Monthly Archives: November 2018

Happy St. Andrew’s Day.

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Today is St. Andrew’s Day, Patron Saint of Scotland, home of my Ancestors!!! As you know we spend our holidays in Scotland and the whole family love it, more space and less people and I think that is definitely something to treasure in this day and age!!!!!

Today has not been much better than yesterday or the rest of this week so I will definitely be glad to see the back of it. I just think sometimes, especially if you are having an easy time of it, the Universe decides to give you a week like I have had to remind you to be grateful! Well Universe I am very grateful for all my blessings so back off now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Last night DH was compering the Christmas Light Switch on in Long Eaton and tonight the same but at Ilkeston. Yesterday the weather was not good at all with the tail end of a storm battering Britain at the moment. However today the sun is out and that is the first time in about two weeks we have seen it. It has been so overcast, grey, damp and cold that I honestly thought the sun had gone away for its holidays!!!!

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If I can get a lot of my monthly house jobs done today then we have been asked by the Boys if we can decorate our Home for Christmas over the weekend! That means getting the tree tomorrow morning and then an expedition into the attic for all the Christmas decorations! I am not moaning however as I absolutely love it. Tomorrow evening DH and I are out in Nottingham for dinner and we are going to have a walk round and see the lights etc so hopefully I will have some pictures for you on Monday!

Youngest was always a serious little chap!!!

Sunday is Youngest’s Birthday so Eldest and Girlfriend are coming round for the day and we are again out for dinner in the evening. It really has been a lovely few weeks.

I still have two Christmas presents to get and then that is all done and wrapped and ready and waiting, I need to finish my cards and get the stamps and I have some more baking to do. I have ordered the Christmas food and drink so that is all sorted and we have heard from our friends in Jersey who are coming back to Derbyshire for Christmas, so we are going to be able to see them between Christmas and New Year which will be great to catch up with them.

I hope you have all had a better week than I and will have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs & Love, Susie xx

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They are still forecasting this for the whole of December in the UK but I will believe it when I see it!!!!

To Read.

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As I didn’t get chance to go to the Book Store on holiday with one thing and another I went when all the children were back at school. It was lovely and quiet and so I spent a happy few hours browsing.

I found a few of my favourite authors had published new books so I got those and also a few books of a couple of authors I have missed their newest works. Anyway that means this :

Sorry it’s a bit blurry!! But a whole bookshelf of new books to read, what a great sight!!!!

Obviously these will appear as I complete each one, on my monthly Friday Book Club, the second Friday of each month!!

It has been a very strange and busy old week but I can honestly say I am so glad tomorrow is Friday and it is the weekend!!!!!! I know we are not supposed to wish the weeks away but this one can be gone as quickly as possible as far as I am concerned!!

I hope your week is going better than mine!!!!!

Hugs, Susie xxx

Chatsworth Library, again! I am thinking of putting up some lights halfway up my bookshelves!!!! Might look for the lights in the sale after Christmas for next year, watch this space, tee hee!!!!!

The Wednesday Wag.

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Here is my new Toy basket that Mom and Dad brought home! Isn’t it amazing and I have so much room for lots of new toys from Santa Paws!!! I can also now find all my toys as it is wide!!!

I even managed to find Mr Pig who was at the bottom.

I was also in the sewing room the other day whilst Mom was busy and I am sure she was wrapping a present for me, but she wouldn’t show me even though I put my best “Please” face on!!!

The weather is not nice at the moment and it is grey and horrible all day and dark and it has been raining for two days and I really don’t like being dried every time I come in. Mom says I am going to the spa soon which means it will probably go very cold then!!!

I hope you have a very happy Woofy Wednesday.

Treacle xx

Chatsworth at Twilight.

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Ever since the outbreak, a few years ago now, of foot and mouth disease the old Duke of Devonshire decided to keep Chatsworth open up to Christmas and decorate with trees and candles to try to help the estate as they had lost so much money as people had stopped going out because of all the restrictions.

DH, The Boys and I went that first year and it was lovely to see the house at Christmas and it was so popular that they have carried on doing this every year now. They also decided to have a different theme each year to make it interesting for regular visitors. This year’s theme was “Fairy Tales”. I hope you enjoy the pictures, there are a lot of them!!!!!

The walk up to the entrance had images of some of the fairy tales projected onto the walls.

As there are so many pictures I decided to add them like this. This is the entrance to the house where there is always a huge roaring fire in winter. Above it is one of my most favourite paintings of all the Dogs sitting in Judgment. In the entrance was a huge orange Dragon called Arthur.

This was Charlotte’s Webb down the main corridor and at the end this brightly lit tree.

Down the next corridor we join Peter Rabbit and his family on a country walk.

Turning into the Family Chapel where Cinderella’s carriage sat with a wonderful tree in the corner. The orange colours were just stunning.

You move through the Chapel into the Wood Drawing Room which had The Princess & the Pea representation in, including a Tiara worn by one of the Duchesses at the coronation of Edward VII.

We then found the Elf and The Shoemaker busy at work and they also had a display of shoes worn by various Devonshire relatives at different times, as well as a sewing kit sat on the top of the mantle piece.

