The inbetween time

So it's been kind of busy since I last blogged. There's been much eating and drinking and socialising. We managed to get group shot of the whole of my side of the family

It's been a while since we took a photo of us all together and I think this could be the picture that gets me back into Scrapbooking mode.

It's been so long since I blogged, I have had time to grow some facial hair 

We had a fake New Year last night. Friends of ours who moved to Belgium were visiting locally and the friends they were staying with hosted a Mexican themed evening, complete with moustaches and red flowers for your hair. Oh, and margaritas of course! 

So I've noticed people mentioning intentions to join in projects. Project Life, One little word etc and part of me wants to join in, yet part of me thinks I would fall by the wayside as the weeks progressed. I am keen to make a commitment to something, but what to chose?

In the meantime, I've ordered a jelly roll of fabric to start my next quilting project. Never made a jelly roll quilt before and I can't wait for it to arrive so I can start. Time I turned that dining room back into my crafting space ;-)

So hands up, who's intending to join in a weekly/monthly project? And if you are, tell me what it is so that I might put it on my list of possibles to join in too! 

Simply a Moment in December

The table is strewn with triangles of fabric; a magazine is open at the 'Quilt block of the Month' page. I am close to finishing it, and have learnt several new techniques. I have enjoyed an hour or so of quiet concentration. On the arm of the armchair in the lounge, my iPad springs into life.  Surprised, I rush to see what it is. In total surprise I see that it is a FaceTime call from our daughter.  A rush of love flows through me as I see her face glowing in the freezing temperatures of New York.  I can see the skyscrapers behind her as she explains they are at the top of the Rockefeller Centre.  She says she is sending me photos that they took this morning, during a horse drawn tour of Central Park. 

I can see the pure joy in her face and hear it in her voice.  This is her dream, to visit New York in the snow.  Years of watching Christmas films have sparked this desire, the atmosphere of a winter wonderland. And now she is there, living her dream.  It reminds me of the song "you've got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?"

The dog, upon hearing her voice and seeing her face, is totally bemused, running to the front door, whimpering and barking.  She misses her 'mum'. We finish the call and go into the kitchen to find a treat to calm her down. 

Simply a Moment is organised by Alexa, pop over to her blog to share more moments this month. 

It's a cracker!

What did Father Christmas say to Mother Christmas when she asked him what the weather forecast was? "Looks like rain, dear (reindeer)". 

I think it was last year that my daughter was invited to a party where the dress code was Christmas Jumpers.  Now, we don't really have too many novelty jumpers in our house and she didn't want to go out and spend money on something sh'd only wear once. So she presented me with an old red jumper that she already had and a pair of novelty mittens, and asked if I could turn them into something suitable.  The rest, as they say, is history.  

Today, our school was participating in Save the Children's Christmas Jumper Day and we all had to wear something appropriate.  So guess what was pulled out of the deep, dark, recesses of the wardrobe? 

Yes the clock is ticking towards end of term, tree  is up in reception 

And novelty singing penguins are in the staff room

Sixth form pantomime was this week with rehearsals going on in the hall next to the secretaries office and we all found ourselves humming along to Madness's "welcome to the house of fun" and Shania Twain's "man, I feel like a woman". Both of which get pretty annoying after two solid hours. I'm not sure how they were woven into the story of Cinderella but rumour has it that the performance was hilarious.

Today was the Christmas Fair and when we go back on Monday, we'll be into the final five days. Meanwhile, back at home, cards are written and almost all presents bought. As I have 14 people here to eat on Boxing Day, I probably ought to be making lists of food and drink. I feel too calm, too organised. There's something I've forgotten for sure. But until I remember what it is, I'm going to kid myself into believing that I've no need to panic.  I wonder what it is I've forgotten?  

Why?

Why ... were there only two other people in the post office this morning?  Normally that place is heaving and in the lead up to last posting date I was expecting queues out the door. 

Why ... so some people decide to stop either right at the top or right at the bottom of an escalator?  This is a disaster waiting to happen if I am the person behind them and not able to stop myself from walking into them!

Why ... do traffic lights stay on red for so much longer when you are in a hurry to get somewhere?

Why ... did my daughter send me a link to a grey coat she wanted for Christmas when she really wanted it in black?

Why ... did she remember to tell me this 5 minutes after I finished buying the grey one online?

Why ... do days off go so much quicker than days at work?

Why ... does the dog think that after I have told her 'no she cannot have any of my sandwich' whilst sitting on my left side, I am likely to say 'yes' if she moves to the right?

And lastly

Why ... is there so little fudge left in the tin after my baking session at the weekend?

The last precious

Can you believe that we have had a whole year of sharing our precious things with the monthly meme organised by Sian?  I'm kind of sad and hoping that she has something else in store for us next year - otherwise what will we all do on the first Sunday of the month?

۞ ۞ ۞

When the children were little I bought two little sacks for them to leave by their bed for Santa to fill with little bits and pieces. Their main presents would be waiting downstairs by the tree - he could only bring so much up the stairs!

Thank you Blogger for turning my photo on its side :-s
 

As the years went by, a kind of tradition evolved.  They would always have a bag of chocolate coins, a Lindt chocolate Father Christmas, some new pyjamas, undies and socks, a book and a couple of other little things.  I did not realise at the time that I was starting a tradition.  Who could have guessed that at age 27 and 23 they would still expect, no - make that 'insist', the little plastic sacks to appear each year. Only now the 'little' bits I put in there cost an awful lot more than they did 20 years ago.  Pyjamas for toddlers are a lot cheaper than those for grown ups!  Those stockings get more expensive every year.  But I am not quite sure who gets the most enjoyment of it - them or me, as I do enjoy a bit of a challenge to make sure they get almost exactly the same things.  It's a lot easier to get stocking fillers for girls.  Nail varnish, eye shadow, bubble bath.  Hard to find the male equivalent! My favourite comparable item this year so far is a nail varnish called 'Red Hot Chili' for my daughter and a grow your own chili pepper kit for my son.  (He's a keen cook and enjoys trying to grow his own ingredients!)

 

So that's it - 12 Precious Posts written, 12 times I have been round the world in blogs seeing other people's stories.  Three years in total of storytelling on a Sunday.  Sending out a big thank you to Sian for hosting this monthly event and having the idea in the first place.  I'm going to miss this little project and am hoping that she has something else up her sleeve to take its place.  What have you got in store for us for 2014 Sian? 

My month In numbers

November has brought with it the annual family debate; what is the correct temperature for the central heating to be on?  My husband insists it is somewhere between 18 and 20.  Whenever I walk past the thermostat I turn it up to somewhere around 22.  He suggests that if I feel chilly, I should put on a cardigan.  I ignore this and turn the dial a notch.  My ideal temperature in numbers - 22.

 

50 years of Dr Who this month.  This is the programme I used to watch whilst hiding under the table when the daleks came on.  Oh come on, I was only young, they were very scary.  Even when they showed you how to make one on Blue Peter with egg boxes and tin foil, it didn't make me feel any better.  I remember going to see the film of Dr Who with my mum and desperately wanting a reversible anorak like the one worn by one of the characters. Can't remember anything about the film, but I do remember that anorak! Bearing in mind I was scared of the daleks when they were on a small tv screen, it was a bit of a risk taking me to see them larger than life on a cinema screen. I bet mum made us sit at the end of the row in case I needed to be taken out quickly if it got too terrifying!

 

Now, anyone that knows me well will know I am maths-phobic. Whoever invented the Excel computer programme is my friend for life as it does all the things my poor little brain can't. So please be impressed that my next number is a percentage.  50% of our family got new jobs this month. 50% of that 50% have already started theirs up in Edinburgh and the other 50% will be starting in the new year in London. That particular one has decided her current work wardrobe is unsuitable for her new role and will need to go shopping between now and then. Handy that the new job is in Oxford Street where the worlds largest Topshop is located eh?

 

I only went out for 1 meal this month and entertained at home once. I went to a wine tasting and tried 6 different wines. I 'accidentally' forgot that you aren't supposed to drink all the samples but spit them out.  2 friends had birthdays so 106 candles would have been lit.

 

Number of scrapbook pages made - zero. I feel sure that Karen will be turning up any moment to make me sit on the naughty step or sending me for therapy.  Actually, she is a lovely lady so she's more likely to turn up at my door with a plate of lemon meringue cupcakes and a sympathetic ear to try and work out how she can help me find my mojo.  But I've not been un-creative - I made 2 floor cushions, 1 quilt block for the friendship quilt and 2 samples. One of which does not stand up to close scrutiny.  I'm trying to persuade myself that it's imperfection adds to it's charm ...

