A long long time ago

when I used to go to church

and I used to sing

I went to

St George's Chapel

in Windsor Castle

most Sundays

it was just me and my friend

whose father was the

Queen's Pipe Major

(he's the man who plays the bagpipes for the Queen)

Anyway...

as I said

 mostly it was just my friend and me
and the

"Choir of St. George's"

a choir very much like the one in the video

voices of angels

inside

little boys

who once they had sung

turned into,

well,

little boys!!!!

This song was my favourite one to sing with them

she and I
in the chapel

in a castle

that has parts of it that have stood for a thousand years

I no longer go to church

nor do I sing

but when I heard this song

on

the Dr. Who Christmas Special

(of all things!!! :) )

I found great big wet tears rolling down my face

I had forgotten...

the hubs didn't understand of course

plus I couldn't explain why the tears where there

I tried to find the sound I remember

and this one comes the closest

so I hope you will indulge this little

weepy trip down memory lane and listen to it again with me

on this last day

of the first decade

of the

21st Century

you can see it here
(edited
when I load videos it messes things up so I have left you a link )

the reason for the season is
 in fact
the bleak mid winter
when the light starts to come back
on the solstice
we needed a light to get us through
....
so they gave us one.

:)

one year in a picture

just chose photos as I saw them

and this is what we have

one year

in

the

roomontheleft

Thanks for being here to look!!

Goodbye 2010

just popping in to say

Goodbye

....

to

another year

Two

more

days

and

it's

 over

What will the new one bring us I wonder

Hopefully less of the

bad stuff

and

a

whole bunch

 of the good stuff

I know I am really

 poetic and profound

but hey

it's all been said and will all be said

over and over again

Do you make resolutions?

what are they?

I don't make them

I have never met anyone

 who keeps theirs

and

you know me by now

I change my mind a lot

A LOT!

BUT...

I do wish you a

VERY

Happy New Year

and

I WISH

ALL the BEST of everything

to you ALL

I hope you all had a great Christmas

and are ready to

start all over again

with new ideas

new projects

new hope

and

dreams

and

I look forward to

sharing

it all with you

Take care

and

have a

great time

whatever you do!!

See you on the other side of the

...

calendar

:)

♥

A light for Elizabeth

and for all of you who may pass this way!

Elizabeth Cat

most of you know her!

suggested that she and I light a candle today

to feel a little closer

 in the spirit of friendship

and

Christmas.

So I did.

I light it for all of you too,

who have taken some time to come here this past year

and

make me laugh

or cry

who have encouraged me

complimented me

and just generally made me feel

good

especially on those days

when I have felt anything but.

this blogging "thing" has turned out to be so much more than I ever imagined

as those of you who blog

know.

It's funny how with all of the millions of us

you somehow find a few that turn into

what can be called

friends

....

so

my friends

Happy

Happy Christmas

in all the languages there are

on this planet

enjoy yourselves

eat too much

if you drink too much

stay put and sleep it off there!!!

stay warm and cool

and

 most of all

safe.

I'm logging off for now

my hands hurt!!!

and I need to feed the birds

...

wild duck prints in the snow

(sounds like a song!!)

and bake some cookies

for the man in the room on the right

love ya

♥

before you go...

....................................

and get really stuck in with what you have to do

I made a little

bouquet

just for you!

with some luscious roses

and a few cuttings from the garden

I hope it brings a smile

across many a mile

and I wish you all

who won't be back

the

Merriest of All

Stay safe

stay warm

or cool

or dry

whichever it may be

and we'll see you back

on the other side

of the day

that finds a tree

inside the house

filled up with light

and gifts wrapped round its base

may the day bring you all

much love and joy

and a big smile to your face!!!!!

Merry Christmas Dear Readers

and come back soon

to tell us tales of

christmas cheer

with all those that you hold so dear!!!

