Monthly Archives: November 2022

Catching Up!

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I am getting there with catching up and more importantly keeping up with everything!  I spent the weekend baking the Christmas goodies and kept a few out but put most of them in the freezer out of the way of hands and paws!!!

Sixty mince pies made!

Sausage rolls done!

My Christmas cookies all done.

I have to make more Christmas cookies as gifts and for DH to take to various visits but they are the easiest to do.  Still have the Christmas cake to bake which I will try and get done tomorrow.  Just need to do the wrapping and write the cards and then that is all done. 

DH and I are lucky enough to be in London again this weekend and at the start of next week.  This will be a little later than normal but to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary and Christmas.  I am glad I took the above picture last year because I just love the red lights.  This year the Fortnum & Mason lights are gold which although lovely don’t quite have the impact these red ones do!

We are being bombarded with Black Friday deals, which I find an absolute laugh as this really is nothing to do with us in the UK but our retailers seemed to have purloined the event without us having the fun and food of Thanksgiving!!!  Of course it is just another way for our retailers to entice people in and get them to spend!!!  Advertising does not and never has worked on me!!  I like the adverts but cannot tell you what they are trying to sell me!

Coco is off to the Kennels for the first time, as we wanted her to get used to going just in case, and both boys are extremely busy so whilst we are not here it is the best for her and then the Boys do not have to worry if they are not home early.  The kennels we use were the ones my parents used and that is over forty years ago and it is the same family running it still and they cannot wait to meet Coco.  It will be a new experience for her.

Yesterday I popped over to see DH’s cousin in Nottinghamshire to deliver the Memory quilts to her and today I have been working all day.  Tomorrow I have some home jobs to do and some Christmas jobs to do as well so that will be a fun day.  Thursday and Friday are busy and then Saturday we are off to London.  DH has two Christmas Lights switch on to commentate on, on Thursday and Friday evening and so far the weather is cold but not raining!

I hope you lovely lot are having a good week. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Hello Friday!

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Have we all made it to Friday relatively in tact?  It has been another busy week but with some fun things in, even it if was no very Christmasy!!!   I am hoping that the next few weeks things will be more Christmasy but we have some nice things coming up, seeing friends and going out for lunch and dinner, which to me is always the best bit about the run up to the actual day.

Coco is becoming a proper little madam (!)  She has dug quite a bit hole in the garden, near the steps, which DH has now to fill in so she was in trouble for that!   She is getting there with her training and is very funny at times, a real character!!!  Can’t wait to see her on Christmas morning opening her presents.

This is a picture of Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland which opened after Jayne and I were in Nottingham.  The long piece around the whole of the event is an ice skate path with the rink in the middle.  Not sure I am very keen on the pink though as it is not a very Christmas colour.  Tom and I are due to go over to Nottingham in a few weeks so may get to see it then. 

DH and I are in London again next week, some business and some pleasure so we will hopefully get to see some great Christmas things there.  I will get lots of pictures for you.

I hope you lovely lot have a wonderful weekend and will have pictures to show you on Monday of what I have been up to. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xxxx

Congratulations Youngest!

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Many Congratulations to Youngest who has now completed his training and is a fully qualified Jaguar/Land Rover Technician.  He has one more block of Assessments and tests in January and then he will be a fully qualified Technician.  It has taken seven months longer than it should have because of all the chaos of Covid, but he has managed to stay focused and on top of all the work to get it done.  We are so proud of him.

As it is #TBT here is a picture of when he was little!

Here he has fallen asleep under the breakfast bar having got his Thomas The Tank Engine Yogurts out of the fridge!!!!!  He is two in this picture!!!

Happy Thursday everyone. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Christmas Grinch!

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Jayne and I had a lovely day yesterday catching up on family etc.  With regard to Christmas shopping, however, everywhere seems to be in a Grinch Mood!  What few decorations were up were boring, we had lunch at an Italian restaurant who had a bit of tinsel out but no tree or lights up and the main store which we both love; you would not have known that Christmas is just six weeks away!  There were the odd few Christmas things out but blink and you would have missed them.

The lights in the streets were not on, not that there were many of them either and there was no tree or decorations in the main shopping centre either.  So all in all we came away with a very deflated view!  However I had put the Christmas CDs’ in my car so we did have Christmas music to listen to!!!  We are going out next month for a meal as we usually do once a month and I am hoping that that will be more Christmassy!

I think everyone is so fed up with all the dreadful news about the war in Ukraine, the bad economy and the doomsayers who seem to report that they even have a broken nail (!)  that they have given up on Christmas already, especially the retailers who seem to be not bothered about doing Christmas this year.  It is a shame as we have had two previous years where we have had restrictions due to Covid, you would have thought they would try and do better this year but it appears not.

