We had a lovely weekend visiting family on Saturday, of course I didn’t get any pictures!  DH’s Aunt got to meet Little Man for the first time with Eldest & Partner and we had lunch in the local pub, The Old Ship, Lowdham,  the village that DH was born and brought up in.  In fact that very pub is where DH’s father used to go on a Saturday for lunch and drinks with his friends and would then play dominoes on winter afternoons.  So his Son, Grandson and Great Grandson were all there on Saturday!  If you are local to Nottinghamshire and in particular Lowdham we can recommend the food at The Old Ship, there is a lot of choice and we all had something different and every dish was very tasty.

Youngest helping keep score on Saturday evening.

Saturday evening was the Fun Gala for the Swimming Club and they had a great time with various races and relays instead of just swimming up and down!  Youngest was on the Score Board and DH was announcing and I, for once, was actually just there to watch!  Although, as always happens, there was another event happening on Saturday evening, the Tractor Christmas Light Parade  and Eldest, Partner & Little Man went to see.  We would have loved to have gone too but could not of course!

This is Ben, a good friend of Eldest, with his tractor all lit up.  I don’t know exactly how many lights are on there but I know it took him quite a while to get them on and lit.  Little Man was a little confused by it all but did love seeing the lights and at least it was not raining again.

Sunday was a very slow day which was really nice after the last few hectic weeks and months.  Although I was up at 5.00am as normal but I did go into my sewing room and got the final two things finished which are Christmas presents.  Because I have finished all the things I needed to get done before Christmas, I, with the help of DH, put away all the material I had got out, the cotton threads and also tidied up the wadding.  I love making things but I also love it when it is all tidy again!  Once all the presents are out I will have the sewing room back!

I am determined that I am not going to be ill this Christmas unlike last year when I got shingles.  So rather than run around like the proverbial chicken in the run up to Christmas I have decied to have this week off and get various jobs done during the day.  I had to go to our local Council Tip first thing to get rid of some things that we could not re-cycle.  Surprisingly it was not busy.  I then went to my local supermarket and I could not believe the amount of people that were there.  Normally Monday is a quiet shopping day which is why I go, but the people in there were behaving like tomorrow is Christmas Day!  I needed some new boxes for storing things in the freezer and also a few bits so I got those quickly and left!  On the way home I got my car washed, to get rid of the dirt and salt they have been using on the roads and it looks so much better.  I got back in time for lunch and Coco had her biscuit.

Coco spent yesterday following us around whilst we were doing the jobs and subsequently did not get any sleep during the day at all, so by the time we went to bed she was absolutely shattered.  She was still tired this morning as well and has spent the afternoon in her basket next to my desk asleep!

Yesterday my main job was to bake the Mince Pies that everyone loves and I managed to make 72.  Some will be put into the tin and the rest will be packed in the new boxes for the freezer for me to get as and when needed.  Tomorrow I will be making the Christmas cookies for us and also for gifts as well.  I then only have to make the cheesy stars which my Boys love, put the marzipan on the Christmas Cake and ice it next week and make the chocolate log and then all the baking is done.  I am also going to cook ahead some meals during the days for this week and after Christmas, again for the freezer, for when we have had a busy day and no time to cook.  I will show you pictures of the baking later in the week.

Have a wonderful week you lovely lot, the last full week before the Big Day and I will see you back here tomorrow. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx