Monthly Archives: November 2021

Getting There.

So the cold I had developed into a chest infection for which I had to beg the Doctor to give me some antibiotics because it seems at the moment that unless you have Covid they are too busy to deal with anything else!  Having got the antibiotics I felt so much better, still have the cold of course but hopefully it is going now after two blooming weeks!

Of course it meant that I missed out on three Christmas activities which I love to do because of being ill, one was Christmas shopping with Jayne, one was our visit to Chatsworth to see the Christmas things and the lighting of the village Christmas Tree on Sunday!  Hey ho.  One thing did happen over the weekend though :

It started on Sunday and continued through the day and settled.

It got thicker and there was quite a lot by Monday morning when everyone had to go out to work!  Treacle had fun though but by this morning it was all gone.  Perhaps we will get some more later in the year and it would be lovely over Christmas!

Being in has meant I have kept up with my work and home jobs and just have a few more things to sort out but not going out is really having an impact on sorting things out for Christmas!  There is also another Covid varient which may cause issues further down the line so they have now said we need to go back to wearing masks again.  To be honest I have always worn a mask when around a lot of people so it will be no different.  I just hope that this will not affect Christmas this year like last. 

I have missed a few things whilst not being well.  One was the passing of Author Wilbur Smith on November 13th.  He was a favourite author of mine for a very long time and I have read all his books except the last few who he co-authored.  Now my good friend Susan doesn’t like Clive Cussler’s Co-Authors but I have found them okay and still in his style but I really did not like the Wilbur Smith co-Authors and so have not bought the last few.  I still have all his books and read them again on a regular basis.  My favourite book was “Eye of the Tiger” and then “River God” which is part of his Egyptian series.  I also loved all the books based in South Africa. 

Being ill in bed thank goodness for Netflix, as I could not concentrate on the book I am reading.  I found this little gem from 2010 to watch “Pretty Little Liars” and it was really good. 

It is this little one’s Birthday this week, 22, now where did that time go?  He is six in this picture with his favourite set of PJ’s and a Thomas The Tank Engine train for his train set!  Of course the presents are now more expensive and to do with actual vehicles that run on the road; Could I have a new bumper for my car for my birthday please?  (!) (Ignore the devil eyes, obviously did not have the red eye reduction on that day but saying that it was probably 5.00am!!!!!).

Eldest took Treacle to her Spa Day for me as he was off and she came back looking so much better and smelt better too!  All her bedding, towel, collar, toys etc had a spa day too so for a few days everyone and everything is clean!!!!

I hope you lovely lot are having a good week. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Treacle xx

Happy Thanksgiving.

To All My American Friends & Followers

Happy Thanksgiving.

I hope you all have a wonderful Day and a lovely long weekend. 

I am still suffering and have only managed to get up today after spending two days in bed!  I am really hoping that it will go soon.  DH is out tonight and tomorrow night compering the Christmas Light Switch on in two areas and then doing the same for the Village light switch on, on Sunday!  It is very cold here and frosty in the mornings.  I am hoping to catch up tomorrow with home jobs and Treacle has her spa day.  I have also lots of jobs to do at the weekend but I have given our good friends the tickets for Chatsworth Christmas as I am not up to walking around the house and garden.  I will go next year.

Hugs & Love, Susie xxxx

What Day Is It?

So my cold hit me on Wednesday full blast, I have been coughing and spluttering everywhere and DH and The Boys are staying away as if I have the plague!  They have been bringing me drinks and medicine but from a distance!  To be perfectly honest I don’t want them to get it either!  It is definitely a cold as well, I have taken the test.  I think that we all did so well last year staying away from each other because of Covid that we stayed away from everything so the colds are worse this year. 

I absolutely hate being ill, not only because you feel dreadful but also it makes me get behind with everything, just as I got on top with work and home jobs etc.  It makes me so cross.  It’s like getting half way round a board game and then your turn sends you right back to the beginning again!!!  The house looks like a bomb has hit it, the washing and ironing piles are in a race to see who can be biggest, I haven’t a clue what’s in the fridge, something might be alive in there (!) and Treacle doesn’t know if she is coming or going.  Speaking of which I have to be better before Friday as she has her spa day! 

I was supposed to be Christmas shopping with Jayne tomorrow but cancelled as I am sure she does not want me to infect her! 

Anyway this picture popped into my inbox and cheared me up no end.  My very good friend Susan sent me it, a friend of hers took it, and I hope she doesn’t mind me showing it you.  It is Reno where Susan lives.  It is an amazing picture.

And they have snow, on the mountains!  Saying that it is getting cold here, well cold for us, in that we are scraping the windows of the cars in the mornings.  Hopefully the cold will kill off the cold germs!!

I hope you lovely lot are all well and have a good week. 

Hugs & Sniffly Love, Susie xx

 

Sunday Home.

We had a lovely breakfast at the hotel on Sunday morning before packing to come home. 

The Hotel had started to put up their Christmas Lights.

Our Room.

Which had a balcony and overlooked the garden. 

We had a wonderful few days break and came home with some Christmas presents and I also came home with a cold!!!!!!  I have taken a test and made sure it is not Covid and it isn’t, just your run of the mill ordinary cold!!  Saying that I have a sore throat, cough and runny nose!!!!  Of course I have this and everyone else is feeling fine!!! 

I have had a busy few days with work and also home jobs.  DH and Youngest have been away for two days on a trip which was cancelled from last year to do with Land Rovers and driving.  Saturday evening DH has a compere event and Sunday we have home jobs to do before we start the Christmas events!!!

I do hope you lovely lot have had a great week and a good weekend to come.

Hugs & Love, Susie, DH, Eldest, Youngest & Treacle xx

Shopping Saturday.

Saturday we decided to do some Christmas shopping but again we did not get up too early. 

Some of the shops were decorated for Christmas and others were not, which was a shame.  It was the same with the streets some of the lights were lit and others weren’t.

Now you know I can’t go past a bookshop without going in!!!!

Fortnum & Mason, The Queen’s Grocers, always have to visit when we are in London.  They have the tastiest treats and their decorations are always wonderful.

Their central staircase above this year.

I had also booked for DH and I to have Afternoon Tea in the Diamond Tea Salon on the top floor.  This originally was an apartment for Mr Fortnum and his family and over the years had various uses until The Queen opened the Diamond Tea Salon in 2012, her Diamond Jubilee year. 

We got a special cake for our Anniversary.  However we could not eat them all but got a box to take them home in. 

Fortnum & Mason were all decorated for Christmas and I looked great. 

Piccadilly had their lights on.

The Fortnum Windows.

It was very busy with quite a lot of people Christmas shopping too!!!  It was nice to get back to the hotel and chill out!!!

Hugs & Love, Susie & DH xx

Our Wedding Anniversary.

As we had a busy day on Thursday we did not get up early on Friday, which was our Anniversary.  It is a real treat for us to not have to get up early and get one with the day!  We had arranged to see friends, who now live in London, for Brunch.  We had not seen them since 2019 before all the chaos so it was great to catch up.  We met them at 10.30am and finally left to get back to the hotel at 3.30pm!

In the evening we had booked a table at Bob Bob Ricard in Soho for dinner.  It was a lovely meal.  Here are some pictures of the evening.

The Restaurant is in Soho just around the corner from Carnaby Street, which was all lit up for Christmas.

We had a drink at the bar before dinner.  It was fascinating watching the barmen making the cocktails.

Every time I take DH’s picture at the moment he manages to have his eyes closed!!!!!!  No he is not asleep!

Our Starters.

Our Mains.

DH had flaming Creme Brulee for dessert.

One of the traditions at the restuarant is that they have a button at each table and at the bar to press for Champagne.

The Button and we pressed it!  I got a glass of champagne!

It was a lovely way to spend our 33rd Wedding Anniversary.

Hugs & Love, Susie & DH.  xx

We Are Back.

I spent Monday catching up on work and Tuesday catching up on home jobs, finally I am able to show you pictures of our mini vacation!  You saw the Merry Marylebone pictures from the Wednesday evening.  Thursday we visited Kensington Palace.  I had always wanted to go and also there was an exhibition of Royal dresses including Princess Diana’s wedding dress. 

Warning:  Picture Heavy Post!!!!!!

The main part of the Kensington Palace tour is where Queen Victoria lived before she became Queen. 

The first room we came to had some Tiaras from the Royal Collection.

A door into the gardens.

This dress was worn by Princess Margaret at a Ball.

A dress worn by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother on a Royal tour.

Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress.

This dress was worn by the Queen Mother at her Husband’s Coronation.

The following pictures are all from the State Apartments where Princess Victoria and various other monarchs resided including William & Mary of Orange.

King William’s Throne.

The Audience Chamber which had wonderful deep red damask walls.

The Staircase, I loved the lamps.

A Tableaux of Queen Victoria and her Court.  There was a lot of scaffolding in this room as they are trying to shore up the roof and floor.  They had tried in the past but it now needs a more permanent solution.

All around there were little figurerines depicting Princess Victoria’s life. 

The Rules that everyone had to follow around Princess Victoria.

Princess Victoria’s Dog, called Dash.

Princess Victoria’s Doll House.

It was a great visit.  We then walked into the park surrounding the Palace.

The front of the Palace where you visit.

The weather was good and it was nice to see a blue sky and the sun after several days of grey!

We then crossed the city for Lunch at Fortnum & Mason in The Royal Exchange.

We passed Trafalgar Square

DH Had Dover Sole for Lunch

I had Mushroom Wellington.

In the evening we went to see the Play “The Play That Goes Wrong”.  It is a play within a play and very, very funny!!!  If you get chance to see it do.

The set before the play started!  It does not look like this by the end!

We had a very busy day Thursday but it was great fun.  We got back to the hotel around 9.30pm and had some supper.  I will show you Friday’s adventures tomorrow.

Hugs & Love, Susie & DH.

Susie’s Friday Monthly Book Club.

Those that have followed me for a while know that Clive Cussler is one of my most favourite of Authors.  Eldest bought me for my Birthday a lot of his books I had missed and the above is one of them. 

Dirk, his famiy and friends get caught up in a post-Castro control for Cuba but more particularly an artifact that was thought lost at sea in 1898 which could lead them to the famous Aztec Treasure.  They have faced dire situations in the past but this one may end them all!

I have not got very far into the book yet, but am loving it already and will get to read a bit more whilst we are away. 

As do most book worms, I am also taking another book with me to London, just in case I finish this one.  I mean you cannot be without a book.  It is this:

It is the typical Christmas Country House Murder Mystery, in the style of dear Agatha.  I have just got all my Christmas books out to read!

I do hope you all have a wonderful weekend and see you on Monday.

Hugs & Love, Susie xx