The Fun Season Has Started......

Well December has started with a big party, sisterS celebrated her big birthday with a party. Hubby and I did the nearly three hour drive to Twickenham and got there early enough to help set up the hall, covering tables with gold banqueting roll and setting out the food etc. Her son is a party DJ so he took care of that. Her daughter had the cake made. Then with some family and lots of her friends we had a great night.

We slept over in our usual bed in their house and Sunday the four of us went out to dinner, then we drove home. 

Got home in time for Hubby to go out again with Rudolf and the Round Table sleigh, this year they are collecting for SERV Bloodrunners and SARS Emergency Medical Charity.  Hubby is out with them every evening we aren't booked to be elsewhere. 

Daughter is working all this week putting on an adaptation of The Tailor of Gloucester as part of the Layer Marney Tower Christmas Event. She had asked us to have O and the dog and maybe the girls too while she's working. I said yes to every day bar their first on Monday.......as I'd booked tickets for Hubby and me to be there without telling her. 

We arrived at 11:30am and started with coffee/tea then a warm greeting by the owner and divided into four groups for a very amusing/informative guided tour, then escorted into a full Christmas dinner. I think there were about 100 diners. As we were finishing coffee Daughter arrived in costume to gather us all outside and play us across to the church. She was very pleased to see us. Their play was magical and clever with audience participation and carol singing too. 

After the play we all went back to the tower for mulled wine and a mince pie and the performers followed us in and sang traditional carols. We came away smiling 😀

Our usual Wednesday gang had our Christmas meal, except we had to have it on Tuesday

Shame we never think about taking the group photo until we've all got our coats on over our party clothes and friendH had already left.

The children (and dog) have been here this week while Daughter has been working, and they've put the decorations up. Leaving plenty for me to finish. 

My third Christmas dinner was at Acorn Village with the monthly crafting group. Think there were 17 of us and I'd taken a silly group game in case it went quiet at any time, but lively conversation and laughter never really stopped so we didn't need it. Forgot to take a photo. 

And all this before the 13th with two more Christmas dinners to go to and then cooking our own.  

So just in case I don't make it back to the blog before the 25th I'd like to wish you all a happy, healthy fun festive season 🎅🎁🎄  Ho Ho Ho

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Another Sad Goodbye.....

My bilA had been unwell for some time and from the start of this year he had been in and out of hospital and when home living downstairs only with carers coming in each day. Sadly last week he suffered a second heart attack and never recovered. His funeral was yesterday.

He loved his football and since his wife/my sister died often watched nothing else for days. The joys of sky tv and multiple sports channels ☺ His loyalty to Spurs was famous with all that knew him. He had been moaning recently about how badly they had been playing which is why on Wednesday night we knew he'd be looking down and cheering as his team won their semi-final game against Ajax in the Champions League, and amazingly the final will be played on bilA's birthday!

So it was no surprise when his three children and his sister all wore Tottenham Hotspur kit tops to his funeral.

Jewish funeral services, for me, are tedious with lots of prayer readings straight from the book, some in Hebrew and some in English, some spoken and some sung. bilA was far more than a regular at the synagogue, he attended everything, Sabbaths, holy days, social events, taught children at the Hebrew classes and did guided tours and talks to local children on school's visits as well as holding the post of warden for many years. So the Rabbi and congregation members were all good friends and this helped make it a lot more personal especially when the Rabbi did her own personal reading.

His son did a reading too, which was a perfect balance of emotional and humorous and although he was visibly heartbroken he'd written and delivered his final tribute beautifully.

We left the cemetry and drove to his house, odd being there without him, still feels odd after nearly seven years my sisterM not beginning there. M&A had bought that house when they got married 51 years ago, and we have had so many shared memories there, so it's really sad to think that it will be cleared and sold and we may never set foot inside it again.

They had provided so much food, determined not to run short like they'd done once before. There were family and friends and ex spouses and previously estranged family members who were all getting on together and supporting each other. Great to see and proof how loved bilA had been.

Evening prayers when the Rabbi returned at 8pm and the lounge filled again with synagogue members. Most of them left soon after the service ended. We left soon after too and was loaded up with trays of food to take home along with some paperwork that I need to deal with and my paintings of York I'd done as a gift for M&A as York was one of their favourite places. These had been on their wall at the top of the stairs since 1993.

A Real Mixed Bag.....

