Posy

All Was Merry & Bright

I hope you had a Merry Christmas.  We did; only slightly marred by Matthew and Lucy feeling poorly.  It was a warm family time punctuated by much laughter and those special moments.  I don't know if it's my age but I have been so aware recently of the fleetingness of life that when I experienced what I call 'my perfect moments', I fully embraced them - letting the present moment enfold me and soaking up the joy knowing that I will unpack the memory when I need it in future.

My first moment was my usual one...at 3pm on Christmas Eve in my kitchen awaiting the family's arrival and listening to the heavenly voice of the chorister singing those first few bars of Once In Royal David's City on Radio 4.  It's when my Christmas really begins and with damp eyes I send up a little prayer of thanks.

I think my favourite happened 2 hours later whilst standing in church between my husband and my mother singing carols.  A few years ago there was a time when I thought that I would never do that again as my mother was seriously ill and it was made all the more poignant as a dear friend has recently lost her mother.

But the unusual happened too - during the marathon of dish washing I saw a tiny dog trot down our path.  We caught it and little Pepe then spent the afternoon sitting on Poppa's knee whilst we tried to contact it's owners.  After 3 hours he was claimed but it was slightly surreal at the time and I was beginning to wonder if we were suddenly going to have a dog for Christmas.

Have you also noticed that my indoor photographs are not blurry?  That's because Anth bought me a tripod, yay! I also got some lovely books, GHD hair straighteners (for all the Goble girls and wow they are good) GreenGate tins and the absolutely gorgeous Miss Matty who I will introduce to you tomorrow (or the next day!)

Hope your day was just as you wished it...without runaway, tiny dogs!

Merry Christmas To One & All!

2 more posts - who was I kidding!  And now Christmas Eve is upon us.  The photo is the back cover of this book

which is just full of what it says on the cover, vintage holiday graphics.  Only one complaint, and that is the picture on the back cover says Xmas - a word never used in the Goble household as we never take Christ out of Christmas!

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy and Joyful Christmas. Thank you for all the good wishes. I will raise a toast to all absent friends tomorrow and think of you all. And finally I would like to share my favourite Christmas blessing with you,

May the joy of the angels,

the eagerness of the shepherds,

the perseverance of the wise men,

the obedience of Joseph & Mary,

and the peace of the Christ child

be yours this Christmas.

Enjoy...

Catching up

Today has been the first day I've had at home in nearly a week. And during the last few days all I've been yearning to do is hang these crochet shapes from our chandelier in our bedroom! Funny that, how something so simple brings such anticipation.

It's also the simple things that catch my eye and make me think ah, there's a good photo.  Like my bag of fabric violets I bought yesterday.  Violets in a holly patterned paper bag. The unexpected.

Life has somewhat slowed down this afternoon - a short lull before the family arrive. And some things have had to go by the wayside, but I'm breathing a little easier. My apologies in not answering your recent comments; you really are so generous in your encouragement and I'm forever calling Anth or the children over to read them. I should even get another post in or two before the big day. Until then...

My Little Obsession (..yet another!)

I'm not sure if you remember this post from last year; but another highlight of my year - probably #436 - is buying the Christmas double issue of the Radio Times.  I just love it and eagerly await it's arrival wondering about the seasonal cover and what telly visual delights the festive season will bring.  I go as far as writing the day of it's arrival in the shops on our calender causing comments like, "Jane, what does 'RT out' mean on the calender?"

So imagine my disappointment when after reading that it was due out last Saturday I dashed to our corner shop in the most torrential rain (bringing not one but 2 plastic bags to keep it dry) only to discover, yet again, that it hadn't arrived. URRR! This happens every year..every year.. and I get a little desperate as I politely show the shop assistant the advertised date in the current issue.

"Doesn't really matter what it says...we don't have it!" they say with a sniff.

Well, 3 days later it has finally fallen into my hands. Well actually my friend Catherine bought it for me at lunchtime today, (thanks again Catherine!)

And seeing the picture of Father Christmas reminded me of one of my sweeter moments yesterday... as the class were lining up to go and play outside, one little boy started rolling around on the floor and before I could tell him to stand up a little voice from the back of the line said,

"Quick, come and line up, Farmer Christmas is watching you know!"

