My favourite decoration photograph of the Christmas season

I love how this photograph turned out, much better than I thought it would. So had to include a page using it for my Christmas journal

All good things come to an end

Oh what a dreary day rain, rain, rain and more rain. I should have gone food shopping as I forgot to bring anything back with me from the Christmas fare at Neil's, but really couldn't face getting soaking wet so rummaged in the freezer and found some sausages.
Sausage and mash with lashings of gravy that will do for my dinner tonight.
Hopefully tomorrow will not be so wet, but at least it made for some good raindrop photos for today's entry.

Retail Therapy

I have done some retail therapy today. I have been struggling all through Christmas because John is no longer here and he always made so much effort to get me all the things I had mentioned during the year. He would store up the information, sometimes quite casually giving, and go on a spending spree in November/December. I would get some on my birthday and the rest for Christmas.
I never managed to get him presents in quite the same way as he often came home with gifts for himself too.
So today I hit the sales and searched for a red dressing gown. Not quite the same colour as the one I had seen earlier in the month but a lovely one none the less and I am classing it as a gift from John along with the hand held dictaphone that I ordered on line. The only thing I forgot to get was a new bag, but as some of the shops were closed I will go back into town another day and hopefully get one I like.



I know that Christmas is not so much about the gifts as the giver and I miss him so much especially at this time of the year.
I know that I have been with my family and that was lovely, but I am beginning to realise how my Mum and Mum in Law must have felt each Christmas after their husbands had died.

Another day of Family fun

Today I should have gone to church but decided not to do so as I wanted to print off lots of pages to make an album for my Daughter in Law. I made one for her mother as a Christmas present, but thought Gemma wouldn't want one, Wrong she loved it so I just had to make her one as well. Luckily I had an album I could use, found enough protectors to go in it and printed off 28 digital & copies of paper layouts that I had made of my Grandson since his birth in September.
Then I went round to join the rest of the family for another day of fun.

Boxing Day Lazy Day

A day to laze around

a day to do nothing

a day to just be

a day for just me

I haven't got dressed

I haven't done much

just scrapped a few pages

which didn't take ages

watched a film

watched some TV

had a little dinner

and Christmas pud to finish

Christmas day

Christmas day and lots of fun with friends and family
Midnight service at Christchurch
Mid morning service at RCBC
Rest of the day with my Son, Daughter in Law, grandson and his other Nanny

Snippets of Christmas Eve

Well it was nearly two O'clock on Christmas Morning when I decided that I was just not sleepy and so decided to do my Christmas Eve layout.



at eight O'clock I realised that I needed to tidy it up and add the little touches that give it body.

Santa your hat's too small

Most babies are made to wear santa hats at Christmas time either for real or digitally placed. most babies' hats are too big, not so my little grandson he has outgrown all his Christmas outfits before Christmas, so now my daughter in law is frantically looking for a new one for him. It is a shame because he has a lovely snowman outfit and also a reindeer one that he hasn't been able to wear. Still I do love the small Santa hat perched on his head

Above all have fun

What have we left to do today?

before we see Old Santa's sleigh

speed across the twinkling sky,

bringing gifts to you and I.

There is one thing upon my list

one thing that really can't be missed

It's there on every day to do

Have fun, the wish from me to you

Oh What a Glorious Mess

What state is your home this near to Christmas? are you all straight with decorations all in place and cooking preparation all done? or are you up to your armpits in wrapping paper, still not got all the presents? or panicking because of all the cooking that still has to be done.

Me why I am all ready of course ..................not

My living room, although decorated is covered with presents and wrapping paper all over the floor, there are decorations and empty Christmas card envelopes jostling for space. but I love the chaos, I have never been a tidy person so it is almost impossible for me at this time of the year to be anywhere near tidy.



the poem reads:-

Wrapping presents on the floor;

Postman knocking at the door..

Decorations in every space,

Every room a special place.

Snowflakes glistening in the sun;

 Fire bright to warm each one.

Delicious smells from cooking pot,

Minced pies, puddings and the lot.

Sweets and fruit and nuts and nibbles,

Favourite drinks, what’s your tipple?

Chaos reigns, but do I care?

No, Christmas day is almost here.