Magical Christmas

This will be my last post this year, What makes Christmas Magical? FAMILY. Our wee house was jam packed with family and friends this Christmas. Absolutely loved it. Traditional Boxing Day Bash was the usual fun, it was nice to have Linda and her daughter Alex from Oz. The look on Gael's face when Hazel presented her with an original Wishaw High School Concert Band T/shirt and then produced two Horns was priceless. It was most nostalgic for me to hear them play together again, it must be twenty odd years since they played together. My dad would have loved it, as they used to give him his own private concert at Christmas. It was nice to have the four youngest girls stay over, talk about ten in the bed, roll over.

Ice Age

This is now day twelve of being snowbound, it's getting a bit tiresome now, Haven't been to work all week as the schools are closed. The M8 from Glasgow to Edinburgh has been closed now for two days. I've been hibernating with my big bear for ages now. I never thought that I would ever pray for rain, but it sure would help the situation. Check out the icicles, they are all around our house and the tempreture dropped to -16% last night Brrrr!

Let it snow........

It started to snow last Saturday and it has continued all week, so we have been snowed in for nearly six days now and I feel I'm now going stir crazy. However I count my blessings as we have warm central heating and the Co-op is just across the road. This is the worst snowfall that I have ever seen

Gordon and I have shovelled the driveway at least four times, I thought at first it was pretty like a winter wonderland but I'll be glad to see the back of it as it is restricting my retail therapy and Christmas shopping and talking of Christmas I truly hope that it will be well gone, otherwise the family will not be able to make it home for the traditional Boxing Day Bash . God forbid, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without the kids.

Haimes's at Home

Just had a wonderful couple of days with Molly and Georgia. Gael and Tim have gone for a quiet break together so Granny gets to spoil her two beautiful grand daughters, They are a couple of wee crackers, quite the double act. Granny is now shattered but very happy, It's a true saying though.........the most precious thing that you can wear around your neck is the loving arms of a child. now looking forward to Christmas when all six of them will be home. Bring it on !!!!!!!

My wee sodjer.

Second left, front row, my wee lassie came home from Afghanistan yesterday, I can't describe how relieved I am that she is now safely back in the bosom of her family, nor can I describe how proud her family is of her. Thank you Lord!
Well done Gael! It must have been a terrible wrench to have left behind her hubby and two darling wee girls. I got to speak with her today and she tells me that the girls have clung to her like two wee limpets since she got up this morning. She was full of praise for the brave young men who served with her, and for the love and support of Tim, who kept the home and family ship shape in her absence. Am now looking forward to spending next weekend with them.

Visiting Teaching Convention 2010

We had our annual V.T, Convention on Tuesday night. It was as you can see based on a pirate theme. The idea was that you brought along something that you treasured and talk about it, but in reality the real treasure that we have, is each other, it was both a fun night and spiritual. Around 35 sisters attended which was really good. I had lots of help with this activity and our 2 young men [bless them] waited on us. Jane built the boat, a very talented lady.

Come Dine With Me, Episode 5

Unfortunately I missed out on episode 4 at Andrea' s in June as I had to wait in for a heating engineer as we had a leak in our system. It was my turn this time, I was a bit stressed as Gordon and I had to organise the funeral for Wee Peggy Mac who had passed away that week. We had her funeral service in the morning and the CDWM dinner in the evening. I enjoyed the evening despite the sad start to the day. Good company and good food, always a good combination. The ladies have so enjoyed this wee experiment that they want to continue, Mary and her Mum want to do the next one, so that'll be something to look forwaed to.

Summer Holiday

Gordon and I spent a lovely relaxing week in Eastbourne, The seaview from our room window was breathtaking. We were very lucky with the weather as it was in the thirties and wall to wall sunshine every day.We visited Hastings and Brighton and just enjoyed wandering around all the little gift shops

Home Sweet Home

The weather here in Shotts has been glorious this week. Gordon took this picture of the back garden this morning. When we moved in back in April 07 all that was in the garden was a couple of trees, but it's looking really good now. I was very aprehensive when we moved here but I am really happy now and know that we made a good move; Gordon is so contented here.

