We have had a lovely family Christmas, but I am still laid up fighting the remains of this cold and have absolutely no energy or appetite. Weightwise I have lost 6 lbs and am heading towards 10 1/2 stone now. Of course it hasn't disappeared where I would like it to disappear from yet but I've gone down a back size on my bra. Gabby was a hero and cooked all the food. We had a leg of Salt Marsh Lamb on Christmas Day, lovely roasties and all the trimmings and Chocolate Roulade which we were too stuffed to eat until Boxing Day, then yesterday she did an amazing beef stew with so much flavour. I have 3 portions stowed away in the freezer now too. Plus Potato Dauphinoise. Today is a good cheese board and cold meats.
I had some lovely gifts. Plenty to keep me busy during the low-light days of January and February. The little cat below looks SO like Pippi.
I asked for this lino printing kit as it's something I have long wanted to try my hand at.
More sewing and crafting ideas . . .
So, all in all a lovely family Christmas though all the good food and great wine was wasted on me as I couldn't do it justice. A small meal, a mouthful of wine, a few nibbles, and the only thing I really enjoyed was a forgotten Tunnock's Teacake from the cupboard (recently bought). That sugar hit helped me.
The "great hilarity" came yesterday evening when Rosie finally unwrapped The Dinky Donkey book I bought in NZ, and Gabby read it and we laughed until we cried. It is the follow up to The Wonky Donkey. Here - just to make you giggle too - is a link to Scottish Granny reading it to her unappreciative grandchild (too young!) I hope that gives the video link - if not go to You Tube and type in Scottish Granny and Wonky Donkey . . .
A lovely haul of things to occupy the winter days ahead! Lino printing is fun! We did it on the scale of A1 in college, on huge industrial type printers that could really cause injury if improperly handled. Have you tried Gelli Printing? Maybe I should shut up?
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, that sounds like a huge challenge. These are little sheets. Rosie showed me Gelli printing in NZ. Hoping to go on some craft courses this year. I have a couple lined up for January in Aber, Tam and I doing them together - water colour painting and bunch dyeing I think it is.
DeleteSome lovely gifts there...and even if you couldn't "do justice" to the food provided you could appreciate it, which is also good
ReplyDeleteI did appreciate the food - flavours absolutely fabulous and Gabby worked flat out both days, bless her. I actually fancy eating tonight - Tam is going to do us a chicken curry.
DeleteThe puss cat embroidery looks beautiful - way beyond my skillset!
ReplyDeleteNot come across wonky donky etc - will investigate
Nah - not that difficult. The wonky donkey will have you in stitches.
DeleteIts on You Tube as Wonky Donkey Grandma, its very funny. I love the cat embroidery too, tadge more white than Miss Sheva, but she would be investigating the pond too. We had a lovely Christmas and today have been to Stepbrother's, he cooked us a chilli which was very nice. Just watching An Invitation to Murder (pre-recorded). Its ok, bit Agatha Christieish. Hope you feel 100% soon. Hugs Xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Gill. I am going to leave out the little splash of white on the body, as Pippi doesn't have that. Glad you had a lovely Christmas. An Invitation to Murder sounds good. I am hoping I feel 100% soon again too. Tomorrow will do!!
DeleteI trust you're on the mend now. Thank goodness for Gabby, that was so good of her. I'm in NZ and so know the Wonky Donkey series. WD is (in my opinion) the best of them, but they're all clever. My Grandkids loved the one about the Brussel Sprout, especially as one of them is "allergic to green"!!
ReplyDeleteYou might also enjoy the "Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy" series, by Lynley Dodd. They're not put to music, and are more sophisticated, working for slightly older children, but as they're NZ classics, you should be able to source them online. Her use of rhyme and rhythm is superb. There are lots in the series, and not a weak link amongst them.
Get well soon!
I shall look out for the other ones. Rosie listens with a slightly bemused smile :) as her mum, aunty and gran fall about laughing!
DeleteWe were stuffed too, turkey got the better of us and the pud did not help. My son has done some Lino prints at collage but I do think he has since. He did a really nice drawing for my present. I’ve seen forgotten churches before, I might invest
ReplyDeleteI can recommend Forgotten Churches. We've not had turkey for years. Mainly because not many of us here Christmas Day (4 and wee Rosie). Lamb is always a treat.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a great time, Yuletide Blessings to you and yours.
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