The week before Christmas our Son was unwell enough to be rushed into hospital and kept there for four days so we did a dash from Suffolk to Wiltshire then Bath and back to Wiltshire then home to Suffolk all in a day. We'd packed a bag to stay if need be but in the end it worked out best to come home. Happy to report Son is fine just needing lots of rest now to recover.

Nine Wednesday-friends had a lovely Christmas meal out, with friendsT&F producing funny photo props out of her bag lol.

Then back to BfriendM for drinks and a late night.

I left a few bags of gifts with people that night and came home with lots more bags for us to put under our tree. 

Daughter had been in and out of our house with various children for days, glazing and firing clay gifts and wrapping here out of sight of recipients etc. Bringing bags in and taking bags out. 

Christmas Eve our favorite neighbour-friendsP&A came in for drinks and nibbles (P is also unwell so taking it easy, not that we do anything strenuous here lol).

Christmas day was lovely. Daughter came with children, M came later on his motorbike so he could leave when he needed to. Son and fiancé came too, so nine of us at the table. Dinner all cooked really well (surprised me too), including options for vegetarians and a vegan. Only realised two days later that I'd forgotten to put the cranberry sauce on the table oops.

27th is our extended family day (has been ever since my siblings and I set up homes of  our own). Hosted here as usual. This year we totalled 30 people, six of those invited couldn't come, two were too ill to come, for one boyfriend and one fiancé it was their first time (hope we didn't scare them), we met a guest friend who was sharing Christmas with one of our families and we all had lots of cuddles with our two newest 2016 babies. So another big bag of secret Santa gifts very theatrically handed out by O with help from great-nieceE.

Thought I'd be finished with my knitting bag, but couldn't get it finished so the bag has been shoved behind the sofa. Actually just remembered I've two books unfinished on my kindle that I need to get back to.
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Under the weather.....

.....understatement! In fact under-a-blanket for nearly two weeks!

So many people around me are dropping like flies, all symptoms sounding similar, some mild and others more severe.

I'd been coughing for a few days, just a dry irritation, nothing more than annoying. We managed a lovely family meal out lunchtime for Hubby's birthday on the 14th, sadly O was ill that day so he and M stayed home, he was ill the next day too then better. Son also told us he had been ill all the week before, which started just as his fiancé and her mother were recovering. That Tuesday Daughter and O were off to Baylham Rare Breeds Farm to cuddle the new lambs and I went with. O was thrilled when we arrived as his best friend was there, so they had a quick play together before they had to leave.

It was so bitterly cold that day! So a lovely cuddle then a quick walk round half of the farm and headed to the tea rooms which were packed so we came straight home stopping to buy cake!

Tea, cake and chatting in my toasty warm house, then after they went home the shivers started! For the next week I've had sweats, shivers, coughing non stop, loss of appetite (actually lost 7lb in 7 days!), going to bed at 8pm some days but coming downstairs onto the sofa at 3-4am most mornings so my coughing didn't keep hubby awake. I've had a splitting headache that has made wearing my specs painful so couldn't even amuse myself online. Plus at the same time I'd managed to culture a nasty fungal rash which was very sore.

All this time Hubby seemed to be developing a sore throat and cough but ignored it mostly as he had some important charity events he needed to get through and look after me of course.

I'd had to miss a theatre matinee, an art night, a meal out with friends and my first physio appointment  :-(

Eventually got an appointment with my doctor who confirmed I had a chest infection and started me on antibiotics, also prescribed a strong cream for the rash and assured me I wasn't contagious so I braved out Wednesday evening as my friendM was having one of her famous music nights. The buffet was amazing and I managed to eat a little.

Thursday three of us were meeting up with a fourth friend we haven't seen for ages and we'd booked the restaurant months ago, but on the day she phoned to cancel as she'd been struck down with this dreaded lurgy too!
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2015's birthday.......

Yep it comes around every year and I'm so pleased about that :-)

Last Thursday we went out for dinner with friendsL&K and I was given a little gift bag with my card and present that I've had to look at for five days, finally I unwrapped another little jug for my collection.

Monday night four of us ate out as our "girls night out birthday celebration", any excuse to eat out eh? Unfortunately my steak wasn't good, it was rare when I'd asked for medium and it was very chewy, so the very sweet waitress apologised and let us have desserts for free. My friends sent me home with more cards and gift bags full of presents.

