Christmas and a Winner

Well, I am sitting comfortably: slightly stuffed, very happy and content as the fire burns and the wind and rain roars outside.

I feel very blessed.  Thank you all for your lovely comments and kindness re the Shingles.   The prayers must have worked because they have not really affected my Christmas.  They are still there but the pain is managed and there are far worse things I could have.  I haven't let it ruin Christmas at all, though Christmas day was a toss up between very stong pain killers and wine; the wine won!

I have some new followers so need to say hello. You are very welcome here.  I can't sit for long (the shingles is in my back) so I haven't been commenting on your blogs but I have been reading them, a few at a time.

Well, t'is Boxing day and Christmas is over.  And I feel I can look back and honestly say it was one of the best Christmas's ever!
 It was lovely: a lot of work but lovely!

Remember our upcycled bean cans? They make the nicest lanterns when it is dark!

Breakfast was pain au chocolate and my own home made Bucks Fizz..then the pressies were opened.

I'm happy! Christmas socks, wooly hat and gloves; what more can a girl need?  I also got several new rotary cutters, a lovely tinkerbell ornie from ds and dd, fabric, a layer cake and all sorts of goodies from my lovely in-laws.  We kept within a very strict budget. There were a lot less pressies, but what we did get was just perfect and we get to look forwards to 2014 without being in debt!

Hubby is happy: he has his new hat which makes him look like a mountain man; walnut whips (his favourite) and bucks fiz!

The lunch menu consisted of:

Turkey with my home made pork and sage stuffing
Mashed swede
Roast potatoes cooked with rosemary
Carrots and parsnips roasted with honey, orange and thyme
Yorkshire puddings cooked with a cocktail sausages and rosemary
Caramel cranberry and apple sauce
Cranberry and orange sauce
Home made bread sauce
Green beans
Sprouts
Turkey gravy

Christmas pudding with brandy cream

We all had a lovely time.  The in-laws were great company and there were lots of laughs.

The highlight is me setting fire to the pudding! Always risky after eating and drinking a little too much!

As we cleared up, a little puppy went a step too far!

 He was quickly put back down.  What we didn't realise was he was on a reckie mission.  After we went to sit in the living room to digest and chat, we heard a bang.  When we came in, both Titan the Puppy and Paris the Rescue dog were on the table eating the left over slices of turkey which were in a container covered with tin foil. They also ate the left over yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips but didn't even attempt to try the sprouts!

Paris had been starved before we rehomed her, so she has issues with food.  When we came in the puppy jumped down and hid under the table.  Paris obviously knew she was in trouble however she acted so she grabbed the last potato before she jumped down.

We told them off but it was half-hearted.  It was our fault for forgetting what Paris was like and to be honest, it was hard just trying not to laugh!

Look at them: as if butter wouldn't melt!



Today (Boxing day) was spent at the in-laws.  They cooked so many different meats and there were plates and plates of different salads that once again we over indulged. It was lovely.  There was a lot left over but it is my hubby's birthday in two days so what wasn't eaten is being brought over and I am going to cook his traditional gammon in Coca Cola and so we will share what has been made already and none of us  will have to do too much work.

I had a great time.

But there is still fun to be had!

I drew the winner of my Christmas draw.  I am totally shattered so decided to use a random number generator.  I couldn't work out how to copy and paste it to my blog page so you will just have to trust me.  I used the number and scolled down counting the names until I got to the number given on the generator and the winnner is.........Gracie from Needles, Pins and Dragonflies.  Gracie, could you email me please on stitcheranon@yahoo.co.uk and give me  your address please.  I will let you know when I post it.  I have a few more things to collect and add to it: I promise it will be filled with lovely things that you will have fun with!

Right...off to have a turkey sandwich (the dogs only got what was cut and on the table)...I will be back soon with my New Years post..and maybe another competition.

Please keep safe: I know a lot of you are having to deal with dreadful weather conditions.  Be warm and take care and I will be back soon!