Eldest, Partner, The Girls, Little Man, DH & I went last week to see Santa on his visit to Great Central Railway. We got to talk to Mrs Claus on the visit and she was saying how busy it was and it was lovely to see people and we said we came to see Santa at the Railway when Eldest was a baby which was twenty nine years ago!!!! Anyway here are the pictures from the Day.
Eldest & Little Man with the Engines.
Eldest, Little Man & The Girls on the Platform above and with the Steam Train below.
This year we were able to book a carriage, think Harry Potter, for all of us to sit in and it was absolutely brilliant. We were all able to be in there, it was nice and warm (outside was very cold and freezing) and great for the children.
Little Man & Grandad.
The right hand side of the carriage.
This was actually how it looked without the flash on. We were on the last train of the day which was lovely to see all the lights and it was really cosy in the carriage.
Santa visiting the children and they got some lovely gifts from him.
Little Man with me although he was getting tired.
Little Man and Daddy.
The Girls and the Christmas Tree on the Platform.
The steam train and carriages travelled from Loughborough to Leicester North along the double track and we stopped at the Reservoir for ten minutes before moving on. Everyone loved the day and it really took you back to the height of train travel in the 1920’s and 1930’s. We always took our Boys to see Santa at the Railway, but also used to go regularly through the year. If you are in the UK and want a lovely day out Great Central Railway is definitely a good visit.
More Christmas pictures tomorrow. Have a wonderful Saturday.
Well this weekend is the end of November and where did that go?! I watched some of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on the web yesterday and felt for everyone attending and those taking part because it was heavy rain! In fact it looked really grey. We, of course, know what it is like here in the UK as we get a lot of rain and our events are often attended with umbrellas, however so far this year things we and The Boys have attended have been dry!
Christmas started for Youngest and Partner on November 15th when they visited Chatsworth House to see it dressed for Christmas. Also their Christmas Market was on too, so they got to see that before going in the House. Enjoy these pictures they took.
Above is the entrance to the House with a walk between the Tulip Trees to the Front Door.
This is after they had been in the House and you can see the Market. The building at the top of the picture is the old Stables which now contains the main shop and restaurant.
Each room you go into has its own Christmas Tree. This one is in the Private Chapel.
Those of you who have followed me for a while will probably recognise the above room, The Chatsworth House Library, which I was able to visit with DH last year when we actually got to walk into the Library and sit down. I could have quite happily stayed in there and never come out!!
The Picture Gallery.
This is the tree in the Dining Room.
The Table in the big Dining Room.
This is the Painted Hall with the main staircase up to the main rooms.
I love the colours that they have chosen this year which are really bright and cheerful. I would have loved to have gone but am not able to this year but am keeping my fingers crossed for next year. DH and I love visiting Chatsworth House and have done for as long as we have lived in Derbyshire, which is thirty eight years this year. Because it is still a family home first and foremost, although open to the public, the house and its exhibits change all the time and it really does live. Whereas with the National Trust which takes over these houses when the owners are unable to look after them, keep them at the point at which they buy them and nothing then changes. So you can visit one year but then visit in ten years time and it will still look the same, which I think is such a shame.
The visit and tour was Partner’s Birthday Present and she really enjoyed it, they both had a wonderful day. Here they are in front of the Tree in the Painted Hall.
I will have some more Christmas pictures for you tomorrow with Eldest, Partner and the Children! I hope you lovely lot have had a wonderful week, your plans for Christmas are going along well and have a wonderful weekend. We have another busy Christmas one, again pictures next week.
The previous week and this have been so busy with work and family things, including a visit to the Dentist this morning!!! So hopefully tomorrow and next week I will be back to a post a day. I hope, if you are celebrating Thanksgiving, you have a lovely day wherever you are. Although it is not our holiday I am very Thankful for my family who I love to bits.
Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx
(NB. For Susan & Tara; I have sent you a few emails but not sure you have got them, let me know. Susie)
They had been forcasting this “Artic blast” and it was supposed to be very cold but yesterday evening at about 6.00pm it started to snow, but it was not settling and by the time we went to bed at 9.30pm it was like sleet. Well overnight it obviously got a lot colder and we woke up to quite alot of snow!!!! Here are some pictures.
The top of our back garden and the deck where the Boys Den used to be.
As you can see the snow is quite thick.
The snow on top of my pots with the pansies in them and the pumpkin!
The trees in the garden covered.
This is the tree in the middle of our garden with the bright red berries on.
These photographs are of the trees we can see from our front windows full of snow and quite stark.
The pictures below is the view directly across from our home out of our front windows.