We then walked through a covered walk way actually outside in the centre of Chatsworth House to get to The Great Hall/Painted Hall where there were several very large decorated trees, also mince pies and a drink, which was very nice. They also had a Trio playing in front of the fire Christmas music. It was all very civilised as there are only a small number of tickets for this event so you were not being pushed or hurried along.

You then proceed up the central staircase and another staircase to the main rooms the first one showing Sleeping Beauty.

You then move through a new room opened this year through a corridor into the old Queen’s Bedrooms where Mary Queen of Scots once stayed. The Broomstick in the cabinet is a Firebolt from the Harry Potter movie and books, signed by J.K. Rowling and given to the Old Duke.

We were then in Mary Poppins bedroom with the kites and her favourite things and a children’s Christmas tree. Of course the new film about Mary Poppins comes out in December with Emily Blunt playing the lead and I really want to go and see it!

In the back staircase was James & The Giant Peach hanging down the staircase from the Rotunda. Apparently this was originally covered up by a previous Duchess as she felt it let in too much cold air but has now been re-opened by the current Duchess.

Standing with our back to this staircase you are then able to look over into the Great Hall/Painted Hall and also see the top of the Christmas Trees. This one is my favourite as I just love the red and green, which is what our family Christmas tree always is.

You then travel down the old servants staircase and come out by my most favourite room of all time and I could live here, the Library. I always think that there are minimal decorations in here as the family use it every evening and especially at Christmas. I just love it.

You then move through the anti-Library into the dining room, below.

In the anti-Library we found Winnie The Pooh and his friends and also Bagpuss.

In the Dining Room we found Aladdin and The Arabian Nights with his flying carpet and the decorations and trees in here were very rich gold colours.

You then move from the Dining Room through another small corridor into the Stone Room where there are lots of statues collected by various Dukes over the years and to me is always very cold after the Library and Dining Room. This was definitely reflected in the choice of decorations and it being the home of The Snowman! There were also a hand bell ringing group in this room again playing Christmas music.

DH and I really enjoyed the evening, especially as it was dark so all the lights, trees and candles stood out very much.

DH and I in front of the huge mirror where the Sleeping Beauty story was playing.

Sorry it was a long post with lots of pictures but I thought you would love to see the decorations, they were really good.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Hugs, Susie xx

Christmas in Nottingham.

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Jayne and I went over to Nottingham last Tuesday Christmas shopping and it was all decorated for Christmas.

Here is the tree at one end of the Ice Rink and no we did not go skating!!!!

The Christmas stalls selling everything and anything and every sort of food you can imagine!!!

The Galloping Horses!!! I always loved these as a child, it was always my favourite ride at Goose Fair.

One of the many, many food stalls, this one selling Ham.

The decorations in Intu Nottingham, Victoria Centre to all who live there!, I was quite disappointed in them, usually they are really colourful.

Jayne and I had a really lovely day and we both enjoyed it so much, we also had a long lunch and caught up on all our news and managed to get quite a few Christmas Presents.

Here was some of my bags!!!!

Tomorrow I will show you DH and I’s visit to Chatsworth House at Twilight last Friday evening.

I hope you have a wonderful week.

Hugs, Susie xx

He Put A Ring On!

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Engagement Picture 221118

Congratulations to Eldest & Girlfriend on their Engagement Today!

November 22nd 2018

We are so happy for them.

Hugs & Love

Susie, DH, Youngest & Treacle

Happy Thanksgiving.

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To All my American Friends & Followers

Happy Thanksgiving!

Although this is very much an American Holiday I am very Thankful this year for a lot of things, but mostly my wonderful Family; DH, Eldest, Youngest & Treacle and the two Girlfriends. We have had a very busy and eventful year but I have enjoyed every minute of it and although there have been and are some challenges when isn’t there?!!!!!

I hope all those celebrating have a lovely day and long Weekend and if you are tempted to go to the shops tomorrow, Black Friday, you are able to get what you need without too much trouble!!!!!

Hugs & Love

Susie xx

He Did Well!

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Xander Parr 6

Eldest last week had his Final Exams and Assessments at the end of his three year course he has been doing and has just heard how he has done. He got 100% across the board! He is just now waiting to hear if he has got onto the Elite Group for his final Masters year, next year and we are also waiting to hear when Graduation is.

Congratulations Eldest, we are so proud of you!

Hugs, Susie xx

London on a Sunday.

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Gone are the days when London on a Sunday was quiet and a day for going to museums and art galleries and the like. It is just another shopping day now, which begins a little later than a Saturday. DH and I decided to have a lazy morning and did not have breakfast but got packed up and checked out of our room. We decided to go to Fortnum & Mason store to look at their Christmas things and it definitely was not as busy as the day before.

We had a light lunch in the Ice Cream Bar at Fortnums. DH had ice cream but I had a warm lunch as it was too cold for ice cream for me!!!!

DH’s Ice Cream, my sausage roll and my tea.

The windows at Fortnum & Mason are always a treat to see. Here is a Christmas Turkey! No not DH in the window the Turkey in the background!!!!!

Above is the Fortnum Clock which strikes the hour and the half hour with music.