So although I don’t usually change my blog over until December 1st, I have now!  Someone needs to be getting in the Christmas spirit!  My good friend Sue & Molly already have one of their trees up with ornaments and lights on and ours will be going up the first weekend of December!

I feel Christmassy even if no one else does!!!!

Happy Wednesday you lovely lot. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Christmas is Coming!

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Whether you like it or not, Christmas is fast approaching!!!  In six weeks to be precise!  OMG!!!  Has that made some of your sit up and think “oh that’s not long now!!”

Jayne and I are off Christmas shopping today but to get you all in the mood, here are some Christmas pictures.  Now all of you out there who are being The Grinch or Scrooge, just remember it won’t be long before the Big Day is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   🙂

Here is Youngest and Eldest with our wonderful little girl Treacle!  We do miss you!

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Monday, Monday!

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It was very foggy yesterday and today, typical November days!  Saturday was a nice day and DH and I got some garden tidying done.

Yesterday morning we were with Eldest who was passing out from his Fire training.

We then went outside at the Fire HQ for a demonstration from the crew of some of the things they have trained for.

The crew having finished the first demonstration.

They then showed us putting a car fire out.

They also showed us a demonstration of cutting a car up.  As you can see it was still very foggy outside!  Afterwards they treated all of the families and the recruits to a buffet lunch.  We are very proud of him.

Then DH and I went to the swimming pool to set up for the second Club Championships, which went very well and we were finished by 7.30pm.  It was a long day but good fun.

This week, for me, is a mix of work and fun things.  Tomorrow I am going with my very good friend Jayne Christmas shopping in Nottingham, then to Eldest’s garage on Wednesday, home jobs Thursday and Friday I will be doing the Christmas baking and sorting out my quilting.  We will also be wrapping the Christmas presents and writing the Christmas cards!  DH has a busy weekend with swimming events both days so I will be able to get some quilting done.

I hope you lovely lot have a wonderful week. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Remembrance Sunday.

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Remembrance Sunday

Today we Remember all those that have given their lives in WWI, WWII and various conflicts since and to those that came back but were injured. 

In our family we were lucky as Grandparents and Parents came home, particularly from the two World Wars, but lots of families were not.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:         Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.               At the going down of the sun and in the morning                We will remember them.

We Remember them with thanks and for our lives that we live today.

Susie, DH, Eldest, Youngest & Coco xxxxx

Friday Book Club – November 2022.

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Now don’t faint but I have actually managed to do the post for Friday Book Club!!!!  I know, I am trying to be organised!

If you read my blog and Book Club you will know that I have read a couple of Mr Marston’s books already but they have been out of order (!).  This is his first book of the Railway Detective series and despite having read the others it does not detrack from this book.

It is set in 1851 when the Railways were beginning to be used for not getting people around the country but goods, mail and in this case money.  Inspector Colbeck and Sergeant Leeming are dispatched to a train robbery on the London to Birmingham train where gold and money has been stolen.  To make their getaway the gang also derailed the engine blocking the line. 

The Gang have covered their tracks very well and as soon as Colbeck & Leeming get near to some co-conspirators they are found dead, with leads running out they are under pressure to find the Gang before another train is robbed.

The books are very atmospheric bringing the 1850’s London to life.  I love these books.

Have a wonderful weekend and I hope you get some time to read.  The nights are drawing in very quickly and it is a great time to spend it reading. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco.

A November Monday!

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It was a typical November day on Saturday with fog which was going to be a problem as it was also Bonfire Night!  It cleared though in time for the bonfire and the fireworks, it was cold though.  I did not get any pictures because sometimes you just want to enjoy the event rather than be behind the camera, also my phone battery died!!!! 

Yesterday we got some jobs done before DH had to go off to a swimming event.  I did catch up on all my home jobs which was a relief.  DH has been sorting my new computer which I absolutely hate because everything seems to disappear!!!  I know it will be sorted in the end but now I am behind with my work!  Just get one thing caught up and then get behind in another!!!!  Hey ho.

Now don’t faint but here is a bit of quilting!!  This was one of my UFO’s.  I bought the fabric ages ago at The Festival of Quilts, the pink bits and it was supposed to be enough to make a quilt but it wasn’t so I added some white and then the grey and backed it and did the binding in the same material.  I like it.

I still have a lot of quilting to get done as well but hopefully I can sneak a couple of days here and there to get things done.  I vow one of my 2023 Aims will be start the Christmas gifts in January!!!

Here is Coco’s eight month old Portrait!!  Far too tired to sit up and have her picture taken!!!  Here she is lying on our bed whilst I was getting dressed!!!  Comfy or what?

This week is a little quieter again and next weekend we have Saturday in, yeah!  Sunday we are busy during the day and in the evening we have the second swimming club in-house championships.  Next week is a bit busier and I am doing some Christmas things!  It is coming up fast!!!!

I hope you lovely lot have a wonderful week. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx