Paddington and the Burglar

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Christmas.

Looking back to my December blogs I seem to have set up a tradition by posting a video of my favourite seasonal advert. My winner this year is the Marks and Spencer one featuring Paddington Bear. It’s a bit schmaltzy, but then I’m a sucker for a bit of that, especially at Christmas-time.

Here it is:

Did you have a favourite?

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Merry Christmas Everyone

I thought I would send a photo of our local Christmas lights at the Town Hall.  It doesn’t do the display justice as it is grand, colourful and leads through the whole of our main street and market place but it represents what a strong community I live in.   All year the Christmas Lights Team work long hours planning, preparing, repairing and generally getting ready for the big day – Switch On Day – usually first Saturday in December.  The team are all volunteers giving freely of their time and expertise, a mix of ages and sexes but committed to providing a spectacular centrepiece for our town.  Fundraising events, donations, food, entertainment all provided by volunteers and local businesses.  During the day things start to build up with a Christmas Fair, Father Christmas visits too and last minute checks on equipment.  Over the years the displays have become more sophisticated but so have costs such as insurance and equipment.  The volunteers work tirelessly especially during the last few days.  Their reward is seeing families, friends and visitors gather around the magnificent tree around 4.30pm in readiness for the big moment.  A local child, often representing one of the local charities, is chosen to help the Mayor switch on.  This year there are stunning special lighting effects which make the surrounding trees and buildings look magical.  People come from miles away to visit and view the lights, donation boxes help fundraise for next year – forward planning here.  Many of the shop keepers have individual trees lighted up on their shop fronts all adding to the magic.  The lights stretch about half a mile through the town.  Carol singing and cheering all add to the excitement.  I am so proud to be part of this community but especially want to say the whole event demonstrates the power of people coming together for the greater good.  Thank you to my Town.

Special thanks too to my blog friends, you are an amazing group of talented people who have given support, love and encouragement to me across the miles.  Merry Christmas to you all and your friends and families.

1st Day Of Winter

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How many times have we said, “I don’t know where this month, or year has gone? I’m sure it has something to do with my age, but it seems I’m both saying and hearing this phrase a lot. Today is … Continue reading →

December and the Holidays

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I’m having a hard time believing its December already, but it is. November was NaNo month and I did managed to make the NaNo goal of 50,000 words, but it was a struggle. I’m glad I did it. Since my … Continue reading →

December Tradition

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Jillian here. Sorry I’m late posting. I was in Atlanta, Georgia and didn’t arrive home until late last night. It actually snowed when I was driving up there and snowed on us while we were there. It was cool but … Continue reading →

Growing Older is…Fun!

One of the fun things about growing older is that you have a lot of memories about celebrations. Thanksgiving, for instance. I grew up going to my Grandma and Grampa’s house. Now, I’m one of five children. My Grandma and Grampa had eleven children. So I’ve got a few cousins. And that house was chaos every Thanksgiving. Wonderful, crazy, memory-filled chaos. This picture is just one of the tables. There were, if I recall, four or five to fit us all in. During the day, we kids would play in the bedrooms and attic upstairs. Hide and Seek or whatever we could invent. After dinner, Grampa got out the projector and we all snickered and laughed at each other as he showed family slides.

I’m the one peeking out from behind my Aunt Irene in the red. My mother is sitting across the table from me, in black.

Once I began having kids of my own, we had our own Thanksgivings. With our children, inviting our parents, family, and friends. Tables set for as low as seven and as many as eighteen. Each year as much fun as the last.

Now, as a parent of five and grandparent of eight, the baton has officially been passed. Oh, we’ve been mooching, er, getting invited to our children’s houses, or our siblings houses, for a few years. But this year was a first. We were invited to our grandson’s house. Wow.

It was small by our family’s standards, only eight of us. But that meant we actually got a chance to talk, instead of flying by with rolls or mashing potatoes over a story. It was one of the nicest holidays I’ve had. And the best part is the two pictures below. My grandson baked and brought a pumpkin pie to Thanksgiving at our house when he was a teenager. This year, I returned the favor, bringing pies to his house. Full circle.

Our children are fairly spread out and we’ve decided to start traveling for as long as we’re able, spending Thanksgivings with them each in turn (if the weather permits.) So I know there are more fun holidays in store.

If you celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope the dinner was great and the conversation lively. If you didn’t, at least you didn’t gain the weight the rest of us did!  And my wish to you all is a holiday season filled with love and peace and laughter.

Happy American Thanksgiving (11/23/17)
Happy Hanukkah (12/12-20/17)
Merry Christmas (12/25/17)
Happy Kwanzaa (12/26/17-1/1/18)

And a very safe and hope-filled New Year (1/1/18)
Laurie Ryan and family

For more information about Laurie Ryan:
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Building Fences

I can’t believe it’s December already! The past month has gone by in a flash for two reasons. One, we’ve been exceptionally busy during the first half; and second, the past few weeks I’ve been laid low by a nasty chest infection which is still hanging on. Whilst I won’t dwell on the latter, the busy part was exciting but messy. But heck, it’s what we wanted. I’ve mentioned before our intention to revamp the backyard as Dave wants a larger greenhouse, I want more space on the patio, and the fence between us and our neighbour has over the past few years disintegrated due to the high winds we experience here.

Before the start

So we decided it was time to put plans into action. We wanted a garden contractor who would do the complete works: remove all shrubs and trees, take down a high wall and build new fences and a gate, as well as lay a new larger patio. The first quote we received sounded good, we liked the chap and the very same day we agreed, he left his labourer to help Dave dismantle the old greenhouse, which by the end of that Friday, was gone, never to darken our door or garden again (the greenhouse that is, not the labourer!).

And so it begins

Monday morning and the sun was shining. The contractors arrived early and began knocking down the wall with a mini JCB. This had to come down first so they could get the digger into the garden in order to rip out the trees and shrubs. Job done, they then started lifting the old patio slabs.

Nearly ready for the new patio

The next day, the heavens opened, the garden rapidly becoming a quagmire, but they continued on. Fence erected, remaining slabs lifted but, oh boy, the mud! Undaunted by the weather, slowly things took shape. A major problem was found in laying the new slabs. It was hoped the foundation from the old patio would be solid enough for the new one but not the case, so extra work and hardcore were needed. This delayed progress and by the end of the week the timetable was running over. On the Saturday, there were still finishing jobs needed but Dave agreed to do the work himself; it would give him something to do. A project until the new greenhouse arrived.

Some 200 slabs later

We’re pleased with what had been done. The greenhouse duly delivered,  Dave has spent the past week putting it all together as well as running up and down the stairs looking after me. Good job he’s fit. If he wasn’t before, he certainly is now.

The new area

There’s still lots to do gardening wise, but it’s the wrong time of year to dig the soil, put in plants and repair the lawn. It must all wait until spring. Meanwhile, I’m enjoying myself planning out my new borders, ordering new bulbs and shrubs, but I do miss my birds. Their trees and hiding places have gone and for the time being so have the bird-feeders and birdbath, consigned to other places but in the last few days I’ve noticed they’ve found both and are slowly returning. They’re in for a treat next spring too because I’ve a new birdbath planned as the old one leaks. (My Christmas present from Dave, although I haven’t told him yet! 😉 )

This has all helped keep me going during the past dark days of barking, coughing and wheezing. As we approach the winter solstice and the toughest time of the year for me, I can dream, plan, and organise the garden for next year. Bring it on!

Meanwhile wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and everything you wish for in 2018.