Miss Floof went out first thing this morning and had a great time running around in the snow but DH managed to get her to come in as she had not had her breakfast. Later when I let her out she would not come in until I shouted biscuit!!! She then came in with snow in her beard and all of her paws!!! If it stays she is going to have a shock on Friday when she is in for her Spa day! I will be putting a jumper on her!!! This, of course, is quite normal. Whenever I book her in for an Airecut at this time of year it the becomes freezing!
Eldest had to go to the Doctors yesterday as he had had a cold for over ten days and was suffering with his chest and he had, in fact, got a chest infection so he is on tablets! I don’t think I know one person who has not had a cold or something so far this year! I am trying my hardest to avoid everyone who has had something as I do not want anything else especially in the run up to Christmas. last year I had shingles so I am determined this Christmas I am NOT going to be ill!
I have been very lucky this week to be a Lady who Lunches twice, yesterday and today. Yesterday with Sue who I have not seen since June this year so we had a lovely catch up and Jayne today for our monthly lunch. We tried an Italian at one of our local pubs and it is like a tappas where you have small dishes of things be it pasta or meat etc. It was lovely although by the end of it I was very full! The next time I see Jayne it will be for our Christmas meal in December and I am really looking forward to that.
Tomorrow I will be with Eldest at his work doing jobs but I am hoping to get back early so I can get some more jobs done at home. Thursday will be home jobs and then Friday I can get some other Christmas jobs done, I have quilting to finish and baking to do as well. Saturday DH and I are going to get some Christmas jobs done and then in the evening we are going with Eldest, Partner, The Girls and Little Man to see Santa which will be great. Sunday we will be finishing off the Christmas jobs. Next week I am going to pinch a couple of days to get some other jobs completed! It is winding up to Christmas!
So with Christmas all around at the moment I thought I would start on my Christmas Books that are sitting on my TBR shelf! I picked this one up as I loved the colour. Do you ever choose a book by its cover? I know you are not supposed to but it does make a difference to me and so far I have not been too far wrong with the books I pick this way!
Sophie receives a beautifully bound book in a surprise package but has no idea who it is from. She begins to investigate who sent it and in so doing comes across Harry, who has returned to the village from London to his home which is a crumbling manor house.
Under wintry skies and a sprinkling of snow the village takes on a Christmas feel and Sophie and Harry begin to find out their separate stories and whether they can become one story.
As you can tell from the above it is a Christmas love story and just the right thing to read at this time. I am very tired of the news at the moment and particularly all the doom and gloom so I have even stopped listening to the news now and quite happily playing my Christmas music!!! I have only just started the book but am loving it so far.
I have quite a lot of Christmas books on my TBR so after this I will be starting another. One of them is a Murder at Christmas book which I will love reading!
Sorry this is late and also on Sunday but as I say the days and weeks have been flying by!!! Happy Sunday everyone.
I have noticed on Instagram, which is the only social media I take part in, is that so many people have already put their Christmas decorations up! Obviously they have artifical trees but we as a family and my Parents and Grandparents always have a real tree so to put things up in November it would not look good by Christmas Day. But to be honest I have thought about putting up the other decorations!
I think it is because people have had not so good a year and with the news and all the doom and gloom happening in the World people want a lift and they get it when they go out shopping as all the shops are decorated and the Christmas Market in Nottingham has opened.
Chatsworth House has been decorated and open for Christmas since the beginning of November and Youngest & Partner went yesterday to see the House and also their Christmas Market which is on until the end of November.
You all know that I love Christmas and have been playing Christmas music in my car when I have been travelling round since October and no I am not fed up with it! We are intending to decorate for Christmas the weekend of November 30th, December 1st, we will get the tree on the Saturday morning and then go for breakfast at the garden centre and look at all the Christmas decorations there and then start in the afternoon. In the evening we will have dinner for Youngest for his Birthday and then carry on with the decorating on Sunday during the day. In the evening it is the Christmas Light Switch On in the village and DH will be doing the commentary. We will then be ready for Christmas!
During December we have a few dinners planned with friends and seeing family of course, which is always the best bit of Christmas.
So with 40 Days to go until Christmas, I hope your plans are going well.
Although Friday seems to come round very quickly at the moment and the weeks are flying by of course! We have been having quite a few misty and foggy mornings recently which is typical for November here in the UK. Next week we are due to have a freezing spell with frosts on the ground, which will be great and hopefully get rid of the germs floating around. Eldest and Little Man are both poorly at the moment with colds and I am trying to avoid getting it because after what I have recently had, I don’t want anything else!
Blaze was bought a new bed which hangs on the radiator and we used to have them when we had cats. He has been in it about three times but actually prefers lying on DH’s desk! A typical cat!
