SNOW!

So the snow caught us out again!!  This year the snow gave us all some excitement leading up to Christmas, thankfully we were all organised with the exception of a handful of Christmas cards (which luckily were the ones which we hand deliver) and a couple of bits from the shop.  Jamie and then Mike both had bugs leading into Christmas - Jamie quickly recovered from his but Mike was laid low for a good few days.  When the snow came down he was still unwell so Jamie and I got ourselves wrapped  and booted up and headed off to the local shop, delivering the last few Christmas cards en route.

We stopped and had a good chat with one set of friends on the way to the shop, as we had lots to catch up on due to quite a shocking event for us all with one of their family, an event which has left everyone shocked, saddened and hoping that it will all resolve itself in the future.  Jamie and I stocked up on bread, milk and powered milk in case the milk man didn't get round to us before Christmas, we had taken a rucksack with us to help us carry it home and then we knew we had all the provisions we needed for Christmas itself.

On the way back we caught up with another set of friends, had a good chat and then it was home, to lock ourselves away in the warmth and hope that Mike could shake off his bug before Christmas Day itself.

Ciao
Sue
XX

Reading challenge 15/16 - currently reading Learn to be an Optimist by Lucy MacDonald

Start to Christmas

The traditional start to the Christmas festivities in our house begins when the 'Christmas First Box' (as I've labelled it(!!) comes down from the loft.  Its the box which contains the advent calendar, the Christmas CD's, and Christmas cards.  This year Jamie and Mike put up the advent calendar and so the countdown began. 

Jamie Organising the Advent Calendar after Cubs

We love our advent calendar which we have now used year after year after year and it is always a joy to get it down and set it up.  We buy little treats for Jamie to get every day, the traditional chocolate pennies (or Euros are they seem to be now!!) or little Christmas chocolate treats.  He loves it and Mike and I don't get a look in.  I love the advent calendar because we start the Christmas period with a strong reminder about what the season is all about, not the presents, the over indulgence, food, wine etc, and not even the TV specials but about the birth of a very special baby.  I think it sets a great tone for the rest of the month.

Mike and Jamie, Binnie has spotted the chocolate (but none for her it's bad for her!!)

We didn't really have to wait long either in December for the weather to become very wintry, here is a picture of Mike doing what he said he would never do which is walk Binnie in her pink coat.  You can see that we had had our first fall of snow.  It was to get a lot worse. 

Mike walking Binnie in her PINK coat



Our park looks amazing in the first snow, the pond already frozen solid



Ciao

Sue
XX
Reading challenge 15/16 - currently reading Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

And For The Rest of the Week

We still have snow, its fun to start with but as it continues, it is getting less so! Here is a still from video of Binnie playing in the snow in the garden. She was having fun but was finding it difficult to get to her usual look out spot on the treehouse.

She did make it up there eventually .....

and now she can check out her little kingdom and make sure all is well!!

Jamie and I were watching a film when we kept hearing a thud thud and at first I thought nothing of it, but eventually decided to check it out. I thought it was snow starting to thaw and fall off the garden furniture, but after it continued I explored a little further and found someone was throwing snowballs at the back of the house. As Jamie's room is at this side I was a little concerned as we know that silliness can often lead to 'accidents', I checked it out further and found that snowballs were being thrown at the house from a nearby house. This is a picture of remnants a couple of days later.

This is a picture of the retarded moron (used here in its definition of underdeveloped mentally - which he clearly is) who was throwing the snowballs. It has been reported to the police as I have a strong belief in naming and shaming - although I should think shame is an unknown emotion to this creature.

On a brighter note one of the things the cold weather does bring is some interesting and unusual photo opportunities and here is one of my hanging baskets covered in fairly large icicles, it did look amazing and took quite a few days before it thawed and disappeared completely. It was something I hadn't noticed in previous bad weather, but I guess the weather hadn't gone on as long as this patch had.

And here is a small conifer which was frozen, the picture here doesn't do it justice but it looked amazing. I just hope it survives for the summer after all this bad treatment!

At least having so much college work means I haven't had to venture too far and the bad weather makes it easier to stay in.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 10/16 - currently reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkhaban (which has disappeared (?) and I am now reading Songbird by Josephine Cox.

And For the Rest of the Week

Well - the next few days could be summed up in 1 word - SNOW!!!!!! and lots of it. College was closed, school was closed and everything almost came to a standstill. So as we didn't have to go out anywhere at least we didn't have to worry about trying to get about in it and just enjoyed it!!

Jamie and I headed out for a walk with Binnie in the snow, we didn't get too far before it started snowing again - here Jamie is being snowed on!

Binnie wasn't liking it much by this point, the snow was almost up to her tummy!

She looks warm in her coat, but the snow packed into her pads and she didn't like it after a few minutes so with the snow getting heavier and Binnie struggling to walk in it we headed home.

An 'arty' shot of the cornus covered in snow.

Our local park looks wonderful in the snow, it was starting to snow quite heavily by this point so we decided to turn around and head home.

Here school is closed, the snow was still pristine everywhere, no-one was venturing out too far.

I am well wrapped up and even though we had only just set off was getting covered in snow.

