Christmas Boxes

For a couple of weeks now my house been in a production line of Christmas boxes. You see after a very pleasant meal and a couple of glasses of wine I got into conversation with a dynamo of a woman who every year organises a local push for the Operation Christmas Child campaign. She was bemoaning the fact that this year she had lost one of her 'wrapping ladies.' Well feeling very mellow (after the aforesaid meal) I said - 'Oh I can wrap a few boxes for you' - AAArgh! This woman is wonderful but relentless! I have lost count of the boxes I have wrapped but I keep getting a bin liner of new ones to do every few days!! Even so I am sure I am not doing an adequate amount, there were 1090 filled last year!

Operation Christmas Child is a very worthwhile cause. My two daughters have for years filled one every year, just to reinforce the true spirit of Christmas. I am sure everyone has heard of it by now -http://www.samaritanspurse.uk.com/ there is a page on the site that takes you to knitting patterns for beanies and puppets. I think I will do a few throughout the year next year so that I have a 'stock' done in time. Goodness knows I have enough spare balls of wool and oddments.

The only other thing of note around here is that I have been painting the front lawn! Actually its the colour of our downstairs loo - but I only used it to mark out where we are going to make new beds. We have decided that the front lawn has to go. For one thing it is a pain getting the mower round to the front all the time, and also we are cutting down on electricity usage. There will be four corner beds, a central circle and gravel paths inbetween.

Thank you to those who kindly left encouraging comments about my eldest leaving home. I am pleased to say she is doing very well, cooking lots of nourishing and frugal meals and studying hard already. She is coming home for Armistice weekend, she said she couldn't not go to the memorial with her dad. Awwwww!

Hello, I have ventured back into my blog after a somewhat longer than anticipated absence.

Initially I had some computer issues, and then after eldest daughter departed for uni I threw myself into 'other things' to take my mind off her leaving. Well, busy though I am it didn't work and I am missing her very much!



Anyway, I shall be emailing one or two of you later to thank you for your concern, how nice the blogosphere is with women like you in it!!!!!



Just to show you I have been a little bit busy.... a few photos......




6lbs of blackberries picked on a beautiful summers afternoon. I mashed them and made them into a large demijohn of wine. This was busily fermenting away and we were looking forward to a glass or two at Christmas but it was not to be. Someone (not me!!!!!!) managed to smash the aforesaid demijohn and it took me ages to get a gallon of sticky liquid up off the laundry floor!


Then eldest daughter left for uni.... here are the two best friends come to say goodbye, they have been with her since the age of 5. They have been through thick and thin together but are now across the country from Southampton to Manchester. I sneaked this photo - one for the album I am keeping for her.




I have managed to get to one carboot - there is another this weekend which I hope to get to. I got a lovely mixing bowl and this cute pyrex to add to the collection!






A week last Sunday we went to Upton on Severn . Some of you might know that it was severely flooded back in the summer. They organized a 'Cheer Up Upton' weekend and we went to show our support. I think we definitely need a 'blue' in our side, don't you??

I hope to post regularly now, I can't wait to see what you are all doing for Christmas and I am sure there will be some glorious posts coming soon from you all about that.