Coco loves her basket next to my desk and gets very comfy in it and also uses her big toy as a pillow! She has her Spa day booked in for next Friday just at it turns freezing cold!
DH and I managed to finish the final bits in the garden last weekend and it is now all sorted for winter.
The leaves have now all fallen off the ornamental cherry tree at the top of the garden and they have just about finished coming off the tree at the bottom of the garden too.
We got the patio cleaned a few weeks ago using hot water and bleach and it worked really well, there is only a little bit of green left but the rest of it looks good and I am hoping that it will not grow green over the winter. We also got the side walk past our front door done last week and that looks better too.
The pond was cleaned and we put the fountain down to a small amount so that when it is windy it won’t be blowing the water everywhere.
I haven’t put any winter veg in my raised bed this year but I have planted a load of daffodil bulbs in it so hopefully it will be a lovely burst of yellow in Spring. We had to trim one of the holly bushes at the front but as it had berries on it I put them in the veg planter to keep the squirrel from digging the bulbs up. They look really good.
Little Miss Coco out investigating the garden.
I have started the Christmas baking by putting the Christmas Cake fruit to soak in Brandy before I make the cake. I still have the mince pies, Christmas cookies and Cheesy Stars to make. Over the weekend DH is out both days at another swimming club, their gala, so I am going to spend the day in my sewing room getting some things finished in there. Next week I am out twice for lunch once with another friend, Sue and then out to lunch with Jayne too, so I am going to take the opportunity the rest of the week to get some of these jobs done. Next weekend DH is home so we will be getting the rest of the Christmas preparations done and then on the Saturday evening we are going with Eldest, Partner, The Girls and Little Man to see Santa Claus which I cannot wait for. I will bring pictures to you after that.
Sorry for a distinct lack of posts due to being so busy. I hope you lovely lot will have a lovely weekend.
The face of innocence or butter wouldn’t melt and all that! Well last night or should I say 3.00am this morning Coco turned into :
She started howling! She even managed to wake DH which is usually impossible. She was quite obviously dreaming but oh boy! Our other Airedales have been quite vocal but Coco is definitely a step above the others, she is not in the same league as Huskies of course but this howl was really spooky and quite eery. She was actually asleep in her bed next to our bed but when she woke herself up she got on our bed next to DH and of course both of them went back to sleep. Me, awake until the alarm went off at 4.30am!
Speaking of which the company we work with in Nottingham (also the company we work with in Derbyshire as well) have decided to work longer days Monday to Thursday and then have Friday off. This is due to a bit of a slow down with work in the run up to Christmas and to change the fact that on a Friday they come in just for the morning and then go home at lunch and then work on Saturday morning until lunch. It may all change again once the New Year is here but they are giving it a try. However it means that I am now getting up at 4.30am Today was the first day and having been awake since 3.00am was not too much of a shock although I did go into my sewing room to sort a few bits out and then found myself sitting staring into space for about fifteen minutes! The only thing I will say is that I will be able to get a lot of jobs done but have decided to shower and wash my hair in the evenings now, instead of first thing in the morning, as that is far too much stress and rushing around at 4.00am!
November 5th Bonfire Night
Remember, remember! The fifth of November, The Gunpowder treason and plot; I know of no reason Why the Gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot! Guy Fawkes and his companions Did the scheme contrive, To blow the King and Parliament All up alive. Threescore barrels, laid below, To prove old England’s overthrow. But, by God’s providence, him they catch, With a dark lantern, lighting a match! A stick and a stake For King James’s sake! If you won’t give me one, I’ll take two, The better for me, And the worse for you. A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope, A penn’orth of cheese to choke him, A pint of beer to wash it down, And a jolly good fire to burn him. Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring! Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King! Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!
The above is from around 1870 but the actual Gunpowder Plot was in 1605 and was to try and blow up Parliament and especially King James I of England (James VI of Scotland) who became King after Queen Elizabeth I. The Conspirators; Robert Catesby, John & Christopher Wright, Robert & Thomas Wintour, Thomas Percy, Guy Fawkes, Robert Keyes, Thomas Bates, John Grant, Ambrose Rookwood, Sir Everard Digby and Frances Tresham. They were unhappy with the lack of religious tolerance for English Catholics which of course all stemmed from Henry VIII turning away from the Catholic Church when the Pope would not give him a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, to marry Anne Boleyn.
