Christmas Choir, Lazy Days and Bargain Socks

We had a fabulous time at the carol concert last night.  There was a good turnout and although the choir consists of locals of varying vocal abilities :?  it was wonderful.  The congregation (if you can call us that) was called upon to join in with several carols and during the interval we were given a small glass of wine (included in the £5 ticket price) and mince pies and cookies were distributed (sadly my friends and I never got a sniff of those!) It's a lovely little church and the church bells were ringing as we arrived. If you look closely the bell ringers can be seen in the tower.....

The sound system was brilliant and we had a local violinist, flautist and drummer adding their own pieces to the music. 

Two hours simply flew by and we then walked to the pub en mass in order to continue the feeling of festive spirit ;)  This is what village life is all about!

OH is working again today (I know it seems like he's always at work but it's just every weekend, honestly ...) and to my shame I didn't wake until 9.40am.  I stripped the bedding and put it into the machine so that it looked like I had done something, did a bit of dusting, tidying and ate an early lunch of leftover veggie hotpot from yesterday. I like to eat it from a pasta dish so that no stock is wasted.....

 

Then I set to with making mini pizza bases for the freezer along with some banana pancakes (really drop scones) using Jack Monroe's recipe but adding mixed spice and vanilla essence. These have also been packed into boxes, labelled and frozen just keeping back 2 each to eat with ice cream for dessert tonight.  Dinner will be HM quorn lasagne with roasties and sprouts. After all it is almost Christmas :)

 

I just thought I'd show you my bargain of the week.  I have a Debenhams store card which I have held for years. I use it occasionally when it offers a discount on something I need.  Out of the blue I had a letter from them with a £5 voucher in it to spend in store if I used my account card.  I bought these socks which cost £6 therefore they only actually cost me £1.... 5 pairs in the pack so 20p a pair....bargain!  They will go in the underbed drawer until I need them or perhaps they'll be a gift for someone.....

Well I was going to take the recycling and the rubbish to the bins but it has begun to rain so instead, as it's almost 3 o'clock, I will make a cup of coffee, pour in a drop of Bailey's Irish Cream and find something Christmassy to watch on the box :)

Anyone else having a lazy day?

Have a brilliant day whatever you are doing and thanks everso for popping in x

Life Update, Budget and Carols Galore

Crumbs! Where has the week gone?  Tuesday afternoon saw me sitting on a tiny wee chair at school watching the Nativity production called 'Hosanna Rock'.  It was fab.  It brought a song to my heart and a tear to my eye watching these juniors put their all into their own special part.  It's a multi-cultural school and all of the children took part.....wonderful!

Wednesday was a 'chores' day:  housework, online bill paying (a whole year's BT line rental paid in advance & TV license renewed) so that just leaves a top up of the LPG tank before Christmas and then I can review the year's expenditure and make a new budget for 2016.  I have just £9 in my purse and £11 in my bank account to last until the end of the month.  I do, however, have my (separate) food budget under control so there is enough left in there to buy what we need until the new year.

On Thursday we took dear FiL shopping and then to the local carvery for lunch.  He enjoyed it but seems to get more tired and frail each week.  He'll be 94 in April 2016......

On Friday OH and I  felt desperately in need of some exercise so we drove to Himley Park and had a good brisk walk right around the lake.  The weather was chilly but incredibly good for December and with our walking boots on we were muddy but exhilarated afterwards.  It cost just £1.20 for 2 hours parking, a bargain!

 

Photos from Himley Park website

Last night we were invited to a neighbour's house for a get-together.  It was lovely and we had a little sing song once we had downed a couple of glasses of wine each...lol...great buffet food too (licks lips...)  I slept like a log for once.....

This afternoon will be spent making a big veggie hotpot, enough for 2 days, as I am off to church tonight to the carol concert to hear the community choir.  OH is working late so will have to reheat some for his dinner, then he can take a portion to microwave at work tomorrow for lunch.  I'm really looking forward to tonight.  I can't sing very well but love to try....

Advent update

Day 16  A book to CS
Day 17 A handbag to CS
Day 18 Bottle of wine given to neighbour
Day 19 Bought the lovely CS staff a tin of chocs and took it with a Christmas card

Day 20 will be paid forward tonight by a donation to the church

At the moment (2pm) it's so very dark here that I am struggling to see properly :/  I don't want to put the lights on yet but I will have to soon.  Roll on 22nd December as it will be the shortest day and then the crawl towards Spring will begin...Yay!

Have a lovely day everyone.
And thanks everso for popping in x

A Christmas Bonus

My Christmas bonus courtesy of the Government reached our account last week. After due consideration and, like a child with her pocket money, I carefully mulled over what to spend this bounty on.  A whole £10 was mine to spend!  I finally decided on a half bottle of brandy priced on special offer at £11.  I could have had a cheaper version but this will taste better and last me all winter with just a tiny drop in coffee when I need warming up or a small glass after my evening meal on a cold, dark winter night.  OH doesn't drink it so it's mine...all mine....lol ;)  and if you look closely the seal is already broken...oops!

I had a lovely surprise yesterday afternoon.  I was sitting cosily knitting when there was a knock at the door and the courier handed me this.....

A gift from my lovely Niece and her family who live in Suffolk. I am very lucky, isn't it gorgeous!

Later today I am off to DD's to see the GC in their school production.  I simply love to see the children strut their stuff on stage, it never fails to bring a lump to my throat or to bring back memories of both of my own children in their school plays and my own schooldays when I was usually picked for speaking parts or for bible readings.  I remember being at Junior school and wearing my Sunday School Anniversary dress (my one good dress) when I was playing the Angel Gabriel and having a pair of wings tied to my back over the top of it! I remember desperately trying to spot my mum in the audience so that she would be proud of me. Oh happy days :)  It's such a shame that you are not allowed to take photo's of the children anymore.  I have lots of photo's of my own children in their productions and they bring such lovely memories.  What a pity I can't do the same with my GC.  It's a sad indictment of the world we live in.