Meanwhile for those of us still here

another type of star was made

five squares

five patterns

stuck on the shade

the princess angel and the skinny one

still waiting to find out what's what...

and if they're done

the corner of the living room

it looks a little queer

a star an elf and a yellow bird 

and egyptians

in the rear

and speaking of rears...

she having none of it

she doesn't care

and she's not playing anymore

so under the coffee table she will stay

.......

until it's time to eat

I dare say

BTW, I made a friend some fingerless mittens

and I forgot to take a picture

she's the one who works in the Post Office

where it is so cold because if she turns the heat on the postage falls off

and today is her Birthday

so I took them up to her

and she

LOVES THEM

they took maybe two evenings to make

I put both of them on the needles so as to be sure I made two!!!

just 38 stitches wide

a few rows of 2k 2p

then stockingette

until they are long enough

and

 more 2k 2p

sew them up the side

leave a hole for the thumb

and

you have yourself a happy friend

she put them on and said they really really work!!

just incase you have a spare five minutes!!!

TAA DAAAAA...

We have a hat

the boy's head will not freeze

because I kept going

and just did it!!!

I got myself some short cable needles and cast on

100

stitches

I looked and looked at a lot of patterns

and actually found one with different sizes and measurements

and

just

knitted

whatever the heck I felt like knitting

it looks like a

bucket hat now

but

whatever

:)

and

it has a

POM POM

hey

if you are going to

pom pom something

then I say

give it a

POM POM

I just hope it fits and he'll wear it

 :}

the eye candy is nothing but a

sweet

memory

:{

nothing but sugary crumbs

do teenage girls wear granny slippers

hope so coz I'm almost finished making some!!

and this one still makes me

:}



disappearing hippo

Sorry I had to take the video down

it was messing up other things

or maybe it wasn't that

but it's all working now

so maybe

a hippo

isn't what we need for

Christmas

here's the link in case you need a hippo fix

:) :) :) :)

ho ho who

or

yes Virginia

there is a Santa claus

!!!

around these here parts

Santy Claus

comes on the back of a fire truck

and stands outside your house

and

greets the

l'il uns on the corner

!!!!

he has his pitchur took

with the locals

who come out on a

very frosty

night

to

see what all the

ruckus

is about

he moves fast

so as not to get his face

taken too clear

and the ladies

cop a feel

when the Missus ain't a'lookin'

and the photographer

nearly breaks her neck

on the icy patch

but hey

the fire crew was there

so if I had taken a tumble

I'd a'bin

picked up by our

brave

ones.

Just thought I'd  let you know how

special our neck of the woods is

Santa comes a'callin'

and the look on the little ones faces

was just

well

.........

magical

!!!!!!!!

frozen friday frivolities

Well

it's as done as it's ever going to get

the big guy has his list all ready

and he's still taking names

so be good!

the stars are in their place

ready to shine on us

got matches in case the lights go out

and a candle to light with them

this one has lights in case we need more

the gingerbread is out and lit up

 you all light up the gingerbread....right ?:!!

and the

Princess Ann Angel is out and standing guard

with a very hungry Santa behind her

he's ready for all those

cookies and milk

and all the other goodies you put out for him

and pretty soon

just a few more days

he'll be flying over us all

on his way home

....

and it will start all over again

......

hopefully!!

have a great weekend

get all your stuff done

don't freak out if you can't

they won't even notice

believe me

they won't and don't

and

try to enjoy

yourselves

stay warm and safe

:)

terrific thursday

I noticed that I have a couple of new followers!!

Welcome!

And there were a couple of comments left from new visitors

ciao!

and a visit from

Elizabeth Cat

is always a wonderful surprise

I don't remember how to say

HI

in Latvian

!!!

I woke up extra early this morning

how's 5.15 am sit with you?

so the day will be long

and

I hope

 productive

As you can see from the photo below

we have a frozen lake

covered by a blanket of snow

albeit a thin one

but they say we may get up to 3"

which for the first snow is quite a bit around here

further SOUTH

they are in for 5" or more

Hope the youngest son

makes it through alright!!

this was just a few minutes after it started

I bought a roll of wrapping paper the other day

incase I don't have any or can't find it

this little one has taken a liking to it

she was resting her head on it yesterday and when I tried to move it

she objected

so

Happy Christmas

Mummy's Little Angel

this is the mess on my desk

paper

yarn

glue

cold coffee

patterns on the desktop

on the monitor

and one of them is

the reason for the circular needles

I found a pattern

and it's working

so far

NO it's working

and hopefully I will have a hat soon

I love the stich pattern

it looks like bricks

or

dashes and dots

and the obsession with the stars

continues

Thank you to those of you who said thank you for posting the tut

I said, on Flickr, that if you don't have fancy shmancy paper

you can use computer paper or magazines or wrapping paper or old books

but not the first editions or the antique ones

please

!!!!