The Conspirators idea was to kill King James, Parliament and with it a lot of the Protestant families and Privy Council of the country and install King James’ daughter, Princess Elizabeth as a Catholic Queen figurehead. Guy Fawkes is the name that everyone remembers through history, who had been in the army during several conflicts in Europe and was used to handling gun powder. He was a staunch Catholic committed to the cause. However through various letters and people reporting to the King about the plot the Conspirators were found out and all captured. After trials they were all hanged but because of how audacious the plot was, it became very much a part of British history.
So on November 5th each year we celebrate the fact that Guy Fawkes failed to light the 36 barrels of gun powder under Parliament, with fireworks. We are fortunate that Coco does not mind the fireworks and any of the loud bangs she just barks at. Blaze was okay although he was not keen on the loud bangs. The big orgnised fireworks mostly took place at the weekend so tonight will be local and family events. We decided we were not going to do any this year, but may do next year when Little Man is older.
If you are attending or having your own Fireworks, stay safe and have a wonderful evening. The weather is supposed to be cold and misty tonight but at least no rain. I cannot tell you the amount of times I have watched fireworks being let off whilst sheltering under an umbrella or getting soaked!
I don’t know if you have seen anywhere, it has certainly been around on Instagram, that if you have over 1000 books then you have your very own Library. The above is the Library at Chatsworth House, my favourite room on the whole tour, and last year had the good fortune to actually go into the room and get to sit down and learn about some of the books housed there.
Of course this made me wonder how many books we have in our sitting room. Here is a picture of our main bookshelves taken a few years ago and there are a lot more books on the shelves now. Below is a picture of the other bookshelves in the sitting room.
So DH and I decided to count them and we have 1,254! Therefore we are renaming the sitting room our Library now!!
A room without books is like a body without a soul – Cicero
Work has been busy and I am trying to keep on top of all my jobs and then carve out some time for quilting and reading. The other eveing I was reading in bed and fell asleep with my glasses on, the book fell onto the bed and my light still on! I think I woke up about 2.00am and put everything on my bedside and switched the light off! The only down side of reading at night! Although I do find that if I read in the day I can also fall asleep! I have so many books that I want to read on my TBR shelf especially at this time of year when I want to read the books I have which fit the season, like the spooky books and then the Christmas books! I will make some time.
The weekend was busy with DH at the Fireworks on Saturday evening and it only drizzled a bit but it all went off well and then the whole family were here yesterday for DH’s Birthday which was a lovely day, although I was tired this morning. This week is a quiet week so it is going to be a mix of work and getting some jobs done during the day too. Next weekend we have the whole weekend free so DH and I can get some jobs done and we may go out for dinner on Saturday evening.
Have a wonderful week and just to remind you there are 51 days to go to Christmas!!
I know that may sound like a lot but the way the weeks fly by, having only just begun November, it will be the end of November and then Christmas before we know it!!! Of course I have a million and one jobs to get done but I am definitely trying to pace myself this year and not end up rushing around and then being ill like last year when I had shingles!
We had quite a lot of Trick or Treaters last night and Youngest & Girlfriend did a great job answering the door. They were dressed as a policeman and prisoner! Bonus we have some chocolate left!!
Our weather over the weekend is going to be dull but fine with no rain which will be ideal for tomorrow evening when a lot of the official bonfire events are taking place, including DH being Event Control for the Council one in our area. He will be out from 2.00pm setting up for when the fireworks which will begin about 7.00pm.
In the morning we have a bit of time to get a couple of final jobs done in the garden. The leaves have now almost finished dropping so we need to get those up and I need to plant my Spring bulbs. I have only bought Daffodils this year and I think I am going to put them in my Veg bed as I have not put any Winter veg in. DH and I did our patio last week with hot water and bleach which cleaned it really well and I am hoping that it will not go green this Winter when it is wet. The special eco-friendly stuff I bought did not do a thing, so I resorted to Grandma’s recipe of the bleach. We need to do the pathway outside our front door which also leads to our garden gate as that is very green and of course it gets very slippery when wet, which I do not need at the moment!
Sunday everyone is at home for Sunday Lunch to celebrate DH’s Birthday and I am so looking forward to that. I am also babysitting Little Man tomorrow evening as well, so his Mummy & Daddy can have a night out, again can’t wait!
Here is Little Man rocking the woolly hat and cardigan as it is getting cooler now.
This week has been a hectic one again and very busy which is why I think the weeks fly by! I have several “To Do” lists and am getting through the jobs slowly and am managing to keep up with work, Eldest’s work and home jobs including the washing and ironing. One big job which I am still doing is decluttering things and between Christmas & New Year we are going to get the attic tidy and hopefully the garage too. Well that is my aim anyway!
I hope you lovely lot have had a good week, have a wonderful weekend and I will see you back here on Monday. Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx
Coco was tired last night!
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