Yesterday was my birthday and my lovely day started with opening all my presents and cards, I'm such a lucky girl (never too old to be a girl). Hubby cooked my breakfast and after that I had trouble getting off the sofa because of all the well wishers coming through on facebook, messenger, WhatsApp, email, text and phone calls.....I was feeling very special.

Daughter and family arrived soon after lunch, her partner arriving after work. We had nine sitting down for dinner (hubby and I cooked a roast together) and Son arrived for the evening (work and traffic delays) so I shared this birthday with my husband, both of our children, all of our grandchildren and even a couple of extras, it's been quite a few years since we've managed to all get together on the right day.

Daughter made my chocolate cheesecake dessert/birthday cake which was absolutely delicious

Family wedding yaay!......

Doesn't everyone love a good wedding, especially when it's family and we all get together to celebrate  😊

Friday 19th June my nieceV married D and now they are Mr&MrsJ-H.

After a late night Thursday (not in bed till 1am tut tut) hubby and I were up early scrubbed, poshed-up and hit the road by 8:45am.

We arrived at our hotel and while hubby found the car park I eventually found our room, in a very old building with a labyrinth of corridors on three floors, bumping into various members of the wedding party in various states of getting readyness.

SisterS had chosen the most flattering and classy mother-of-the-bride outfit

When sonK and his fiancé were ready and friendD then with Hubby and I we drove in one car to the venue, a purpose rebuilt for functions converted barn. It was lovely meeting up with all my extended family (far too big a family to add all the photos sorry guys).

And of course Son, Daughter and our precious grandchildren

The ushers then moved us from the bar area to the barn to be seated for the ceremony and brother-in-lawK looked very proud (and slightly nervous) as he walked his beautiful daughter (nieceV) down the aisle. Very proud mum too waiting with the groom and his two best men. It was a lovely service and the barn had been decorated with jars filled with wild flowers tied up everywhere.

We all then moved out to the lawn and were given handfuls of rose petal confetti to throw over the newly married couple as they walked between our long guard of honour line.

Someone had come up to O just before the ceremony and asked if he would give the bride a horseshoe as she thought it would be luckier coming from a young boy (and cuter) and he agreed so we did that and hopefully the official photographer captured it because I didn't think to take a photo myself doh!

Out on the grass there were games for the children

And a steel band playing

There were drinks served and canapés and the sun was shining the whole time.
When they had rearranged the barn we were asked in to take our seats for dinner. We had the little jars of our homemade chutney as wedding favours (remember chutney fest?)

Also on the tables were cards for the "speeches sweepstake" each table could decide whether to gamble or just play for fun. I guessed that all the speeches would last about 45 minutes and you know what, I was almost spot on!

Dinner was the most amazing spread of salads, bbq meats and hog roast and the vegetarians had barbequed halloumi with skewered vegetables followed by mixed berry pavlova mmmmmmm

Of course there was the cutting of the cake

And while they were changing the barn from dinner formation into party setting we were out on the grass or in the other barn areas where tea and coffee was available and a table full of sweety jars.

There was also a large pin board and a polaroid camera with instructions, and this was the end result

The party got underway with a great band and the bride and groom's first dance

Later in the evening when it changed to disco there was a lot of diy dj-ing with the newlyweds going first and sisterS going second.

And so at the end of our lovely day (not everyone called it the end when we did, heard they went till 2am!) we went back to our hotel (actually hubby drove as he'd had very little to drink even though I practiced driving his car before hand in readyness).

Up for breakfast Saturday morning were various members of the wedding party were all looking very bleary eyed but happy.
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Chutney fest.....

NieceVM will change to nieceVH when she gets married in June.

When we had our family day at Christmas she tasted my home made chutney and got all excited and decided that it would make the perfect wedding favour for her guests.  So she asked me for the recipe which I was more than happy to give. Then I pointed out that there wouldn't be another crop of plums between December and June but I should have enough in my freezer if they want to make it all here.

So a date was set, I weighed the plums I had and I did all the maths to sort out how to get 160 baby jars from my recipe that one batch (which I've already doubled from the original) makes me 3-6 jars depending on their size.....then gave her a shopping list, keeping all my fingers crossed that I'd calculated correctly.

On the day nieceVM arrived just after 9am, with sisterS and her friendE, I was impressed as they live a two hour drive away! Very soon after Daughter arrived with the children so before long we had the plum prep factory going!