He is indeed!

Thank you for all your wonderful comments about my flower sponges. I bought them from a shop in Totnes but they have a sticker on which says Foamulations Belmar, NJ 07719 USA. Hope that helps and I wish I could buy you all some. Goodness knows you all deserve it.  Perhaps Farmer Christmas could help!

The Award for the Best Christmas Cover

Absolutely no contest..

The First

I've been waiting and waiting and I knew it would be today. Well, I hoped it would, as the publishers said it would be today (should I actually confess to ringing the magazine a month ago?)  And it was today..the first of the Christmas magazines.

I made my nest. Infact it was a good day for magazines as we had some mail. We have had a postal strike and I hadn't expected anything but there on the door mat lay my first copy of Romantic Homes (I have subscribed) and my Easy Living. The blanket was one of 2 that I found in a charity shop on Saturday and cost only £3.50.

I never know how I should feel when I pick up handmade blankets and embroideries for only a few pounds or sometimes just a few pence. It doesn't feel right to have them change hands for so little when the time, effort and materials would have 'cost' much more. It makes me sad to see handmade things given so little value. But then I love a bargain and don't have too much spare cash so appreciate the low cost. My guilt is somewhat appeased by the fact that each item has a loving place in our home where it begins a new life. It makes me smile to think most of the paraphernalia in our home has been owned before. We have small histories of many different people. I like that and often wonder about them.

And I also like Christmas magazines...let the magazine season commence!

Merry & Bright - not!

Merry and bright....me..now..no blooming way! I have just settled down to blog about my new Christmas book when I have just been told some awful news. I should really wait  to calm down before I write this post but I want my blog to reflect the 'real' me and the 'real' me is so upset at this precise moment. You see I have just found out that my beloved Anna Raeburn has left the London radio station that I only recently found her on. Ahhhh! Anyone who knows me will know how at every available moment (car, sewing, walking, crocheting, dozing, cooking, ironing, gardening) I listen to Anna on her 2 hour afternoon show. How do I listen to a London show all the way down in Devon; the magic of Podcasting! I used to listen to Anna (who advises people on their problems) many years ago and suddenly she went off radar for years only to be rediscovered by me last November - she was back. Oh the joy!

If anyone asked me what was one of my highlights of 2006, finding Anna again was at the top of the list. I found that I could download her shows onto my ipod (and there are about 400 old shows) for a small fee and that was that. I am slowly working my way through them all. Perfect. I love radio shows that have the public ringing in to contribute because I love people and am always so curious (some could say nosy!!) about how people tick. Anna fulfilled this and so much more. She is such a wonderful woman, soft but takes no nonsense, and so wise. My ipod is so full,  I can only download a few at a time. But that was the pleasure, knowing there were so many pleasurable hours of listening to catch up on. And now she has left..no one can tell me why. I am worried that they may remove the archives that I so love.

So there you have it, my first week at school which has been very tiring and trying with 29 new 4 year olds, quite a few headaches and now no Anna. What a bummer! I'm sorry, I so wanted to be merry and bright..

My new book is from the US Country Living magazine but is able to be bought at the UK Amazon ISBN -13:978-1-58816-636-4. It is giving me many excitable moments while I'm scanning the magazine racks for anything remotely Christmassy. Hopefully not long to wait..

There is definitely one thing I am adding to my Christmas list this year - a bigger ipod! I will now have to download all the Anna podcasts, just in case. Umm...really like that cool little red ipod nano... we'll see! And if by a miracle Anna may come across this little blog, thank you, I hope you are OK and I'm missing you already..

Happy New Year!

Hummmph. It's over and I'm feeling blue. Everyone is feeling sleepy and slow and I feel strange. I have just waved my father off on the train and in one way I'm glad to get the house back to normal (well, normal might be pushing it!) but I feel empty now that Christmas is gone. This is a normal (there's that word again) feeling for me in January and I now come to expect this and try to give myself something to look forward to, but it still takes me a few weeks to come around.

I have plenty of reading matter to inspire me! My present from Anth this year were some books. I have been buying them over the last 3 months and squirreling them away.

