It's All Over Now!!

Well it is, Christmas Day and Boxing Day both been and gone for this year. Very enjoyable it was too, and lovely having Jane here for this year.We had a great dinner all organised by the very clever Vin, who enjoyed the benefit of the new oven recently installed.  Everybody had something they liked and nothing wasted. Beautiful brownies for our Christmas pudding too which we had muchlater in the evening. Boxing day buffet was a mix of all sorts of dippy things and again perfectly cooked by Vin. 

Jess enjoying her present from our Jane which was a cat nip mouse. She sescended on it and got quite high very quickly, became quite mad actually. really funny to watch. Funny thing the next night Jane brought her upstairs and put her on the bed and she becan to sniff where it had been on the bed, and stayed there, very unusualfor her too, she normally runs off out of the way. 

Another little present, an Emma Bridgewater bowl with " Only the Best " on it. 
A Happy Christmas had by all.

Busy Monday!

Quite a busy day for some in this house, not meaning me of course! Vin has done the bedding  in our room and also made the bed in Jane's room ready for her coming home at the end of the week. That looks lovely and tidy now. There is an electric blanket in her bed so it should be nice and warm. 
She rang up this morning having been for a wander to get some things from the shops. Then again at home after her lunch and later from Sainsbury's and B&M  she was pleased because she had done all her Christmas shopping things so did quite well. The Secret Santa things are always awkward becaus you very often don't know the person you are buying for, or their likes and dislikes  so can be difficult. Hers was a man this time so especially so, very hard buying for a man. 
Little Jessie had a bit of fun lastnight. She came up last thing to go on Vin's front last thing and stayed there for ages settling down to go to sleep. Then all of a sudden she got up and jumped off like she had been shot. Ran out of the room and off along the landing. Then I smelled an "aroma"  in the room, I looked at Vin and said "is that you?" he said it wasn't he thought it was me then the penny dropped . it was the naughty cat who had f***** and run off quick! What a puss!

Where are my presents. 

Tootsies!

Off to Podiatry in Aintree yesterday, this week was Thursday instead of Friday, but the same time. We have got into a bit of a routine with this one at three in the afternoon. we have a small coffee a bit earlier, then  light lunch meaning a yoghurt, get changed and off we go. Try to leave the house at about a quarter past two and we are there on time. Traffic is building up now, and it was certainly busier in Aintree than it was on a Friday  probably more clinics etc.,
I took the girls a tub of Celebrations, then as I was passing their office I noticed two boxes piled up on the side of the desk so I said "Oh God " I've just noticed those and gave them my contribution, Cathy said don't worry they will all go, everyone shares them out, and the Doctors come and help themselves. Mental note, maybe biscuits next year not Celebrations. 
When we got home our Jessie got up to greet us when we came in. Did she?  Guess! She stopped in her basket, radio on and nice and warm.

Today we are in catching up on things, Vin is putting lights up on the fence outside. Hope he doesn't get too cold because it was frosty last night and is quite cold now.  A normal day today really, going to do some cards later, since we are getting a flurry through.  Time to do ours. 

Busy!!

Got going today. We needed to go over to Southport Argos to collect a television that we ordered yesterday. We had a load of vouchers from the shopping monitor screening that we do so used those so effectively it is a free telly. Not bad! 
We went to Dobbies first. Our Jane had kindly given us a voucher for them for my birthday, and we used that to get some nice Christmas things. We bought some lovely shortbreads which I really like, with a touch of glitter, some cakes that everyone likes cherry and a madeira one. Also some crackers for a bit of fun, mince pies for Vin.  Did very well really and got things we all like. 
Went for our coffee then, I had a flat white and Vin had a flavoured latte. Both very nice, it was quite busy today with a lot of shoppers  but cleared up later. 
From there we went tocollect the television, Vin got his stuff ready and came back after a while because he said it took the woman an age to scan  each voucher. Didn't matter, i sat in the car listening to some boring bishop talking about what makes us human, mostly related to god and preaching religion.  We did call in at Sunnyfields nursery to see if they had a wreath for the front door but he went in and came back to say they were all too big so didn't bother.
When we were having lunch at home Vin checked our balance for the shopping monitor to date and found that we have at least another  £150 in that plus extra, so that is nice. 
Little Jessie didn't exactly greet us at the door. She was in her basket and just  about raised her head, Didn't bother getting down. Nice!

Tree in the front window. Lovely and twinkly. 

Just chilling!   

Quick Online!

A few minutes ago we sat down to look at small televisions online4 at Argos because we needed one for our bedroom. The one that is in there is our old one from downstairs which we replaced a long time ago. It is very cumbersome and has never looked right. and since we had vouchers for Argos and we are going to Dobbies tomorrow we thought we would go for it. Harder than we thought because a lot of the ones we looked at were not  in stock, but just now saw a nice Hitachi one so have reserved that one. Pick it up tomorrow. 
Poor Vin is a bit under the weather today. he says he is wilted  but I think he does too much, and he is tired. My fault, he spends too much time running round after me and jessie and needs to go slower. 
We got a nice christmas card from jessie's first mummy today, with extra special cuddles for her for Christmas. Vin put the envelope under her nose and she gave it a good sniff then went back to what  she was doing, having a good old lick! 

Happy cat in front of the fire her daddy built for her. Sadly no cream cake for tea though.  

Groundhog Day!

I was reading a novel last night about a man who lived a groundhog sort of day he said. He got up and went to work same time every day came home at the same time every day went to bed after watching some television and did the same every other day. But, he did go out and kill homeless people in a bit of time in the middle!!!
Mondays are largely bits of a groundhog day but not like that. Didn't go out today but we didn't intend to anyway. Vin did go over the way to see if they had a wreath for the front door, but he said they were all a bit straggly so he didn't bother. Then at the other garden centre he bought some good old fashioned tea lights as he calls them  they are deeper than most of the ones we buy these days so burn longer.. We are thinking of going to Dobbies on Wednesday so we can see what they have there. 
All the Christmas decorations are up except for the wreath but I must get going on a Christmas newsletter that I put in with the cards.  My writing is atrocious these days very wobbly and unreadable so I type up a few notes to include. At least it can be read. 
Got a message from Janet in Australia yesterday to say that our john has had a short stay in hospital with pneumonia which you don't expect in their weather, especially with it being their summer.  He has also been diagnosed with emphysema she thought the smoking in his early days didn't help. that came as a surprise because I never knew he smoked. It was probably in his RAF days I should think.  Our dad was a very heavy smoker he smoked about twenty a day and they were Capstan or Senior Service and all unfiltered too. He gave up when I was about thirteen but it took its toll later on in his life.  He died of bladder cancer. Terrible thing addiction to nicotine. 
Little Jessie was having a great time playing with her daddy and biting him at coffee time. Mind you he was taunting her. 

 What me taunting her? Never !  Bad news pussy. No cream cake either. 

Feet Out!

Today revolved around the appointment at Aintree for the podiatry clinic. This was for three o'clock today which is not our usual time, we have been going at round about lunch time for a few weeks. Actually it was quite a good time to go, giving us a bit of time for a mini coffee and biscuit and our daily listen to Ken Bruce's popmaster quiz.  We listen to that every day when we are in but don't get many of the answers. 
Little  lunch for us today because it was to close to our coffee time, and we both just had a yoghurt, then up to get changed.  Off to Aintree at about a quarter past two. We left in a real drizzle but that cleared up as we  drove and on our left the sky was blue and on the right a big glack cloud. Very strange. A lovely rainbow just as we were going out of the village no sign of the pot of gold though. 
Got to Aintree nice and early, the waiting room has been  done up, with rows of chairs in angular lines and a big screen up in the air that I couldn't see! The idea is that you tap in on a screen when you arrive and then your name comes up when it is your turn. However, the podiatry section isn't involved in that so that's ok. 
Cathy today and she was very quick, so we were in and out quick, and on our way home. little Jessie  greeted us at the door...Not! 
She was asleep in her basket and there she stayed, nice the way she runs to the door when we come in!!!

Sorry puss there's no cream cake today! Never mind maybe on Monday!

It's Really Looking Like Christmas!

I love this sign. We bought it from New England on one of our trip there in the fall. Was quite expensive at the time but wouldn't be now. 

It is looking a heck of a lot like  Christmas now. The last tree was finished this morning, this was the one that goes in the kitchen at the far end. It's a really pretty one with lots of silver decorations that I bought on sale from M&S years ago for about 2.99. A gift really.
This little cat doesn't seem bothered by the trees at all, most of our other ones were, they used to chase them or fiddle with the ornaments till they dropped off. Inky was terrible for doing that, she would knock the baubles off them and we would find them all over the house later because she would roll them round. Great fun for a little cat I suppose. We would come down in the morning and find one in the hall that would have been rolled around in the night. 
Jessie just sleeps peacefully in her basket, oblivious to all around her. She doesn't mind the radio, or the television the only thing that gets her attention is the doorbell still. 

Waiting for Countdown because it means the last bit of cream cake for the week! 

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree!

Vin got our Christmas trees out of the shed this morning to get them ready for decorating and putting up soon. We have three, one in the kitchen, one in the front room window, and the third in the middle room which we use all the time. They are all artificial ones but are really nice ones and look good when finished. I have collected a lot of decorations over the years, and also do a bauble swap for quite a long time now, and some of those are lovely so enjoy them.  My most prized ones are a little box of wooden ones we got from Liberty in London years and years ago when we used to go to London on day trips. They were £1.50 then which we thought was a fortune but now seems paltry.
Jane rang up at lunchtime to say she was excited because she had won £25 on her premium bonds, and asked if Vin had checked his. He hadn't but as soon as he had his lunch he went up to check and found he had won two twenty five ones. Both happy bunnies! I am going to have to buy some I'm feeling left out. 
Jessie went out this morning, Vin said she was out for about five minutes. She probably decided that it was a bit too cold and then came back in again. Not soft that one! 

Shall I go out or not? that is the question. Must make sure I'm in for my cream cake! 

What a Grey Day!

Definitely a grey day to start today, drizzly and not a day to go anywhere. Not that we do usually go anywhere on a Monday anyway, we tend to stop in especially in the winter. 
Our first Christmas card arrived today, so I shall have to get our ones going. The letter to John and Ann was finished yesterday and I just added a line or two then Vin had a go at printing it off. The trouble with our printer is that it isn't used very often these days. It used to be used a lot when I was at school but that was years ago and it is only used once in a blue moon now. After a couple of goes at cleaning the printer head he got a good result. So the package has now gone off, cards and all.
 Little Jessie was up on the bed early this morning, I felt her on my feet,  felt like she was jumping around. Vin said he ignored her for a time and turned over, and she settled down a bit, but hung around, so he got up to feed her. She always wins in the end. 

If I look at you nicely can I have some cream cake today? Please.