Well since last Wednesday’s post the week has, of course, flown by with work and Christmas activities thrown in. 

We got our decorations up and the real tree decorated the weekend of December 1st and finished them off on December 2nd!  We went to the Garden Centre in our village first thing on Saturday November 30th and got the tree and two wreaths for our visit to the cemetery when we are in Nottingham.  There were a few people there but not many so we got everything and paid and then went with Youngest & Partner for breakfast which was lovely.  Below are the pictures from our sitting room.

The drinks table gets moved, it usually sits where the tree is now, behind the sofa and next to the bookcases and on the bookcase is our Nativity scene.  Sorry the pictures are a bit blurry but they were taken at night with the lights on, so the camera was having to adjust for the artificial light!

We moved the other sofa over and my rocking chair next to the fire and hopefully this will make a bit more room.

The Dining Room decked out.

We have new greenery and red berries for the stairs this year as Coco decided to pull some of the berries off last year!  She didn’t eat them just pulled them off and spit them out.  Coco has left them alone this year but Blaze is picking the new ones off now!!!!!!

Santa and his Reindeer with tea lights in, on the dining table.

Our dresser all dressed up!

Coco was following me around whilst I was taking pictures but then moved at the last minute!

The Kitchen and our Den all decked out too and looking very Christmasy!

Last Friday evening DH and I were in and had dinner early so we sat in the Den at our desks writing the Christmas cards which have now all been sent.  All the presents have been wrapped and just waiting to be put around the tree on Christmas Eve, although I am having to keep an eye on Coco and Blaze as they know that their presents and treats are in the sewing room and I find them trying to get to them when I am not in there!

The Christmas cake needs the marzipan putting on this week and I have the Christmas cookies, mince pies and cheesy stars to make this week.  I cannot show you what I have been busy making in my sewing room as they are Christmas gifts and the people they are for, all follow me (!).  I will be able to show you after Christmas.  I also have two new quilts to make in the New Year so I am going to make an effort to get projects finished so I don’t have too many things hanging around! 

We also had a busy weekend with Christmas things happening and today and I will show you those pictures tomorrow!  I still have not shown you Coco after her Winter Airecut and I will do that later in the week too.  This coming weekend we are visiting family on Saturday in Nottingham and having lunch, in the evening we have the swimming club’s Fun Christmas Gala and Sunday we have nothing on but there are always things to do!!

I hope you lovely lot are having a good week, tomorrow is the middle and we are almost at the weekend again!! There are also fifteen days to go to the Big Day!!!  It will soon be here. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

The Christmas Movies have been on TV for quite a while now, but I tend to watch them mixed in with the horror and mystery movies I love.

I do love the Hallmark Christmas Movies although I will say that they do all follow the same format.  In fact I saw a funny commentary on them the other day where it said that who would meet someone, fall in love, take part in several Christmas activities, upset each other, then get back together and become enaged in the space of five days before Christmas!  It made me laugh because most of the movies are exactly that description.

I don’t know about you but these Christmas movies and some of my favourite movies of all time, I want to know what happens afterwards?  I love the films “When Harry Met Sally” and “You’ve Got Mail” and I would really love for them to do another movie of their lives after the first films ended!!! 

The other thing I have noticed about these Christmas movies and particularly “Home Alone” is how they have been decorated by the set designers and prop masters to look so “Christmasy”.  If you look at the prop house that Home Alone is set in, every room has a lot of “Christmas” in it, being very heavy on the deep red and green.

As you can see from this picture of the kitchen the cupboards are a deep burgundy colour, the tiles on the counter are deep green, curtains red, pots and pans are red and the floor tiles are a redish colour and even Kevin’s jumper and trousers are red and green.

(©Twentieth Century Fox/”Home Alone”)

(©Twentieth Century Fox/”Home Alone”)

Again the Sitting Room is full of green and red including Kevin’s PJ’s and dressing gown.

(©Twentieth Century Fox/”Home Alone”)

And following on the colours of lots of red and green in the dining room and the parent’s bedroom.

(©Twentieth Century Fox/”Home Alone”)

I do think sometimes this is why people get disheartened by their own Christmas decorations and look of their homes because they do not compare to the movies, but the films are created to have that Christmas look which I am sure everyone would get fed up with for the rest of the year!!!!!

Have a really good look at the next Christmas movie you watch and see if you think my theory is correct with the Christmas colours!!!!!

I got my basket of ironing done today and work, of course, and tomorrow I have more work to do, home jobs and possible some more Christmas baking!  Happy Wednesday, half way through the week! 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

We managed to get the Christmas tree put up over the weekend and then finished off the rest of the decorations last night!  Who would have thought it would take so long!!! Eldest and Partner got their decorations put up over the weekend too.  We just need to put the outside lights up at the weekend when it is daylight!

Little Man decided to help Daddy and check to make sure he had put the tree properly in the stand!

Then was busy helping with the lights!

All up and done and three Happy Faces!

I will show you pictures of ours later in the week.