The photo is blurry and that is one New Years Resolution I am going to keep, to learn a bit more about my camera and editing. I was given The Seasonal Home by Kristin Perers. I think this is my favourite book of the lot. I bought an old copy and the photos are lovely. Next is The Handcrafted Wedding by Sarah Lugg. No, I'm not getting re-married - I saw an article in an old copy of Country Living (Aug 03) and I fell in love with Sarah's work. Exquisite details. This book is again an old one but it is fairly easy to get yourself a copy if you want one. Next is Shabby Chic's Sumptuous Settings by Rachel Ashwell, I don't think it is as nice as her other books, picture wise, but I haven't spent much time reading it yet. Next up, is Country Livings Floral Interiors by Judy Spours. Again another old book. Lovely. Last up is Cheap Chic by Emily Chambers. My 3rd favourite of the lot, I seem to be heading this way in how I want to decorate our home.

I think one of my favourite gifts was this box file from GreenGate given to me by my mother.

It is just right for keeping my smaller pictures in ready to stick them in my current inspiration book.

Thank you for all your good wishes over the Christmas holiday. I've been doing my blog for nearly a year now (end of this month) and it has been such a pleasure to 'meet' new friends. I love the fact that you take time to comment and show an interest in my mundane life - I never really thought that would touch me as it has and I hold my blog community close to my heart. Thank you. Thank you for reading and for joining me in my journey through 2006 - hey do you fancy sticking around for 2007?

Hope so..

Our day

As I have mentioned before, I absolutely love Christmas Eve and for me there is nothing more perfect than family gathering together around the fire and the wonderful anticipation of what is to come. Our Christmas Eve started slightly differently with a trip to the emergency vet as poor little Alfie had been scratching his tummy a lot and now he was unable to sit still for very long. The vet found out that he had something to do with his skin (a big long word!) and gave him an injection to help until he could be treated in 2 weeks. Poor little chap. Anyway, we were ready for the family to arrive and when the Carols from Kings College, Cambridge started at 3pm I knew that Christmas had finally started. I even shed a small tear or two with the loveliness of it all as it is a moment that I wait for all year, but that is only between us!

These are the children's stockings, well they're actually pillowcases. My friend has one of those very, very expensive sewing machines that embroiders and she did the names for me and the flowery bits. The children leave these by the fireplace ready for Father Christmas to come and fill them.

The next morning, nobody is allowed into the sittingroom until everybody is up and can share the wondrous moment.

He's been!

Even Posy and Alfie were given a toy. We had a lovely day and everyone did their own bit to contribute to the day in some way. I particularly loved Alice's place name 'cards' for the lunch table.

The day went by in a blur and at one point in the evening after the marathon of present opening I sat back and actually wondered if all the planning, organisation and stress it produces was ever worth it as it was over in a few hours. I then remembered that Tom had given me a card to open that had been under the tree and in the quiet of the room I opened it...

...it was a lovely card with a gorgeous robin on it and inside he had put a £5 note and written.."Dear Mum, I thought you would like this card! Just to say I couldn't find you a present so I got you this instead. I love you very much and appreciate you organising Christmas, Love Tom   P.S Sorry about my bad handwriting I have cold hands."

In an instant I knew that it had been worth every last stressful moment and that I would do it all over again next year....only this time I'm starting in August!

Anticipation

It's nearly upon us now and the house is looking more calm and festive. We are expecting Mum, Robin and Matthew tomorrow and just in case they wonder if they have come to the right house I have tied my bay wreath (well, it's hardly a wreath but a bunch of bay leaves from our ginormous bay tree) with Cath Kidston ribbon!

I have even found time to go on a 'charity run' (no..not actual running! Me, run! More a case of doing every charity shop in the town!) and I found this wonderful crochet blanket for Tom's room. Though he is not too happy about it, it hasn't been removed yet so here's hoping he secretly loves it.

It is just so vintage as I explained to him but he says it is just sooo sad... Even our bed has had a festive makeover.

Tomorrow, is my most favourite day of the year. Isn't the anticipation so much better than the actual event. Well, that's what I find. There is something so magical about Christmas Eve. I hope you enjoy yours.