We had a houseful - both our daughters, our son and his girlfriend and her little girl (3) and then yesterday Tam's partner. Our big cats (brothers Alfie and Little Whale) promptly left the premises and have only been tempted to come in and stay longer than a second, this afternoon. They are nervy of strangers anyway, and had even forgotten Danny and Gabby and the fact that there was an excited child in the house wrecked their nerves. They would only come in very last thing at night when she had gone to bed. Even Ghengis was getting fed up of being "fussed" by Christmas evening, and the kittens were quite subdued too, although bless her, little "I" was very good with the kittens, and gentle, but they found the noise levels a bit overwhelming.
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and for followers in America and Canada, stay safe - I hope that you were caught out in or by the snow or had power failures. Rather hoping it doesn't head this way next too.
I had some lovely gifts for Christmas, including these books:
When I asked for the Church Monuments book I didn't realize it was so heavy - or SO expensive - I was spoilt! Gosh, SOME of the monuments (many of them in fact) must have cost a king's ransom to sculpt and build. The Pictish book is good as so much has changed in the archaeological excavations and research since I was studying and writing my Pictish-orientated dissertation. Currently reading about excavations around the Rhynie Man stone.
The one on the left is brilliant too - never knew of its existence, but I love the fact that the places included in it are known to me - some very well in fact. The other book is old but has some fascinating facts in - did you know that Gingerbread men/women/LGBQ began as Yule Dolls? Nope, neither did I. Or that Oranges and Lemons was originally sung as part of the 12th Night Celebrations? I can remember it as a Playground song -we'd form an arch and sing it and children ran through, hoping not to be the ones to be caught when we sang "And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!!" and the arms forming the arch would come down and capture the victim. Anyone else remember that? I never knew it dated back to Medieval times.
I have to say it's nice to have a quiet house again, and I don't have to be watching the kittens' backs, so to speak. Those two are currently absolutely out for the count on kitchen chairs. They slept with the big boys last night for the first time - having been separated into two different rooms before.
Things have quietened down today and we just have Tam and her partner here, so the Big Boys have come in for food and realized it's ok for them now.
Life should be back more or less to normal tomorrow, and we will have to be in touch with the GP again as Keith has been bad at night.
Glad you had a good family time :) My daughter bought me the Monuments book - and yes it is VERY heavy. Your other books look good too. I had one by Emma Wells on Cathedrals which I had wanted. Sorry to hear about Keith's problems at night.
ReplyDeleteGood call by your daughter then - think of our arm muscles by the time we reach the end!
DeleteTried to get through to GP's this morning - some hope, lines permanently busy.
I've noticed that even gentle children who have some sense of how to approach a cat, tend to move suddenly and their voices are usually high-pitched which cats almost universally find unnerving. Most of our cats tend to receive visitors with suspicion and then haughtily stalk off to hide under beds or in quiet parts of the house. Its always fun to watch them reappear the moment the last guest has departed.
ReplyDeleteIt's the high-pitched voice I think - they saw her as a predator I reckon! They look SO relieved now they have the house to themselves again. It took a while before they realized she'd gone - they kept going out in case she appeared again.
DeleteHi BB, glad you have had a lovely Christmas and that you have at long last tempted the cats back in. They do like the quiet and their routines bless them. Hope Keith is a little more comfortable soon too. Take care sweetheart xx You keep warm and safe too x
ReplyDeleteHello my dear, I hope that you did too and that you were able to do some crafting and rest up. Keep warm and well.
DeleteI'm glad you've had family around for Christmas. We did too but in common with lots of folk I'm sure, I'm relieved to get back to normal routines now! I hope Keith isn't suffering too much, sorry to hear about the difficulties at night. Happy New Year x
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
It's nice to be almost back in our normal routines again, although worry shared will be something I soon miss. He's been in a worrying way, but blimey I got back from Brecon and he was walking strongly up and down the kitchen. Shakes head in disbelief!
DeleteLooks a good Christmas, those books will keep you happy for a long time Jennie. The two Londoners have just departed and Tom in another hour, so the house has suddenly become quiet. But at least your cats can rule once more! Hope Keith gets some relief from the doctor.
