little Christmas decorating....lights and the small tree are up.

The nativity scene was made and painted by our eldest son when he was five years old and is rather special!  The stable we got last year.   My wood carving that I bought on the Reservation in Arizona this year carved by a Navajo, takes pride of place.

A collection of snowmen with the Polar Bear.

The yearly visit of the Rotary Christmas Sleigh went by.

We visited some of the Christmas displays at the local garden centres, but I forgot my camera most times!

My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary,...or rather I spent the day singing in the Church Choir in the morning, during the afternoon for a rehearsal and at the Concert on Sunday night!

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I've enjoyed singing in both the Community Choir and in a Church Choir and we have had a busy couple of weeks with concerts.

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