 

 I also made some Christmas bunting with 9 pennants for my desk at work.  Now, I'm not normally one for personalising my work space and my wall has boring worky stuff on it. I did once smuggle a Brad Pitt calendar in but was asked to take it down as it was sending out the 'wrong message' to impressionable young girls. It wasn't just me, my friend's George Clooney one had to go too, not to mention the Johnny Depp edition. There was a lot of huffing and puffing that day, I can tell you.  I really don't think that a close up of Brad in the glory days of Thelma and Louise was going to seriously impact on our Year 10's.  For a start, in their eyes he's ancient! I digress.  Whilst chatting to our librarian she showed me a red snowflake she had made at a crotchet class. I mentioned shamelessly hinted how lovely a string of them would look on the partition between me and reception.  She gave me the snowflake and I pinned it up. Every time she walks past, she says she'll be bringing in more very soon.  I told her it would co ordinate beautifully with my decorations and she's promised to make me more.  So, in a moment of guilt at the thought of someone else spending time making something for my desk, I thought I ought to do something myself.  Ta Da .... 

(bunting on show at home before I take it into work on Monday)

However, I have a sneaky feeling that having introduced a little festive decoration into my work life for the first time ever, it is only a matter if time before tinsel, flashing lights and singing reindeers appear.  

 

At work we spent 30 mins re-learning the proper use of semi-colons. Honestly, just because we work in a school they are so pernickety about us using proper grammar and punctuation.  I mean, everyone knows the most important way to use one is to make a winky smiley face ;-) English is a really difficult language isn't it? Full of rules, and just when you learn the rules you learn the times that you can break the rules. Anyhow, needless to say we are now throwing semi colons into everything we do; it's become a bit of a contest to see who can get the most in. We're sending quite lengthy emails, just to make our sentences longer to get an extra one in.  Which goes to prove that if you work around children long enough, you will eventually revert to being one! 

 

Now for the communal count ... Drum roll please ... Number of Christmas cards received - zero

Numer of items on a Christmas list -    (Now I have ' making a list, checking it twice' going round my head) 18 on my 'for other people' list and ummmm 2 on my 'for me list' I clearly need to give this a little more thought!

So that is my Month in Numbers which is linking up to Julie's blog, whose month included women with moustaches and men with sonic screwdrivers.

Let's sit and have a cup of ...

Come in, come in.  Let me take your coat, gloves, hat, scarf ... Let's have a nice hot drink to warm you up.  I've got the gluwein mugs out that we got in Cologne a few years ago when we went to visit the Christmas markets, what shall we have in them? Traditional mulled wine or a cup of tea or coffee - you choose!

I'll be asking you if you've started your Christmas shopping yet, and telling you how I have begun to gather a few bits together.  I printed off address labels for my cards last night and plan to write a few each evening rather than trying to write 40 in one sitting!  That makes it more of a chore than a pleasure.  It may also mean that my handwriting is not illegible by the time I get to the XYZ in the address book!

 

If you noticed the 'Congratulations' card on the side, I'd tell you how my daughter has just got herself a new job.  Starting in the new year; she's very excited.  She's not the only one changing jobs though,  my son has just started a new job up in Edinburgh.  Seems that it is the norm to not stay in the same job for years on end nowadays.

 

I'm sure we will start to chat about a theme that has been cropping up a lot in blog posts over the last week or so.  The ups and downs of blogging and crafting.  The feeling of obligation taking over from keeping up with everyone else.  I love reading blogs and I love seeing what people are doing/making/seeing.  Sometimes I check blogs quietly on my phone in my lunch hour - make a mental note to leave a comment when I get home and have more time, and then that thought disappears like a plume of smoke.   So please don't think badly of me if you don't see a comment.  If you're in my favourites then I've definitely visited!  As for what we are all crafting, I guess it's like all things, times change, fashions change, something new comes along.  I remember chatting to my friend in Florida about scrapbooking when I was a newly converted scrapbooker. 'That used to be popular round here' she said,' but not so much now.'  At the time I was amazed, how could something so popular fade away?  But now, for me, I see it.  I still love seeing what other people have done but for me, with half an hour to spare I'm more likely to set the sewing machine up than pull out a box of papers. I knew that Project Life would never be for me because after the initial super keen, filling each pocket of the page weeks, there would be a time when I was scratching around trying to desperately find something to put in for that week.  Trouble is that my life has weeks where we don't really go anywhere amazing or do anything terrific or indeed take many photos and whilst some people are brilliant at making a page out of the ordinary, I know that I am not and that would stall me completely. 

I just know that I love the blogging community, I love my blog friends and would hate it if those people whose lives have crossed mine via blogs just stopped blogging.  So don't stop - OK?!  We all seem to have found each other via Shimelle classes - maybe we all need to find something new to kickstart us into a renewed va-va-voom for blogging! 

 

So much to discuss but I know that Abi is waiting for you - after all it is she who introduced this meme so I feel guilty about keeping you so long.  Come back soon - no doubt there'll be Christmas Cake to finish up!