When we got home and put Binnie inside to warm up - we had the obligatory snowball fight - the cars provided lots of ammunition!!

Jamie is having lots of fun, but the snow was getting heavier and we got cold, so it was inside for some hot chocolate.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 10/16 - currently reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkhaban

And For the Rest of the Week!

I was glad to finish college and have a couple of days before Jamie broke up for his Christmas holiday, or that was the plan, but then the weather took hold and we began the longest stretch of snow that I can remember.

But before that we had a pretty busy week (which makes this a very long post) starting with Jamie's school disco, he had had his hair cut just prior, so it was really easy to spike it up and he had a great time, the noise when I left him was pretty deafening so I made a quick exit!! A couple of pictures before he set off and he is looking like a really cool dude!!

Oh and that picture reminds me, I finally got around to having my hair permed, it was needing its first wash after the perm so was looking pretty straggly, but I am glad I finally got around to doing it, although it cost a small fortune!! I love my hair long and I love my hair curly, so I guess I am pretty happy with it at the moment!

Next this week was Jamie's cub induction and Mike's Work Christmas do, so I was doing a lot of driving people here and there. Mike picked me up from college and then I dropped him to work, I then took Jamie to Calverton just outside MK for his cub event. I then went home, then went to pick Mike up from work and we headed back out to Calverton for Jamie's induction. So he is now officially a Cub - hip hip hooray. He has a heap of badges which now need to be sewn onto his uniform. After collecting Jamie we headed off to take Mike to his work Christmas do, end of taxi job!! Mike will be getting a taxi home, either the official version or the informal system they operate where he works, that is whichever shift is on night shift picks up people from their Chrissy do's and takes them home.

Here is a photo of Jamie getting his badges and his necker and woggle - they were all the standard ones, plus a couple of activity ones, so he is now well on his way. Not sure why he is looking grumpy, but it was a very cold evening!! He's probably thinking c'mon Mum I'm cold!! and she has that bloody camera out again.

Mike had a good time at his Christmas do and came home tiddly as usual, I had gone to bed to miss out on the drunken stupor he would be in!!

On Wednesday we were off to a schools music concert at Simpson Church, in which Jamie was playing, and boy it was really cold by then!! Jamie played Jingle Bells and very good it was too!

Mike headed off to see Deaf School again this week, that was one for him alone, an acquired taste I believe. But the support act was headed up by none other than Loyd Grossman, yes that Loyd Grossman, regurgiate, cogitate and who lives in a house like that. He was a punk back in the punk days it seems and not at all bad it appears. I love his guitar, he has got the real Les Paul version of which Mike's is only a copy (shame!).

And Deaf School - who all have very strange names! Below is Bette Bright (aka Mrs McPherson - that will become evident in a minute or so should you choose to read on)

Frankie Average (Steve Lindsay)

Clive Langer (he's produced a lot of records - gems such as Kilimanjaro by The Teardrop Explodes and Elvis Costello to Marilyn (hang your head in shame) and lots of Madness - hold that thought!)

The Rev Max Ripple

Here is Mike with Bette Bright

A famous face, well Mike was blown away as according to Mike this guy made one of the best punk records ever - Spizzenergi, the record is 'Where's Captain Kirk', they exchanged contacts and talked Friars!

and now for the stalking, Bette Bright, singer of Deaf School, Mrs McPherson in her daily life is married to Mr McPherson (obviously), well he goes by another name too, have you worked it out yet, here is a clue, One Step Beyond .........

It's Suggs from Madness (madness, madness this is Sparta, sorry that's something else, Madness, Madness they call it Madness ......)



now here he is thinking, I'm getting a bit sick of that bloke with the camera, all I want is a quiet pint or several, as he was the worse for a beer or two, allegedly!! And now he is thinking you're beginning to take the p**s mate!

And here is Mike's money shot so to speak, Suggs was almost legless (allegedly) by this point.

There is one day in the run up to Christmas which I dread and it has now happened. I am not averse to the odd decoration outside and I have seen some lovely, cute and even some tasteful ones, so would be happy to have a decoration or two outside. BUT and here lies the problem tasteful is not the word I would use, tacky, over the top, excessive, chavish, I could go on - it is here that one of the differences between Mike and I is at it widest and most evident. But you have to accommodate each other and let each other have their own creative expression and this is definitely Mike's! We have an agreement, he does what he likes outside and leaves inside alone, so inside is restrained and tasteful! As for outside well make your own mind up!!

The whole scene

Rudolf

The Santa stop sign - sort of!

I like this chap

Merry Christmas

Winnie the Pooh and Bugs Bunny - the lantern I have grown to like, although I did really hate it at the start, about 10 years ago!

Quite like the polar bears, but scale and proportion Mike! Can you spot someone looking out of the window?

Binnie, at the very edge of the bay window!!

We received Jamie's feedback from his Grade 1 - he passed and here is his certificate (to follow), well done, now we have to buy him an electric guitar, he already thinks he's James Hetfield!

And then came the snow, Jamie missed his last day of term as school was shut and we then seemed to have snow for the best part of 3 weeks and now apparently it is forecast again over the next few days.

Here is a picture of the snow, this is when it started on Thursday evening ......

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 10/16 - currently reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkhaban