Waste not - want not...

Christmas morning I got up quite early, like you do, to switch my oven on in readiness for putting the turkey in to roast. I have never had a problem with my cooker and bearing in mind that my oven takes only five minutes to heat up to temperature (you know what's coming don't you) well it didn't. An hour later it was barely tepid and the thermostat hadn't risen above 50 degrees. It was completely kaput.  I do have a smaller upper oven but do you think the turkey would fit in - no. By this time I could have got into a stew - sorry about the pun - but no I chose to rise above it.  So the turkey, wrapped up in foil and a joint of pork was carted around to my daughter's kitchen by the hubster so that she could roast it for me and bring it along when they all came for lunch later. I was able to roast my potatoes and beef etc in the  small oven so all was not lost and a merry time was had by all. 

However I'm thinking I may have a tad over estimated on the amount of meat and poultry I needed for my Christmas entertaining - well we do don't we! Rather have too much than not enough. That being so, today I'm sorting the leftovers into various portions for different uses.

first there was the turkey and pork to divide up into appropriate sized 

portions for making curries, and sauces for pasta etc.

Five good portions for two  all ready to freeze

then there was the cold roast beef to mince and freeze for making

 cottage pies and Bolognaise sauces.

Lastly there was the turkey stock to make (my mother bless her, would be so proud of me). She had been known to take my turkey carcass home with her after spending Christmas lunch with us, for making her own stock back in the days when I didn't bother.

So now joy of joys I now have a wonderful aroma of turkey wafting around my kitchen which I did not have on Christmas morning and I've got three pints of turkey stock to add to my homemade soups for my trouble

Bye for now - off to put my curry on

P x

Christmas cheer

I've been rather neglectful of my blog lately so just dipping in to say I'm still here. I've been trying to read your blogs and leaving comments but time is just running away at the moment. I've been very busy crafting and making gifts for friends and family. I enjoy book-binding and love making journals and albums for myself. I get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest and those who use it also will know it can be very addictive! So I seem to spend more time looking and drooling over the fabulous books I could make, than I am actually making them. But hey ho I'm enjoying myself.

I am very well prepared for Christmas this year too - everything you could possibly think of has been done - baking

 gifts bought/made and wrapped,

tree and decs up

(and not forgetting to take a break to listen to Mr Buble's Christmas album whilst sipping a favourite tipple!! )

....as well as a freezer full to breaking point with food. The reason being, that we have treated ourselves to a long weekend away with friends to Harrogate in Yorkshire, leaving on Saturday and arriving home during the evening before Christmas Eve! We've never been before and are looking forward to this tremendously as well as visiting York itself. Betty's tea shop is calling too.

If I don't get a chance beforehand I'd like to wish all my lovely blogging friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Blessed 2015. Thank you all for being there throughout the year - giving inspiration, motivation, writing your very appreciated comments and sharing your lives with me.

Before I go I spotted this outside our village post office today - how cute is this

Seasons greetings to you all dear friends.

Patricia xx

Advent

As a rule I don't put any decs out or tree up until at least the first weekend in December, a little later if I can get away with it. However as it's the 1st today and I made this lovely Advent Calendar at my blogging friend Sandie's workshop last month, I really needed to put it on show today in my dining room. So here's a little sneak preview.

Each little house is individually cut

and decorated in whichever way we wished

it's all joined together at the back with ribbon

It was such good fun and we let our imagination run away with us

So - as this is the start of Advent and the Christmas Spirit
has crept up on me

maybe I will get those decs out after all!

I dare anyone to touch it - let alone breathe on it - as I had a tad trouble
keeping it upright on my polished sideboard

Have a great week everyone. See you soon.

Merry Christmas Everyone

Christmas is almost here - just a few more days to go and loving all the catch-ups with friends and final preparations ......

Making tree decorations

Lots of baking

Gifts for girlfriends

and a few last minute candle decorations for the mantlepiece and table

I'd like to wish all my dear blogging friends around the world my very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year. Thank you all so very much for all your lovely posts, your friendship and the wonderful comments you have left me during the last year - they mean so much.

Take care and I'll be back in the New Year.

xxx

Ring out the old ....

...and ring in the new ...

 



Part of the medieval Southwark Cathedral with a backdrop of the newly built Shard

on a recent visit to London

Just a quick post to wish everyone A Happy New Year and hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Ours was great and we spent some fun time with our children and grandchildren. I must say though that it is really nice to be able to get back to normal again after all the hype and rushing around before the big day, love it as I do. The  tree has gone and the decs are down and all is calm again in our household. We are now off to Belgium for five days - to the medieval towns of Ghent and Bruges which we are much looking forward to.

Must just show you this unseasonal cherry blossom I spotted two days before Christmas in Southwark.  How odd is this?

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BLOGGING FRIENDS

 

Will catch up with you all next week.

 

 

Patricia

Seasons Greetings to all my Blogging friends....

 

...and wishing you all a Healthy and Happy New Year.

 

 

 

 

From our happy home

Through the world we roam

One week in all the year,

Making winter spring

With the joy we bring

For Christmas-tide is here.

 

Now the eastern star

Shines from afar

To light the poorest home;

Hearts warmer grow,

Gifts freely flow,

For Christmas-tide has come

 

Now gay trees rise

Before young eyes,

Abloom with tempting cheer;

Blithe voices sing,

And blithe bells ring,

For Christmas-tide is here.

 

Oh, happy chime,

Oh, blessed time,

That draws us all so near!

'Welcome, dear day'

All creatures say,

For Christmas-tide is here.

 

Louisa May Alcott (1832-88)

 

 

A short break now until after the New Year but in the meantime hope to catch up with all your posts. I've enjoyed this year immensely sharing my days with you all and in turn reading all your delightful posts and comments.  I've just realised that my one year blogging anniversary has just passed me by without realising - how time flies!

Bye for now

 

Patricia x 

The Christmas gift

Not long to go now. I really love the build-up to Christmas which normally starts around 1st December with all the preparations, shopping, wrapping, let alone the school Nativities and Carol concerts to attend as well as a bit of socialising thrown in for good measure!. Do you like these candle glasses that I covered with manuscript paper?  I found them here and am really pleased that such a simple idea could look so effective. They look really pretty sitting on my piano.   The jar I filled with some Christmassy bits and holly etc and was quite pleased with the effect.

I had fun with this cloche too - I couldn't resist these lovely Nativity pieces when I spotted them.  You might remember my Jubilee/Olympic themed cloche that I put together during the summer which you can see here 

I got this idea for gift toppers from a magazine a few weeks ago. The gift tags I made using stiff card that I photo-copied some paper onto and then cut with a craft punch. Such a simple idea but very effective.

These little chappies go back to when the children were toddlers and they've stood on the fireplace ever since. I could never bring myself to light them.

The tree is up, the decs are done the pressies wrapped and under the tree.

 

There is one Christmas gift however that comes out year after year which hangs in pride of place on my tree. It's only tiny and was given to me by my late mum about ten years ago. I keep it permanently in my bedside drawer and bring it out at Christmas.

 

It's just a small red box, tied up with ribbon and on the back of the gift card it  reads:

 

 

"This is a very special gift

that you can never see,

The reason it's so special is

it's just for you from me.

Whenever you are feeling lonely

or even feeling blue,

You only have to hold this gift

and know I think of you.

You never should unwrap it

please leave the ribbon tied

Hold the box close to your heart

It's filled with love inside"

 

Mum's been gone these past six years now but special Christmas gift lives on.

 

 

 Enjoy your week