I really think they could make a TV show of these two!!!  We are very lucky that Coco is only two and Blaze is one so very young and so the transition of living together has been very smooth.  They have their moments but generally they are very good together.  The other day it was cold and I had the heating on whilst I was sat at my desk working.  Coco was in her usual spot in her basket next to my desk and Blaze was asleep on DH’s chair.  Everyone else was out so it was a very quiet cosy scene!!!

You cannot see Blaze very well as he is jet black but this is DH’s office chair!!!

I was busy in the sewing room last weekend and Coco was in there with me and Blaze was with his Mummy in their room next door.  He eventually came out and knew that Coco was in the room with me so this is what happened……..

Blaze was on the landing with his paws under the sewing room door.

Coco was in the sewing room the other side of the door!!!

Normally Santa Claus visits us on our road on a Thursday evening during December, but this year he did not come up our Hill because whoever was driving the sleigh could not reverse and our road is in fact a cul-de-sac and was not confident of turning around at the top!  Coco was most disappointed as she was waiting to see him!  It is run by the local Rotary Club and when DH and I were in Round Table & Ladies Circle we went out three nights of the first and second week of December in other areas of Derby doing this and we know it is a very hectic time but we always made sure we got around everyone!!!!

Here is Coco looking out of the front window in our Dining Room waiting for Santa Claus to come up our Hill!

Where is he?

She then retired to the stairs to keep an eye out for him but he did not appear.  Don’t worry Coco he will definitely be here on Christmas Eve with your presents.  Santa Claus will have his proper Reindeer then!

We hope you are having a lovely week, Thursday and almost the weekend! 

Hugs & Love, Susie, Coco & Blaze xxx

Well not actually here yet but I have been having a lovely time doing Christmas things!  Last Saturday Youngest, Partner DH & I went for dinner on the Steam Train where we took Eldest, Partner, The Girls & Little Man to see Santa Claus.  They run on weekends Dining Trains and we went at 7.00pm for dinner on The Christmas Forester.  It was Christmas dinner and to say that it is all cooked on board they do an amazing job and serving the food whilst the train is steaming down the line is a feat in itself.  From Friday night and all over the weekend the country was battered by Storm Darragh, although the worst affected was the West side of the country it was very windy with us and extremely cold.  We got on the train at 6.30pm and it was very warm and cosy.  We left the main station at 7.00pm and we stopped at the small stations rather than where they normally stop because of the wind.  We really had a lovely evening.

Sunday DH and I spent the day getting some jobs done and generally having a day off!  Monday I spent the day in our Den working and getting up to date with jobs and also getting home jobs done too.  Tuesday Jayne and I went out for our Christmas Lunch and DH drove us there.  For the last few years we have been to The Cavendish Arms at Baslow which is owned by Chatsworth House and is in fact on The Chatsworth Estate.  It is a lovely hotel where DH and I celebrated our Tenth Wedding Anniversary!!

Jayne & I had Lunch in The Garden Room which was decorated in a natural garden way.

The weather was cold and misty, so the lights were on and quite bright as it was grey outside!

The Christmas Tree above was outside the windows on the patio.  Below is the Christmas tree in the Reception area.

I love this table in Reception, above, with the light above it and below is a picture of the fireplace unfortunately not real, but it did have a “real” looking fire, gas, in it.

The food was lovely and it was dark by the time we had finished so DH drove us back through Chatsworth park to see the lights and then through Matlock and Matlock Bath.  My lunch with Jayne is a highlight of each month, more so in December and near Christmas.

I have also been catching up with the photographs on my camera and found these from earlier in the month.   This was taken on Youngest’s Birthday with his brother and Little Man in our sitting room. 

Youngest & Partner went for a walk at Chatsworth a couple of weekends ago and it was absolutely freezing so they were wrapped up warm above.

This was both of them on the Wheel in Nottingham when they went to the Winter Wonderland.

Tomorrow I will have pictures of Little Miss Coco and our new lodger Master Blaze (it sounds like a new cartoon series!!!!).  Stay warm and safe, almost the weekend. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

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

Happy St. Andrew’s Day, November 30th

Patron Saint of Scotland

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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. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

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. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx