Bluuuuuuuuurh, stuff and thoughts

First up is the Document:2010 pages for November. Can't believe I have completed all this - always full of enthusiasm for stuff but then find it difficult to carry through for one reason or another. Anyway, only one month left and here I am!!!





First page still needs the receipts, etc putting in the envelope, but I tidied up for Christmas and can't reach any of them until I move everything back to what is "normal" mode in the dining room. hehehe! The colours on these photo's are rubbish because it's been misty outside for the past couple of days so no sunlight in the house. Have had to use the camera flash which doesn't show the true colours.

Next up are the two "collage" pages. Such an odd month weather-wise.... started off like a lamb - lovely sunshine reflecting the trees on the canal; then the wind blowing trees over the Trans Pennine Trail - HS and I went out and spent a couple of hours making it safe and removing it from the trail. Being "girlies" instead of the "special ones" we aren't allowed to use any tools that have a bigger motor than a sewing machine, so all we had was a land rover, bosaw and some rope. Great fun though. We left PB to cut it down with the chainsaw - knowing how much he enjoys that! :-) BUT! The REALLY bizarre thing is that the following morning PB went up the trail to remove the tree and..... wait for it..... It had been turned round to face the opposite direction! Seriously. It had taken HS and me and hour to manoeuvre it into that position using the land rover and rope, because it WAS really heavy. Normal vehicles aren't allowed on the trail, so who moved it and how the hell did they move it? :-D Like I said - bizarre!
Then came the snow. Oh Boy! The snow. It was the last Tuesday of November. I've already blogged about it so won't bore you with anymore, except to say...... if we had been able to book the weekend away that we wanted, we'd have been stranded in Scarborough by the snow!

And finally my focus page for November was our weekend in Scarborough. Lovely views. Relaxing time. Good to get away and unwind.











Today I took Phil and Steph to Chatsworth, but with the mist/fog, we saw nuffink!! :-( So we moved on to Harwick, which again, I knew would be closed but that we would be able to get closer so may be able to show Steph a bit more than a misty field... :-)



 So here is the new Hall - in the background. We were able to see a bit more than this... I love the windows... I love the inside when we can get in! :-) Especially the Gallery - my desire is to lie on the floor and just look up at the ceiling - one day I will!











And then the Old Hall. So beautiful in the mist. Told Stephanie that she has to come back in the summer when they are open and we can show her some real history. I much prefer Hardwick to Chatsworth. ???? I find it much more powerful. Does that make sense? I know what I mean... Chatsworth is like mutton dressed as lamb in so many ways; like they are trying to be something they know they can't be (even though the Cavendish's probably ARE something they can be!) Don't know what it is.....

And here they are.... The Old Hardwick Hall IS in the background; you can just make it out. If only the two of them had worn boots instead of Converse.... Steph is from Los Angeles and apparently they don't do any walking over there?!! Mmmmm! I'm sure "they" must do. I admit they don't walk around the city (Philip says there are no sidewalks until you reach the retail areas!) but surely they go for walks? They have parks and countryside. They HAVE to walk in them? But aren't they cute? He's hoping to go back out there in March. This is getting serious! Anyone know if it's easier to get a resident visa for the UK or the USA? :-D
And Finally......
It's almost the New Year, and I don't think I have ever been so pleased to see the back of a year. I can't wait for 2011. 2010 has been total crap. We've never had such a bad year. Not even previous years when one of us has been seriously ill, or had a "condition" diagnosed. 2010? Good Riddance. I have learnt several things though which I will take into 2011 as lessons learned and not to be repeated. I am also going to try to take more time for ME! If I want to do something I'm going to do it! I'm NOT going to feel guilty. It's time to move on. Watch this space.........
Speak soon. Happy New Year. Jude.x

Finally!!!

...... in the mood for Christmas... In 9 minutes it will be Christmas Day. I have all my children with me, and   a "borrowed" one from the USA (my littlest baby has his girlfriend visiting); the dogs are sleeping and the puppy isn't trying to open all the presents; and me and the other half are spending our 36th Christmas together. The meat for Christmas lunch is cooked; DH will do the veg in the morning. Life IS sometimes good.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Back soon. xxx

Smiling!

Our Christmas tree is up, so it must be nearly Christmas! Family tradition says that the tree goes up on the weekend that would have been the closest to my sisters birthday and that is plenty soon enough for me. Wanted to share a couple of photographs that made me smile recently: This first one is Santa in his "mufti"......... Yup! Rodge was one of the Santa's for the Canal Trust this year. He secretly loved it, but isn't going to admit it anytime soon, but did ask me if I thought he'd be needed again next year - to right chum after all the effort I put into making that red suit!!! AND everytime he "jokes" about me never wearing that white dress again, the red suit will be the retort.... :-D Isn't he cute:

And...........................
my BFF with her first Grandchild. How jealous am I? Alice was born yesterday - Sunday 19th December 2010. Mum, Dad and baby are all doing well. Grandma as you can see, is more than happy. It's about time she had something to celebrate. She deserves some good news.... life isn't kind to her, but she continues to smile and this is the best smile of all. Enjoy her Judith. Which I know you will xxx


Other news...... my "baby" has his girlfriend over from the States for a month. Her photo's don't do her justice! :-D She's lovely. Well! Like I thought she wasn't going to be? Unfortunately she has come down with the 'flu that is doing the rounds and hasn't been well since she arrived here! She lives in Los Angeles. It's bloody cold here. No wonder she isn't well! And P is like a little Mother Hen running round after her. She just wants to be left alone, i think, but he keeps checking she's OK. Making drinks. Going off to the chemist. Heating up soup...... So sweet. And so typical of him.
Only 5 days 'til the big day and I have so much to do. Crafting has gone out of the window, so must set to today and get some bits done for P's girlfriend and Z that I have planned, and partially done. Also Novembers Document 2010 needs doing, although I have next week off work.
Have a Happy Christmas everyone. Jude.x

Boring snow photos......

...... like every other blog in the UK; but these are my snow photo's! LOL So, here you go.......

The back garden on Wednesday. We had even more snow after I took this! I read somewhere that, with the exception of Scotland, our area was/is the worst affected in the country. Don't know how true that is, but it's now a week later and if we hadn't cleared the path it would still be there. The road outside is like an ice rink, there are no buses running round the village - main roads only, and we still haven't had any post. I know that no post does mean that at least there are no bills but it also means that my rollers haven't arrived either... :-(

This next photo are ice crystals. I took this at work; above these is about 8 inches of snow that is v.e.r.y slowly melting and this is the result. Aren't they pretty? I must look for a small tripod though - out of half a dozen photo's I took this is the only one in focus..... 

And this is the Chesterfield Canal. Frozen solid. Loving the reflections but the boat isn't going to be doing Santa trips again this weekend! Santa's "grotty" in the visitor centre isn't quite the same as meeting Santa on the boat.

And finally Alphie..... after discovering snow for the first time. Very funny! He ran in like that and then tried to catch and eat the snow as it fell off him! Florence? Well, she hates snow almost as much as she hates rain, so refused to go out until we'd cleared the path for her! 

That's all except to ask something of you if you live in the UK... When you make/buy/write your Christmas cards, please make/buy/write and extra one and send it to:

"A Hero", Headley Court Military Hospital, Headley Court, Headley, Epsom,Surrey, KT18 6JN
These guys have been defending our freedom and been injured whilst doing so. Please remember them this Christmas and send them a card as Thanks. My DH also suggests that you cold send one to "A soldier" BFPO, Afghanistan and it would find a soldier currently serving under awful conditions and just remind them that we think of them. (And I use "guys" generically - they could be male or female)
If you are reading this blog from another country please do something similar for a soldier serving in your own military. Thank you. Speak soon. Jude.x