No sign of O as he hid away with granddad because he didn't like the smell. 

Great excitement when the first batch was ready to spoon into the baby jars.

The jars all filled (think we were five short of target unfortunately) and sitting to cool when we sat for a late lunch about 2pm. Then all jars wiped over and reboxed by about 4pm which everyone knows is the perfect time for tea and cake and time to chat.

Daughter had put on Facebook "Had a wonderful day today. 3 generations of women working together chatting about old family stories". And it was a wonderful day
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Chef-ing the leftovers.....

Like almost everyone else at Christmas we buy far too much food and cook far too much food just in case friends and neighbours drop in and the Christmas dinner would just be a roast without all the trimmings and extra courses.

So what about afterwards? We wouldn't actually mind eating leftovers for days on end but I have a large family and we have a family day here each year a few days after main event where everyone contributes to the buffet table and that's a lot of leftovers. This year Christmas day dinner was for seven and although family day saw the fewest number (for various reasons) so just 27 people and although some are children there were 9 families or couples all bringing food. I tried to get them to take lots of leftovers home but we were still left with lots.

So now the fridge and cake tins are full but so is the freezer.

Boxing day was the best ever bubble and squeak patties with cold turkey for our dinner.

I stripped the turkey carcass into two boxes of white meat sliced to thaw for sandwiches and made up four boxes of diced up turkey with the remains of the stuffing, carrots and sprouts (my boxes are mainly Chinese takeaway size). These boxes are labelled "thaw, mix, add gravy and top with mash" so I don't forget,  each one plenty to make a meal for two.

The last of the vegetable soup,  which had been our starter, is frozen into two single portions although the home made croutons that went with it was a breakfast for the birds.

Christmas eve I'd cooked a ham joint for that night and two bean loaves for the veggy option.  Now the ham is sliced, boxed and frozen and the rest of the bean loaves cut into portions, individually wrapped and frozen.

I'd boiled up all the giblets for gravy stock and afterwards the liver, heart, meat from the neck and all the onions were blitzed to make a pate (but it definitely isn't thick enough so if you know how I should improve the consistency please let me know).

Two large fresh French sticks are now a dozen small garlic and herb slices frozen and about 16 individual pizza style things topped with the leftover onion and tomatoes salad I'd made covered with cheese, wrapped and frozen too.

E had made us a tray of brownies, as our Christmas present, that are really yummy, but with so much cake brought for the buffet I didn't want the brownies to be forgotten or not truly appreciated so I've frozen half the trayfull for when we are cakeless.

The fridge is still full, and we have a big fridge, but I'm sure we'll get through it without too much wasted. Tonight we'll use up the last of the pigs in blankets and cocktail sausages with eggs, beans and other stuff to make a bit of an all day breakfast (hubby's favourite sort of dinner).

And you'll be pleased to know that the mountain of chocolate bought for us is out of sight and should last us a very long time if we keep forgetting about it.

As yet uneaten and proudly on display is my "ginger bread ruin" that O made as my present.

So for now I'll happily avoid the kitchen and new years eve is already decided as sharing Chinese takeaway with friendsP&A next door.
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Tea at the palace.....

...Kensington Palace as paying visitors, and it was a mug of tea with my sandwich lunch :-)

My 2ndCousinM has spent nearly six weeks travelling around Europe with her friend ending with a few days in London, so Hubby&I with sisterS&bilK met the girls at Kensington Palace.

We had a lovely mooch around the exhibits chatting all the time, then to the cafeteria for lunch, still chatting, then out around the gardens and through Hyde Park to find the Albert Memorial Statue and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, which is actually more like an oval running river for paddling in.

The girls wanted to head off to Harrods so Hubby decided it was time to head home (he doesn't do posh shopping).
We all had a really nice 4+ hours together. We had driven in to Newbury Park then used the underground, so when we got back to our car we made a quick stop to see bilA as he only lives round the corner. Quick cup of tea then home.
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Don't want to blog today........

I really wanted this space to record all the fun and happy times we have...

- so I don't want to blog that I'm sitting in the office today without having a job anymore
- and I don't want to blog that yesterday's funeral had only 6 members of real family there
- and I don't want to blog that un-real family were picking over the house like vultures
- and I don't want to blog that my precious Daughter isn't feeling any better
- and I don't want to blog that Hubby is hurting and I'm not in a good place to give him support

so I won't!

