Blogmas Day Fifteen - Taking the Pressure Off

 

For yet another year our family is doing the whole 'not buying gifts' thing.  

The only person that consistently flouts it is my brother, he always insists on swapping presents.  So to please him I grit my teeth and buy him a bottle of good Port.  The youngest of the grandchildren get cash sent directly to them, and the great-grandchildren all get money sent to their parents with the instruction that they can use it for whatever they need to use it for.  The little ones are happy with a big but cheap present, but now the eldest great-grandchild is nearing double figures he 'needs' the latest computer game seemingly, so his money won't go as far.

https://youtu.be/KIXFSnNe_wQ?si=mmjEfNU8ay0DD_Ib

Taking pressure off Christmas for everyone, especially parents with young children can only be a good thing in my opinion.

Sue xx

Blogmas Day Fourteen - The First Four Words

 

Mine were:

Gratitude

Alignment

Money

and

JAKQWHCSANKNLALA

Sorry I couldn't resist, but that's the way my eyes landed! 😁  

What are yours?

Sue xx

Blogmas Day Thirteen - A New Home for Christmas

 

Art by Maja Lindberg

Yes, we have a new home for Christmas. 

 Hopefully we will actually be in it by next Christmas ... there is a lot of work to be done.  But it was the only way to be able to afford to get the shell of something that we can redesign to our own specifications as this will be our last ever home.  Our last ever move ... thank goodness for that.

We have lived in so many places both individually and together, moved so many times that it seems ridiculous, but hopefully this bungalow will be totally future-proofed.  We are using everything that we have learnt from doing our previous works, and the work that we had done on Mum's bungalow ready for my brother to move into, to get this final home just right and future-proofed.

We picked up the single solitary key on Wednesday afternoon after we had visited Mum.  It all worked out very well timewise, we were sat in the services having a coffee when the email from our solicitors arrived, telling us to collect the keys from the auction house which was just a slight detour into Preston, which is one our way home.  I have to say buying at auction, with our brilliant solicitor made for a very easy process.  It was just 28 days from bidding on the property to us picking up the key.

Now we are having lots of meetings at the bungalow with the architect, the builders, the solar guys, the roofing guys etc etc, I can barely keep up with Alan's timetable.  But as long as we can fit Christmas in I will be very happy.

I spotted what could be the perfect front door as we were driving home from Mum's a couple of weeks ago, we were stationery at the traffic lights at the time so Alan said 'quick get a picture' ... so I did.  That's one thing ticked off my list of things to choose then.  😄

Sue xx

Blogmas Day Twelve - Minimal Christmas Deliveries This Year

Usually at Christmas time I am enticed into ordering things online.  Feeling festive always used to loosen my purse strings somewhat, especially after a year of the Challenges that I used to do.  

This year, however, the Christmas deliveries have been minimal, in fact there have been just two up to now ... although I am expecting Ella Woodward's latest book to arrive in a few days.  I pre-ordered it a long time ago and I can't even remember what it's called!!  😄

The first thing to arrive last week was my regular three monthly smol order.  I've been using their washing pods for years now and really love the simplicity of the deliveries.   They come through the letterbox, so there's no need to wait in for the postman, I get an email a week before the order is sent to me in case I want to delay it for a while, something I have rarely had to do actually as I seem to find that two boxes of 24 pods does me easily for three months.  This month I do have quite a few left, but not enough for me to want to delay the order.

They still have an offer on for a trial pack for just £6 if anyone wants to try them out for themselves. In the pack you get:

• 1 non-bio trial pack 1 dishwash trial pack 1 multi purpose spray trial pack (bottle, trigger, band and 1 tablet) 1 washing up liquid starter pack (bottle, pump, band and 1 500ml carton) 1 fabric conditioner starter pack (bottle, pump, band and 1 500ml carton) 1 stain gel starter pack (bottle, pump, band and 1 500ml carton)

Not a bad start for just £6.  It's really easy to cancel the subscription too if you decide that it's not for you.  I did cancel everything but the laundry pods after I had the initial pack, but I have stayed with them ever since.

You can use this smol link to get the offer.  

The only edible delivery that I have had up to now has been two boxes of absolutely delicious crisps ... well I had to try them didn't I, even though they were supposed to be for Christmas so I know they are delicious. 

I used to always buy Ten Acre crisps, and then they disappeared off all the supermarket shelves, I was really sad as there aren't many really tasty dairy-free cheese and onion flavoured crisps, and those had always been my favourite.  Anyway a bit of research led me to the original makers of Ten Acre, now selling their own crisps direct from the farm under a new name.  I immediately thought what a great way to support an independent farm family and have the crisps that I love.

So I ordered a mixed box, as you can build your own 24 mixed flavours box with all your favourite flavours.  They are 40g bags at just £1 each, and you can also buy their larger sharing bags in a box of ten of the same flavour, or a mixed box of eight of your choice, for £1.90 for 150g bags.  I got the mixed box of small packs choosing lots of cheese and onion crisps, and a box of the limited edition Honey Roasted Chestnut and Sage flavour sharing bags.

I am currently trying with all my might to resist eating all the Chestnut and Sage ones before Christmas  as they are delicious. 😄

They come with free delivery to any UK address direct from the Fairfields Farm.

I'm definitely trying to support the smaller and family run businesses whenever I can as we head into a new year.  It's easy to do when their products are also superior to those that I can find in the shops.

Sue xx

Blogmas Day Eleven - Changing Traditions, Making Memories

 

This meme is so very true, we don't have to do any of the above.

Every year without fail for I don't know how long, I have bought one new decoration or ornament for the tree, a symbol in it's way of another year gone by, another year survived in this mad at times world.  This year we have been to lots of places with many, many decorations to choose between and I have held back.  Picking up things that I have liked and even momentarily thinking of purchasing them.  But I have always put them down and come away empty handed ... and happy.

I had no need to purchase one, and my brain told me that this was better.  The other day we were clearing the garden for Winter, I had left lots of the dead heads and dried twigs in the garden for the insects and small creatures to use as cover while they needed them.  But now after all the non-stop rain and hard frosts, it was starting to look very neglected and soggy, not the sort of cover any self-respecting creatures would choose for a hidey-hole for the Winter.  

I have left some things though, so any little critters that might have gone for an away-day will be able to find alternative accommodation on their return.  😄 

Amongst my prunings were some of the tall, twiggy things that I have growing in the tin bath at the front door, it had really shot up this year.  They started as the twiggy offerings in a large bouquet of flowers that Alan had bought me for our anniversary a couple of years ago, and someone told me that they rooted easily.  So always being one to experiment I pushed them into the soil at the back of the tin bath, and lo and behold whoever it was that told me that was completely right, within months I had growth, greenery and then more bobbly things.

So it came to me in an inspired flash, the twigs were so willow-like I decided to make three tiny wreaths for the Christmas tree.  Two I slightly decorated, but the tiniest which is barely an inch across, was left as it was.

Now they are on my tree and this years decorations have been sourced ... at absolutely no cost in money to either of us, but absolutely filled with memories of Christmas' gone by.

Sue xx