The lists start here…

Over the weekend we met up with my aunt and uncle who will be hosting Christmas this year (well, really like every other year-it just so happens it’s now our tradition too), and started talking about what things we’ve bought or made so far for the big day. Aunty has just had a great big bonus of £200 worth of M&S vouchers which she is going to be using for Christmas Dinner. So I really need to get my thinking cap on and start to mind map what I could possibly offer to bring. I just know that if I don’t suggest something she will claim that she wants for nothing and I am sure there is always something that can be done to make the day easier and more enjoyable for her (even if she is an effortlessly perfect hostess).

This, in turn, got me thinking about what I would like for Christmas. It always goes:

“Sheila, what are you wanting for Christmas?”
“Um, em…well….i cant really think, anything will do”

When in fact, although anything will do, its always nice to actually get the thing you’ve had your eye on for a while. Its not even like I wish for particularly large things. So while although I'm thinking about what I can bring and do for Christmas dinner, ive also got my ‘Dear Santa, may I please have..’ hat on for myself….here are a few things I'm thinking of..

Day trips and visitors

Snuggley under blankets? Check!
Cosy warm cocoa? Check!

New book? Check!

Puppy on my lap while sitting in the sun porch as its raining outside? Check!

Well the weather outside has been rain, rain, rain..booo, but I have been hiding under duvets, blankets, eiderdowns, etc.... That was until Friday, anyway, when we had The Nephew over for the weekend.

Last week The Husband went on a stag weekend with his friends. They were out in the middle of nowhere shooting clay pigeons, getting up to hi-jinks and pretty much running about in mud like boys! I went over to The Mother in Laws house to help her look after our new little niece. My poor sister in law is really poorly at the moment and can’t bend down or do really basic tasks so looking after a teeny tiny baby is nearly impossible. So being without my husband I thought it would be a good chance to help out and see the baby. While there I’d noticed that the teenager in the house was being left to his own devices, which just won’t do!!!

So we picked up the nephew and went home on Friday night to spend the long weekend having lots of walks, stews and fun! We had a late night on Saturday eating popcorn and watching bad TV, and were planning a lazy Sunday when my uncle phoned and invited us down to St Andrews with him and my aunty to meet my cousin. Apparently they were planning to meet half way between both houses, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, but once they had decided it was Dundee and checked the weather decided on the much sunnier St Andrews! I think it also had something to do with the fact there are much more shops for my aunty to spend money in while in Dundee!!

The Husband rushed through to get the teenager out of bed while I went to get started on the pancakes, sausage and bacon (the best breakfast there ever was). About an hour later we were heading out of the village and on our way south. Three hours later we had pulled up on the main street (Yay, no waiting or fees). It was so great and beautiful down there. TH and nephew had never been and the last time I went was twelve years ago. My cousin had studied there and managed to do her best tour guide impression, which even kept The Teenager impressed and entertained. There were so many gorgeous independent shops which were a visual feast and made my aunty and myself sigh with both longing and delight.

When the walking (walking and stopping for the girls to look in shops) got too much for everyone we found a nice place for ice cream and then got lunch a short while later. With Daisy Dog tucked under the table we went for a lovely pub lunch, where we filled ourselves to the top with hearty food and lots of ginger beer and cola.

We headed home, full up and sleepy from the sea air to little snacks and early bed times. I bet the house seems so quiet when our little teenager heads to his home today. I hope it won’t be too long before he decides to come back to us (as he knows he will get fussed over!!)

x x x x

Autumnal days off

Good morning, how are you today? Isn’t it well and truly Autumnal outside? Yesterday was so cold and blustery that while picking brambles Daisy Dog and I had to make a hasty retreat inside, lest we be swept over a cliff edge into the roaring sea! Needless to say not many brambles made it into the crumble!!

Today seems much sunnier outside, one of those, “oh it does LOOK nice, but don’t go outside or you will FREEZE” days! It is lovely and bright to have a peek through the window at though-which is a massive change from yesterday, I had to go about lighting candles at mid day. I have been wrapping myself up in eiderdowns, bedspreads and duvets as the house is starting to get cold in the morning and fearing that its going to be another winter like last, in a much bigger house, I feel like id like to keep the heating off for as long as possible. The husband cares much less than I do, which is odd as I get cold so easily, I'm sure I was always destined to live in Kefalonia.

So being inside on a very rare day off I gave myself leave to do exactly what I like. This morning to far ive sat in bed rereading Pride and Prejudice as I thought I needed some romantic motivation in my life, I've also listened to my beloved BBC Radio 3, and done a little bit of online shopping. If the day ended now I would happily say it was a great one!

Its all part of my ‘Getting Ready for Christmas-little and often’ buying plan-so its not really like treating myself, well except for the one teeny tiny book I bought myself.  I had reserved Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer at the local library, but the copy had went missing before I could actually get it, and so seeing as it would be much too awkward to go and collect it from another district, I decided to treat myself.  I got it from the Hawkins Toyshop and so it was only £8, and as I needed to get a couple of cute little stocking fillers for my nephews and niece I thought it would be a great opportunity to really do the whole ‘little and often’ thing!  I have bought two as I know someone who would love it too, following on from my last post I could start my own Great British Bake Off with my friend!  I also got these super adorable paper chains, which I thought I could mix in with some especially Christmas ones, which are a bit more expensive, to make them go a bit longer.  I know it will look great on the Welsh Dresser we’ll be getting next month.

Now I'm off to the Post Office to get some vegtables so that I can make some life restoring soup, and properly snuggle down for the rest of the day!

Bye for now,
Sheila
x

The Great British Bake Off

I am loving The Great British Bake Off, it is amazing!!  I think everyone is fab, and actually cried last night when someone went off...too scared to say who incase its still to be watched!!

Its now part of my 'must views' and i know that im going to miss it the second its done! 

Pumpkin Patch Swap

I've now got my partner for Crafty Helens Pumpkin Patch Swap...yay!!!  Im paired up with this lovely bloggerette, im very lucky as ive also found an amazing blog too!!  I love it when you just wonder through all of the blogs clicking from one person to the other and find a whole new group of blogs to love!!!

I need to start thinking of some great Autumn inspired items!!

Sheila
x x x

Our Anniversary

Its getting very, very exciting in the HH household! The countdown to our second anniversary is on!! The husband has decided to whisk me away, and I tell you, I'm not complaining. We will be heading to The Marcliffe Hotel, which is a super cute and old fashioned place in the West of the city. Although I love my life, we have had a bit of a rough ride for some of the year, and we have both been really tired lately.

I love this time of year, and we’ll be on the gateway to the highlands so we can investigate everywhere, and I mean everywhere!! We used to go antiquing in a small village called Kincardine O'Neil which was really great and we always found loads of odd things there. However, since moving we haven’t had an opportunity to visit as its just too much of a drive.

It’s also a great time of year for reasons other than foliage, as I always feel like it’s a fresh start when Autumn rolls around. I don’t think I’ve ever managed to shake the whole ‘term time’ thing, and I always make up new resolutions in September!! So it seems appropriate that as The Husband and I head into a new year of marriage we look at how we can make more time for each other, or get the best from the time we can carve out of the week!

However, there will be no problems making time for each other while at The Marcliffe, I'm making spa appointments and looking over the menu all the time!!