ReplyDeleteThe books are really keeping me quiet - SO much information there. Your house probably felt like it had shrunk when full with family (as ours did). Cats are MUCH happier though! Phone rang and rang and rang at GP's so will try again tomorrow.
DeleteIt sounds as though you both need a few quiet days after such a boisterous but fun filled Christmas. How lovely to see big cats and little cats finally enjoying each others company. Cats that sleep together definitely see themselves as family. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou've got that right Sue. I have just bought myself the Wolf Hall trilogy on Audible too, (I forgot to cancel after my trial month). That should keep me quiet for a bit, and I can concentrate properly to it whilst doing the ironing. I found the books written in a somewhat constipated style and just couldn't get into them.
DeleteI told Alfie to move today (Keith coming through) and he promptly had a go at innocent Lulu who happened to be nearby, poor little girl!
Good to hear the kittens survived and your books look intriguing. The weather has been very kind to us in the South Downs, except for today when it is bowing a hooley, and we’ve had some really good long walks with the children when we’ve had to up our pace. Boxing Day was an especially blue sky sunshiney day and we drove to the 12th century Boxgrove priory (you may recall Boxgrove from the 500,000 hominid remains discovered there a while back?) and walked to Halnaker windmill, a perfect pepper pot with ogee finial atop the Downs with clear views to the Isle of Wight. Back at the car we changed out of our muddy boots and visited the beautiful priory church which felt much loved. Hope it’s not too wet in Wales and you are having some lovely reading time. I have finally got round to making the chocolate, pistachio and raspberry brownies which are in the oven baking as I write. Take care BB - Sarah x
ReplyDeleteI love Folk History and better still I know many of the places mentioned. Glad you've had some nice walks. Weather here has been somewhat wet, and was blowing half a gale yesterday. I remember the Boxgrove find. Lovely to have a localish windmill too - there were the footings of one at Bursledon when we were growing up and we used to clamber over it. Now it has been totally restored, but of course, I am a long way from Southampton these days.
DeleteThose brownies sound delish. I made chocolate blackberry brownies and a lemon drizzle cake for the farmers, for helping us out in the past year, bless them.
Well, I've just been off reading about the Picts and about the Rhynie Man. I don't think one could ever run out of things to investigate in your corner of the world. We also have a history that stretches just as far back. Unfortunately, it is unwritten, and we have managed to exterminate all the story tellers.
ReplyDeleteThe game you describe is the one we played as children called, "London Bridge is falling down..." The 'capture verse' was "take the keys and lock her up, lock her up, lock her up..." I wandered off to have a read about that, too. My goodness, what a lot of 'wandering' your blog post has led me to!
I hope Keith is sleeping better.
Houdini seems to have taken a shine to my husband. This surprised me, but in thinking of it, not surprising. I am the one in the kitchen dropping brooms and making noise. I am the one who picked him up and tried to pet him in the beginning. I am the one who bears careful watching. Since I am the one who also feeds him twice a day, hopefully he will notice that too.
Indeed we have the most incredible history, on all sorts of levels and every time period. There's always something to find out about. A shame that the history of your country was wiped out.
DeleteHoudini will gradually accept you I'm sure. At least he likes your husband (I am Pippi's "person", a substitute mother. Lulu more independent in that way.
Interesting to hear of your version of London Bridge too :)
Nice to see everyone..but sometimes a relief to see them go!
ReplyDeleteThose kits are really growing.
They are now in the long-legged "colty" stage of growth - and can run even faster! We have the house to ourselves again today - I can have a nap on the sofa again :)
DeleteYes, I remember "oranges and lemons" from childhood playgrounds, and I'm sure that there was something sinister about the ringing of the bells of St Clements etc from medieval times?
ReplyDeleteApparently St Clements was near the wharves where boats carrying citrus came in. The last lines of the song were apparently added later (Victorian times?) and there are a few variations on it about the country. An old English folk song anyway.
DeleteHugs and hoping Keith can get help from his doctor.
ReplyDeleteAppt. gotten - we'll know later today.
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