Advent day 15

There is usually a monetary collection at the end in aid of third world countries, as well as a 'programme' (a one sheet photocopied guide) costing £1 so my Advent donation today will be money to the school.

Stay safe everyone and thanks everso for popping in x

I Should Be So Lucky!

I am heartily sick of being bombarded by rubbish spam emails offering bogus goodies.  This morning, for example, my emails say I have won the following:

A MacBook, ipad, iwatch and iPhone
An Apple bundle worth £2000
Aldi voucher
£3,500 Asda voucher
£1000 Tesco giftcard
An Asda voucher for an unspecified amount
Samsung Galaxy S6

and  I can test and keep an iPhone 6S

At this rate of wins I will be a millionaire within weeks!  I delete these things immediately but there must be some people who, perhaps out of desperation or boredom, will actually click on the links and give away their personal details to a stranger who is often in another country, it seems.  If you scroll to the bottom of the email the details are there regarding country of origin.  My advice is DO NOT CLICK !  Genuine winning emails will address you by name and you will have some inkling about entering the draw in the first place.....

Does anyone else get these kinds of things each and every day? Or do you know how to block them perhaps?

 

For some reason yesterday I felt unusually energetic so instead of doing the ironing (any old excuse!) I decided to empty my kitchen wall cupboards which hold all my crystal as well as my drinking glasses.  I don't want to be caught out at Christmas by fetching out dusty glasses when I offer guests a drink so the 3 cupboards were emptied, thoroughly cleaned, all the glass washed and put away tidily. 

  

Advent day 13 



Some really nice glassware, which I never use, has been wrapped and boxed for the CS

 

We did the big food shop today and the Trussell Trust had a collection trolley in Mr M's so... 

 Advent day 14

 

Another 6 items were added to the food bank collection

I also had a word with the nice lady guarding the trolley and they are short of volunteers so I might try to pluck up the courage to visit them at the church and offer some help (insert a scared face smilie)

Have a lovely day everyone and thanks everso for popping in x

Free Stuff and Sleepless Nights

Last night was another of those miserable nights when I go to bed tired but end up awake for hours.  I dropped off in the early hours only to be woken by OH banging about in the kitchen cooking his bacon breakfast and switching appliances on and off as noisily as possible, well that's what it sounds like anyway.  The kitchen is right next to the bedroom and my head is close to the dividing wall so I hear everything. He works every Sunday so feels he needs to wake me up too :(  Thank heavens he has tootled off and I can come to a bit more slowly.

After braving the rain yesterday (it was very cold having been spoilt with the mild weather so far) I decided that I might as well get a few more bits for the Christmas food store whilst I was out.  I dipped into my savings pot....

....and bought a couple of bottles of wine for the rack, some frozen scampi tails (on offer) and stocked up on enough pickles and sauces to last until new year and beyond.  That's another few things crossed off my list.  I am trying to stockpile as many non-food essentials as I can (within my normal budget, of course, otherwise it would be a pointless exercise) so that I can spend a minimal amount each week out of the food budget in 2016 and save the rest towards our holidays.  There is still so much of the British Isles to explore and now we have the caravan we want to go away as much as possible whilst we are fit enough to do it.  Each year brings more aches, pains and stiffness and we need to get a wriggle on!

I remembered that I had some loyalty points to spend on my Boots card so got these. I love the smell of the Aussie shower stuff but it's quite expensive, over £3 even on offer so will enjoy using this one.  Talc seems to have gone out of fashion but I do like a little sprinkled here and there after a shower :) The tiny hand gel is useful to keep in my handbag for when out and about with the GC. 
Total cost: FREE ! 

The afternoon was spent knitting in front of a warm fire and I managed to finish the second front of my cardigan, just the sleeves to go.  Somehow a hot chocolate found it's way into my tummy at the same time ;)

Right...now the order of the day is: get off  the PC, shower, dress, do the ironing (groan...) then I can do some more knitting (yay!)

Stay warm and safe everyone and thanks everso for popping in x

Advent Day 12 and Rain, Rain, Rain

Just a quick post today....

Advent day 12

 

I have been experimenting with bits of felt and making brooches. They were quite easy to do and should fetch a bit of cash for the CS.  If you click to enlarge the first photo you will see the little knitted baby bootees at the back too.  By putting a tiny bit of stuffing inside they made nice little brooches too.  The clasps can be bought quite cheaply off the internet....

It's pouring with rain yet again this morning so I'm dragging my feet getting ready to go out and do the weekend top-up shop :/   We are running out of milk and I need to bake some cake so I simply have to bite the bullet and go out.  OH is at work until 7pm today so I will be climbing the walls by then if I don't go out this morning.  I can then come back into the warmth of the house and settle down with my knitting :)

Stay safe everyone x

A Winner Is Announced! Congratulations!

The names were put into a bag, shaken about and one pulled out. The winner of the notebooks is .... SOOZE!  Could you send me a message with your address please Sooze and I'll post them off to you. My email addy should be in my profile but any problems just speak up :)

My Christmas cards are written and I have posted the few that need posting.  We will be seeing friends on Monday so will take their gifts with us as that's the last time we will see them before January.  The husband has been quite ill so they are going to Spain for a couple of weeks over the Christmas period, and I can't say I blame them.  They are both in their 60's, have planned for a happy retirement and have had nothing but bad luck healthwise since he retired 3 years ago.  My best friend is being forced to retire at 66 to look after him.  Life can really throw a curved ball sometimes....

Stay safe everyone x