Welcome to LittleOne

Well this has to be the best reason to blog and make you all smile - our new grandson arrived 2:31pm today at a very healthy 8lb 4oz. I've had my first cuddle with LittleOne and he's adorable, well I would say that wouldn't I :o)

My very special daughter did suffer quite a bit - starting with a very much wanted home birth but ending with an emergency ambulance dash to hospital and theatre for a c-section delivery but everyone knew it was the right thing to do so just got on with it. Seeing her this evening was upsetting for me as she is still in a lot of discomfort and it broke my heart when we had to abandon her in an empty room unable to be mobile enough to do what she wants for LittleOne without calling for help each time, however, I know she is a very strong person and will recover quickly. I'm so proud of her! Sool played a major part and did a lot to help and I'm proud of him too.

Meanwhile, I collected three children and headed for gymnastics early this morning for Olympian to have her training. Thankfully Hubby met us there and first took Comedian and Dynamo to the park and later took them home to our house. When we were all home it was lunch and playing all afternoon - occassionally a little heated but mostly fine and some of the time great fun.

All of us to the hospital this evening for our first visit, with the three children wearing their "I'm a BIG sister/brother" t-shirts that I'd painted for them. The children were all bessotted by LittleOne and all desperate to cuddle him. Main comments by them all was how soft his skin is. I'm really happy knowing they appreciate how precious our new family member is!

Nothing in life can top this............so I'll say no more.

Naming names

I don't know how you all do it?!?!?
As if it wasn't hard enough to think up a name for this whole blog I now have to rename all my family and friends to help keep their anonymity!!! OK so Hubby was naturally Hubby and our daughter can remain called our daughter but then it got to twin granddaughters, what could I call them as I will often have to talk about them independently of each other and 'the twins' will just strip them of their own personal stories. As you may have noticed yesterday I called one of them thump-sucker and the other curly-locks but what if they stop being those things?

So from now on I think my hard working and dedicated gymnast can be Olympian, as she will strive to make us proud of her, while my fun loving, nature loving, loving all things scientific granddaughter can be known as Comedien as she always makes us laugh too.

Hmmm that solved, now what do I call my daughter's partner? He's not my son-in-law as they are not married so I guess he's my son-out-of-law, Sool for short! And his son, who is the same age as the girls, we can call Dynamo because he always seems to be fully charged and bouncing around excitedly!

We also have a son and he has a fiance, but we don't see them often so I'll probably not have too much to report from them.

There is also a new grandson due to arrive any day now, but I'll have to meet him to be able to call him anything but bump :o)

Well that's the immediate family done and that's more than enough for my tired brain today.

My very first blog...........

I suppose the first thing I should say on my first ever blog is hello and welcome.
I've been a diary writer for many years but now I spend so much time at a computer that I'll give it a go doing it this way!

I've just had the most pleasant bank holiday weekend. I'm a proud grandmother to twin girls who are nearly 7 years old now and I love them with all my heart! Their mum, my daughter, is so very special that words will never be descriptive enough :o)

Good Friday this year was really good. Hubby and I took the girls to Wembley Arena for the Dancing on Ice show and we all really loved it. We had all followed the TV series (I've followed all four years) so they knew what to expect but never realised anywhere could be as large as the Arena! The weather in London was wet and windy, so we stopped at Brent Cross shopping centre to find lunch without having to walk the streets in the rain. Pizza Hut was the venue that held majority vote and I even got my dinner for free.....well we had wondered why mine was taking so long then the waitres came out and confessed that it had been dropped in the kitchen and could I wait for another to be prepared and I wouldn't be charged, so what could I say! My daughter had text to say they were having a BBQ and it was soooo hot in Suffolk but we were having too much fun to be jealous.

Saturday, my daughter and the girls came to our house for egg painting and chocolate nest making etc, another dry and warm day so we had a BBQ to make up for the one they missed.

Sunday was the big egg hunt round the garden and later lots of gymnastics in the garden as Hubby had made the girls a balance beam to practice on. They are really into gymnastics and amaze me at their bendyness and stamina ('thumb-sucker' more so than 'curley-locks'). Only downside to the day was when I managed to make a bottle of honey explode all over me and the kitchen - but even that was quite funny after we'd cleaned up the dreadful sticky mess.

And bank holiday Monday was a day for doing not much at all :o)