I'm going to "scatter " them around the house soon

and of course

take a picture or twelve!!

THIS

is a ruffly twisty scarf made with the yarn left over from the

Tunisian one

I made

that isn't for

moi

the hubs said he thought it was

coooo-ol!!!

yes, he noticed!!!

the night before last

while I was cooking dinner

I had something to look at

that was quite

lovely

the Heron was dining along with me

I saw him catch THREE fish

I'm not sure he should still be here

but I'm so glad he was

and Jack is still around

have a terrific day

stay warm and safe

and I'll catch you later

!!!

:)

I didn't forget...

I have just been doing what I do so well

too many things at once and not getting

much accomplished

plus

 I was dragged

kicking and screaming

out the door to the

useless craft store

and

the grocery store

for coffee

that, I didn't mind,

because for the last two days the coffee I have drunk

has

STUNK

why is it that the shops don't pay attention to what is popular and

BUY JUST THAT?

who in the heck drinks all that coffee that sits on the shelf

and why don't the buyers see this

pet peeeeevveee

anyway

I had wet hair

I was not planning on going out

but I did

and

I'm a little bit glad

I was dragged

I got some short circular needles

some yarn to finish some

granny square slippers !!!!!  :}

 for the

G'daughters

the g'son is getting a hat

if it kills me

and it probably will

does anyone have a really really easy

nice hat pattern for a

6 yr old

I have looked

all over the place and I can't find anything that

I like

or can do

 or

don't mess up half way through and have to frog

gggrrrrr!!!

I found four sheets of pretty paper to make some stars

and the candle holders I wanted but wouldn't buy until they went on sale

50% off

were on sale

50% off

:}

so

that is my day

so far

I still have to finish what I started

and couldn't because

I was dragged out the door

well you know....

so I will leave you with

the link to the little trees

I found the other day

printed out

made one

and forgot about it

so here...... you make them

and

have fun!!!!!

:)

trembling on tuesday

the wind continues to howl

and

make it unbearable to be out

I ran to the post office

and

was frozen just going to the car

a friend works at the PO

she is actually the

Post Mistress

(no one else wants to work at our rinky dinky PO)

and she was wearing two sweat shirts and a padded jacket

she says she can't put the heat on

because

the

postage falls off

if she does

GREAT

hopefully all the trucks and planes

aren't heated

!!!!!

I got up really early again

the geese were making quite a racket

in the cold frosty dark

I really do not understand how all those

creatures survive in the winter

and I am going to google where birds sleep at night

just because I can and I want to know!!

(edited.....
birds sleep where they live
plain and simple
in trees and bushes and hedges
some in nooks and crannies in trees
water birds on the water
some on the ground
they are there
but we don't see them
and because nature takes care of her own
they are protected
with layers and air pockets
and muscles to hold their little feet on branches so they don't tumble off
so there you have it
they sleep where they live
bless their little cotton socks)
:)

I took some pictures in the sun

of the little bits and bobs I put up

after I had cleaned

it sure helps keep the

festive

going!!!

and did a collage

I made a couple of others too

that I will post on

Flickr

and maybe here too

later

in the meantime

I made some very simple and easy little paper stars yesterday

I have a plethora of paper

so I thought I would use some of it

they work up fast and if you have some paper and need a little

je ne c'est quoi

in all the spare time I'm sure you have

here's a little tut

!!!

cut squares of 4.5"

score lines every .75"

fold on the scores

staple in the middle

mark 1/2" from the staple on either side

and cut from that mark to the outer edges

make sure the folds are up

pull the "arms" out and kind of squash them a bit so they open up

if you want you can put a dab of glue where they come together at the staples

but I found you don't have to if you

"squash"

them enough

you can make a tiny hole and thread something through to hang them

or just stand them up in and around your

decorations

and

voila

pretty stars

all

around. 

I will show you the little wiggly tree in a bit

I have to make another

and take you some pictures!!!

:}

Stay warm

and

festive

 see you later!!!!!