Saints and Sinners

We had a lovely day together at the temple with the Dempseys. Even though Gordon was a bit stressed, we managed to get all our family file ordinances completed and we celebrated with a slap up meal. The chocolate Sundaes were to die for, as you can see by the pics. The diet was [well oot the windae.]

Overdue visit with the Dempseys

It's been 71 days since our last visit to Aberdeen so we set off on Saturday morning, we overloaded the car with goodies for the Dempseys, they were well pleased to see us. I cant believe how fast those kids are growing. We stayed overnight and went to church with them on Sunday, Hazel made us an amazing dinner, she is a great cook, bettter than me. She baked a carrot cake and a sticky toffee pudding [yum]. Both her and jared are great parents, those kids want for nothing. It was a lovely weekend. Am also looking forward to next weekend as Hazel and Jared are going to the temple with us.

It was bank holiday today so I managed to catch up with my washing and ironing etc even done a spot of gardening as the weather was really nice, I just love the sunshine.

Am off to Glasgow on Wednesday with Dorothy for a bit of lunch and some [retail therapy].

Come Dine With Me, Episode 3

It was Cynthia's turn to be the hostess with the mostest, and boy did she spoil us. The dessert was Hawaiian Surprise, it was really yummy. Clean plates all around. Good grub 'n' a good gab. Cannie whakitt. Andrea's turn next, bring it on!!!

Ozz sum

We had our Relief Society birthday party last night. We themed it on a trip to Oz, I was a bit anxious about it but it really turned out well. We had a full house, around thirty sisters turned up. We had set the RS. room out as Kansas, bales of straw, milk churns, farm tools etc, served a country kitchen meal and set off on the yellow brick road where Dorothy met the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion who all had prepared a 10 minute class. The Munchkins [Isobel and Andrea] then led everyone back on the YBR to the RS. room which had miraculously changed to Oz, bright, sparkly, balloons, fairylights, lollipops the lot. We then served the Birthday cake while Dorothy and I [the witch] sang Over the Rainbow with the lyrics changed to include Visiting Teaching [ Ishbel did a really good job of the lyrics]. The witch was duly melted and and an RS. inspiring five minute video followed. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed their evening. All credit to my cousellors and sisters who did their assignments with gusto. Thank you ladies.

Valentines Day

Grannie Slippers

Monday night, feeling my age today, the damp makes the old bones ache.. Fear not tomorrows another day. Piano lesson at eleven, that'll get the old gray matter going. Am looking forward to going to Aberdeen this week end to celebrate with the Birthday Boy. Thirteen, Oh my where did that go.

Come Dine With Me

Enjoyed a lovely evening at Ishbels, she was the first one brave enough to try out our CDWM experiment. The food, the company and the entertainment was really good. a 'rerr terr' was had by all.

Had two really good meetings with the Relief Society Presidency last week and we got all our activities organised for the coming year. It's looking good. The CDWM is replacing our 'Knit and Natter' night which ran for the past nine months. many of our sisters learned this skill, it was alot of fun, probably more nattering than knitting but we saw some awesome results. Andrea's Dr Who scarf was an absolute belter.

Snowed in

It's snowing again today. God bless the Co-op. This wee house is so central, we don't need to drive in bad weather conditions. Am back at work which is only a ten minute walk down the road. How blessed am I? I was contemplating walking down to the pool to try out my new swimming gear I got from Santa,but one look out the window changed my mind Brrrrrrr. Need to get back on track with the diet and excersise.

Lazy Day

First day of the year and we chilled out all day, We had a lovely steak pie dinner for two and we watched some of the DVD series that The Dempseys gave me for Christmas, not exactly church material but side splitting hilarious. I shall repent after I have seen disc five. I wanted to go a walk down the woods this morning with Gordon but his toes have been bleeding again and it was so cold and he tires very easily these days, bless him. I feel a bit stir crazy as we didn't get to the Ceilidh last night due to the weather again. I feel a bit like Ebenezer, Bah Humbug ! etc.as I could see this White Christmas thing far enough now. All going well we are off to the sales tomorrow, looking for a new frieview box for the front room as the present one is kapoot, I just hope to avoid any SPEAKER SALES.