Another of their windows with flying mince pies which DH said looked like the Golden Snitches from Harry Potter!!!!

Another window with a massive Christmas pudding and this time I got DH in the window, smiling!

The Children’s window.

The side of the Fortnum building and an iconic London road sign!

Above, the famous Fortnum & Mason Hampers.

The Fortnum Tea window which is how the store began as a very expensive, exclusive Tea Shoppe!

The entrance to Fortnums.

The trees and the wreathes at the entrance.

If you shop at Fortnum & Mason then you are in good company as it is the Queen’s Grocer.

Another of their wonderful Christmas trees and below the centre display down the middle of the store.

Love this picture looking from the first floor down to the basement.

We managed to find some other little bits for the children for Christmas which I was so pleased with.

Right next door to Fortnum & Mason is Hatchards, one of the oldest book shops in London since 1797. It is now owned by a national book shop chain but they have retained the charm of the old store. This is where the pictures of our Boys were taken when they were on chairs choosing their books from a few posts ago. Of course I cannot pass a Book shop without going in. DH bought me some books which I had wanted for Christmas and will be reviewed on my Monthly Book Club page!!!!.

Who does not love bookshelves full of books!

This is on the ground floor.

In the lovely bow fronted window was a Christmas display of Beatrix Potter books and some of her illustrations. The Boys loved these books when they were little.

You can see the theme of the Christmas lights on Piccadily this year are Angels but as you can also see it was quite a sunny day with a blue sky, although it was quite cold, so although the lights were on you can’t see them at all!

After this we went back to our Hotel for Afternoon Tea.

As it was cold we had a seat by the fire for our Afternoon Tea and next to the fire-place were two of the Big Sheep at the Hotel.

The Tea, which was very nice but filling. We brought the little cakes from the top plate home for the Boys.

Our Tea table.

The roaring fire above and the chandeliers in the lounge.

After Tea we retrieved our bags and headed for the train station for our journey home, the train was there waiting and on time and Eldest and Girlfriend collected us from the station when we got back.

As well as a wonderful weekend, DH arranged a surprise for me when we got to London on the Friday with a visit to a lovely little jewellery store specialising in Pearls, Coleman Douglas, as this is what your 30th Wedding Anniversary is. He bought me a lovely pair of pearl earrings (above me trying them on for size!).

Of course I could not let DH get away with the only one for a surprise. He has always loved the Fortnum & Mason hampers but not their standard ones as he does not like the things in it. However they now let you put your own choice of items from their ranges in and this is what I did and had it delivered to the Hotel as a surprise. He loved it and the basket? Treacle is now using it as a new toy box!!!!!!!

It was a wonderful weekend and although we were supposed to go away for a two-week holiday, that was not going to happen because of business commitments it was so nice to get away for a few days.

Of course we were back to earth with a bump on Monday with work and DH was away yesterday and today in Scotland on business and I have lots of things to try to get done this week, some Christmas things, some Birthday things as well as all the normal stuff. I went yesterday Christmas shopping with my good friend, Jayne, in Nottingham and we had a lovely day and I will show you some pictures of that tomorrow. I do love this time of year!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone.

Hugs, Susie xx

PS It is definitely getting near Christmas, I have put the Christmas CDs’ in the Jeep!!!!!

Saturday in London.

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We had a lovely evening on the Friday and our room at the Hotel was really nice. Here are a few pictures :

We fell into bed around 11.00pm and were fast asleep when at 2.15am the fire alarm woke us up with a start!!!! DH threw a dressing gown and slippers at me whilst I was still half asleep and said come on, leave everything, however I did get my bag and my jewellery!!!! By the time we got into the corridor we were told it was a false alarm but unfortunately they could not switch the alarms off! IT was so penetrating that we had to leave our room and went downstairs to the lounge where it was less noisy. They brought us a pot of tea and some of the others were drinking alcohol!!! It was an hour and a half before we got back to our room, which was then thankfully quiet!!!

Needless to say everyone was late up the next morning for breakfast!

After breakfast we had a wander around the stores, particularly Harrods & Harvey Nichols and found some great little things for The Boys and their Girls for Christmas, which is what I wanted. However it was very, very busy with people Christmas shopping. We got back to the hotel around 3.00pm and had a rest before having dinner in the Hotel Restaurant.

As you can see DH was tired!!!! I was asleep on the bed!!!!!!!

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This is the Dining Room at the Hotel where we had a lovely dinner. Interestingly they do not allow phones in the room to be used, so no photos of our dinner, which was worthy of the odd picture or two but I am sure they are protecting their creativity! I had risotto for my starter and chicken for my main and DH had smoked salmon to start and Dover Sole for main and it was delish and very filling! We just had coffee afterwards.

We were thinking of then changing and going out to see all the Christmas lights but it was just too late and we were too tired!!! We again fell into bed around 11.00pm but I then woke up again at 4.00am after the previous nights entertainment!!!!!!!

Tomorrow I will show you our Sunday in London. I know it should be The Wednesday Wag but I have given Treacle the day off, she is still recovering from the weekend too!!!!!

Hugs, Susie xx