DH did the Christmas Light Switch on in Long Eaton and Ilkeston on Thursday and Friday last week and above was the set up for the Village Light Switch on, on Sunday!  Fortunately it had stopped raining at lunch time and the sun actually made an appearance in the afternoon.  Thursday night at Long Eaton was very cold and although DH was wrapped up in thermals, jeans, a T, a shirt, jumper and gilet he was absolutely freezing!  We are having days where it is really cold and frosty and then a couple of days where it is milder.

The picture above shows the local choir on the balcony singing and the villagers below where Santa made an appearance and where there were also hot drinks and mince pies.

This is a view of the village hall with the lights on and the Christmas Tree in the Sports Lounge and the end window on the left, although you can’t quite see it, is done as an Advent Window.  Various homes in the village do Advent Windows and a trail for people to walk round and look at, which is a great idea.

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” ― Edith Sitwell

I had a lovely day at the Spa today where I had an Indian head massage and a facial.  Because of some stuff going on with me at the moment I am finding that my skin is up and down at the moment so it was great to have the facial and help it to calm down a bit.  Usually I have a full massage but again can’t at the moment hence the Indian head massage, which does include the neck area which is where I tend to carry my tension!

Tomorrow I have a basket of ironing to get done and also some baking.  Normally I would be with Eldest but he is busy this week and next doing his blue light training for the Fire Service, so it gives me an extra day of the week to get some home jobs done.  Thursday I am planning on my normal home jobs and then Friday I can use to get some other Christmas  jobs completed.  This weekend we have got nothing on, so again we wil be able to get any jobs finished and have a nice night in. Can’t wait!

I do hope you lovely lot are having a great week and your Christmas plans are coming along well. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Youngest & Partner went over to Nottingham last week to see the Winter Wonderland which has appeared in Old Market Square.  For quite a few years it has been voted the best Winter Market in the country and of course we are biased it being our Home Town.  They always do a great job and Old Market Square in the centre of the city and in front of the Nottingham Council House provides a brilliant spot for these events.  In summer they have the Nottingham Beach which is always well attended. 

There are quite a few different food stalls selling food from around Europe, the above one being the Windmill Grill.  Behind it is the touring Observation Wheel which gives a great view over the City.

The above photograph is from the Wheel overlooking the Ice Skate park and rink at the other end of the Square. 

The Nottingham Council House in all its glory above.

This is the view down the left hand side of the Council House looking towards the Helter Skelter.

They had a lovely day and again I am hoping to be able to go next year.  Yesterday we got the Christmas tree from the garden centre in our village and then had a lovely breakfast.  Eldest, Partner and Little Man came about 12.00pm so we could have dinner with Youngest for his Birthday.  Then we cleared up and had an early night as we were all exhausted. 

This morning we got the Christmas tree up and decorated and will finish the rest of the decorations tonight as DH is out for the Light Switch on in the Village having done the Light Switch on’s for Long Eaton and Ilkeston on Thursday and Friday night.  It has been a very busy end of the week. 

In preparation for the Christmas decorations going up a few pieces of furniture in our sitting room have to be moved and in particular the drinks table.  Also the shelf on the Bookcase which holds my TBRs’ has to be cleared as my Nativity scene goes there.  So DH decided to stack the books behind the drinks table (above).  However he will have to reach my books when I need a new one!! 

I am busy working my way through my Christmas Lists; I have wrapped all the presents, I have my Christmas card lists done and just now need to write them and get them posted.  Tomorrow will be Christmas baking day.  I have sorted out my kitchen cupboards and spice rack and just now need to tidy the two freezers and that will be done.  Next weekend we don’t have anything on, so we will be doing all my extra cleaning bits that I don’t get done on a weekly basis and we will then be ready for Christmas and a visit from Santa Claus!  I will show you pictures when it is all done. 

Coco has had her Spa day and I have a spa day booked on Tuesday which I am so looking forward to.  I won’t be at Eldest’s this week as he is busy doing his Blue Light training for the Fire serivce this week and next, he is excited but also a little apprehensive.  Saturday next week DH, Youngest, Partner & are going for dinner for his Birthday on the Steam Train. Always a great visit, so again pictures next week.  We also have some lovely lunches coming up seeing friends and family before Christmas, which to me is always the best part of Christmas.

Christmas is now coming up fast and I cannot believe how fast the weeks are going by, but I am sure it is because we are so, so busy.  DH has now handed over Chairmanship of the Swimming Club to our new Chairman so will hopefully have a little more time to spare although he will still do his announcing duties.  We have a fun Gala for the Club on December 14th and then the Presentation Night when the swimmers get their trophies and have a social evening on December 20th.  One of my “Aims” for the New Year and certainly January, February and March will be to slow down a little bit.  It is the time of year when the weather is usually cold and grey and a great time for reading which I fully intend to do.  I am also aiming to get some more de-cluttering and tidying done too. 

I hope you lovely lot have had a wonderful weekend, a great week to come and I will see you back here tomorrow. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx