Christmas at the Sisters .......

meanwhile over at the sisters place - normality reigns :0)

we eat normal Xmas dinner - drink normal Xmas drinks and enjoy a normal Xmas !

Normal Xmas ??? and was is that - when it is at home? Me - just about to tuck into turkey and all the trimmings ......................the first 'normal ' food since September when I started my diet.

It was wonderful but I am sure I weigh half a stone heavier tonight - brother is it worth it ?

enjoy your Xmas , sis - see you in the new year!

Zaz;-)

An unexpected disappointment.

No, not with Christmas, that has been great. Cats and I have dined well--Max and Misty with Turkey--a la Whiskas, and me with potato gratang---a la Findus!
Soon we will polish off the rice pudding, which is very traditional here.

We have wrapping paper all over the floor and pretty ribbon scattered to the winds!! How the two "superior beings" enjoyed the paper and string--completely ignoring the tabletennis balls and furry mice!!

The disappointment was with something bought especially for the big day. A bath bomb. If you have not experienced a bath bomb then you just haven´t lived. They are wonderful to watch, heaven to relax in and the smell lasts all day. So with Max and Misty sitting in the basin, to watch the event safely. I placed the bomb in the bath and ran the water full pelt. Nothing happened--where was the fizz, the foam, the "bits" as it melted? Retrieved the thing to check if wrapping left on? No, definitely a naked ball. Meanwhile the edges of the bath had a ring of scum , that´s when I realised it was not a bath bomb, but a solid ball of soap! This is so disappointing when you are expecting something completely different. The cats disappeared even more convinced that humans are boring, curious creatures!

Anyway, as I sit here with my new Christmas socks on, but not the thermal undies my sister gave me, as is so mild here, (I have other clothes on if you are wondering) drinking coffee from my new Christmas snowman mug, and eating my sandwich off my matching snowman plate, I wish everyone still to celebrate Christmas a wonderful day full of magic.

God Jul. Lynne.

The Christmas Magic

Well!--last day at work today before Christmas, great! Had a good day, lots of goodies, and cake from satisfied customers. Oh Oh another couple of inches on the waistline!

Here in Sweden we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, so on Sunday I will be opening a present or two (hopefully!) Eating chocolate for breakfast (A throwback to my childhood, where --if you didn´t eat your chocolate first, somebody else would!) and waiting to experience the Christmas Magic. Yes I know the magic of Christmas is reputed to be the Christ child coming to the earth, but surely this was a planned miracle?

The magic I mean is ,that we all experienced as children, the excitement of the season, the decorations, the tree, the stocking and the parcels with your name on which held unknown secrets, the whisperings, shopping and cooking going on at all hours. It took so long to actually get to be Christmas Day. This is the magic I always hope for, but magic does happen in other ways:----

I worked for a large childrens charity organisation, as housemother to eight mentally handicapped children, in the 1980s. Early one Christmas morning, a man came knocking at the door. I was the most senior staff on duty, so I was assigned to see what this chap wanted. I presumed he had got lost and needed directions, but no. He handed me an envelope with a cheque for a thousand pounds, for "the children" he said, and left!. Now that was magic. What a wonderful thing to do.
The children and staff had a great Christmas because of him--not because of the money, but because of the gesture. It lasted well into the next week too, until the "boss" said--We can buy some fruit trees for the garden with that money---all the children appreciate the garden, and eat the fruit! Oh Gawd! No! No! No!--the children need playground apparatus and playthings they can enjoy in the garden, not more trees. More magic!--we won, and swings and a roundabout were bought for the use of everyone. (We didn´t win very often)

So this is what I will be waiting for on Christmas Eve morning----so if anyone reads this and happens to have a cheque for one thousand pounds hanging around, please get in touch!!!

Well one can hope, can´t one???

Wishing everyone a magical, peaceful Christmas---Lynne.

Fame at last

Fame at last as my picture was on the back page of the local newspaper--thanks Zaz!

I would just like to point out that there is a car parked beside me--it is not my backside that is sticking out!

The firm I work for decided to spread a little Christmas cheer. Lars and I were setting up a Father Christmas, on the front of one of our houses. Lars is up the ladder, I am holding it steady. It was pouring with rain, and very windy--we were both wet and cold, but I haven´t laughed so much for ages. We couldn´t get Santa to stay upright, the plastic body kept folding up, so that he looked undernourished and extremely flat in places. Lars kept poking him to try to make him look Santa-like. Then when we were at last satisfied, and he was secure, we found there was no electricity at the source where we would plug him in! We needed a skilled electrician to save the day.

Meanwhile the comments and looks from passers by more then made up for the weather conditions--happy smiles, laughing people, everyone just had to take a second look. The children loved him. Then along comes this friendly little chap. He asks me what I am doing (?)
I tell him I am standing here holding this ladder, well! I was at the time. Lars had gone back to the van to collect his tools, so I suppose I did look a bit odd, standing guarding this empty ladder, with a Father Christmas swaying over my head! It turned out he was from the local paper--whoops! He very kindly took the picture of us, and we landed on the backpage.

We now have power, and a smiling Father Christmas, climbs up the side of the house, on his illuminated rope ladder, in view of the whole market place. Unfortunately we have no snow!!

Merry Merry Christmas!

fame at last

and look who made it into the paper this week!!!

Zaz;-)

Christmas with a kitty ................or two!

Very unimpressed with christmas decorations............ '

Zaz;-)

my angels

these are them!

happy blogging!

zaz;-)

Christmas cometh

Christmas is coming for those who did not know. The weeks go faster and faster for every year that passes. Why is this?
This fact is something that your parents told you would happen, but how could you believe this when Christmas took forever to arrive when you were 5 or 6 or even 26!

I do think that someone has definitely moved Christmas. I for one, am definitely not ready. I have a list of cute little angels, snowmen and Father Christmasses that I want to make before the big day. Full of ideas, but nothing done.
I am also waiting for the "christmassy feeling". I just love the magic in the air, Christmas Carols, and everybodies better nature, that makes the holidays extra special.

I am on Snow duty Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so I really hope we get some.
This will make Christmas for me.

I do hope all your plans are going well, and I wish everyone a little Christmas Magic--Lynne.

my kitty...........plus one

Been a long time coming

It has been so long since my last message that I have managed to loose my previous blog in the great hole of computer confusion. No way would they let me in. Could I remember my password? My user name? No to both questions--so therefore No access.

The goodly souls at Google helped me create a new blog--just in time for the Christmas season.

Hoppsan! Just a little problem--my new kitten "Misty" got stuck behind the computer terminal and couldn´t get herself out. So I had to crawl under the desk and ease her backwards, complete with ball! Now all is well again--and she goes on with her ball chasing activities!

Christmas season--don´t you just love it? My sister and I decided one year, not to buy expensive presents, but find something fitting from the charity shop. Here in Sweden the tradition is to present the present with a little rhyme attached--the receiver has to guess what the present may be. We also had a spending limit of --up to 10 kronor per present(about 80pence).

What fun it was trawling the charity shops for suitable grot/ um--- I mean items! The real work began when we got home and had to think up a rhyme to describe the item, or it´s use. It was really great, and gave a meaning to Christmas which has been lost over the years, with the help of the commercial world. Shame.

We, here in Ulricehamn have a huge traditional Christmas tree in the town square every year. This year, however the paper reports that our traditional tree is a little unusual, because it has 2 tops! Now this is causing termoil, because, apparently it is very unusual to have a tree with 2 tops. I can´t say I have ever thought about it myself, but there you are. I wouldn´t have noticed either--but now I know where to sneak off with my secateurs!!!

Well--it is nice to be writing again--will try to keep it up this time. Upwards and onwards! Lynne