Christmas plain and simple

Our Christmas expectations were not high, particularly when Mr FF returned from his Santa drop and took to his bed with similar symptoms to mine. However against the odds we had a wonderful Christmas that involved no fuss, no over eating just quiet, calm and lovely lovely presents.  It might be that I was at a low ebb and feeling emotional but my gifts really touched me, I was amazed that people know me so well, for example this little wooden placque.  I am not a fan of those bossy signs telling you what to do, but this I like

A great selection of books, I had already considered turning Danish anyway, and the Guest Cat sounds just up my street.  Love stories to read in the sunshine, delightful.

Candles and creams, a pretty toilet bag and gorgeous marble soap

Charming bird accoutrements to take out to Italy, I have decided that it would be a good idea to encourage the birds into our garden where they are safe from the horrible hunters on the hillside and might help keep down the mosquitoes. 

Once again Mr FF managed to blow the £5 budget with books, a dvd to watch some time in Italy, a book mark

an interesting knitting book and some chocolate coins

And finally this shopping bag from our local supermarket that makes me smile every time I see it

We both decided on Christmas morning that we had no appetite for the steak we planned, a rake round the freezer produced some fish cakes and they were enough.    No pudding or cake, a glass of prosecco and that was our meal. Fish cakes could be the festive way forward they certainly worked this year, Christmas was easy, simple and happy.
Enjoy the rest of the holiday.

Feeling poorly

You know I'm not at my best at this time of year but now I seem to have gone down with some horrible virus.  Started on Sunday with a sore throat and runny nose followed by a day of banging headache and vomiting.  I couldn't even keep a pain killer down let alone water, in 40 hours I ate only one dry cream cracker. Now I have a terrible cough and still no appetite but whilst feeling wretched I am counting this as pre-festive detox, I can drink nothing but water and Lucozade.  A neighbour told Mr FF that what I have is known as the 100 day bug because that's how long it will take for me to get well, so cheery.
Instead of an overnight at my brothers and the merry exchange of gifts with family and friends, I am either curled up in bed or on the sofa under a blanket. Mr FF dashed of at first light this morning to complete the Christmas duties, just as well I wrapped the presents early. 
No idea what we are going to eat on Christmas day, no idea if I shall want to eat anything beyond a jacket potato.  I am wondering if this is some kind of punishment for being so bah humbug over the years.
So I hope you are all well and that you have a lovely lovely Christmas, me I am trying to be positive and concentrating on my recent weight loss.  Maybe here is a Santa after all.

Different Decs

Our communal decorations in the hall are quite traditional and as everything is artificial they are the same as last year if slightly differently arranged, very large tree with tasteful candles and swags.   This is how I see them from the penthouse and very lovely they are, I didn't go down to take more photographs as I showed you plenty last year.

Inside the penthouse we have taken a new and interesting route.  We bought a very modern lit tree that obviously doesn't need any decoration, apart of course from our tin birds.  Don't ask me what they have to do with Christmas, they normally stand where we put the tree so we left them.

                         

We did think about having the tree in the lounge but it was a bit distracting so it is at the very end of the hall and we see it when we come in and when we move between rooms.

                   


And since we don't have a tree that requires decoration, I've hung my very favourite bits and pieces, my golden goose, the wooden armadillo, the fish and some stars from the beam in the lounge.

I could pretend that this pretty lantern is part of the decoration too, it always sits beside the fire but I did thrown in some silver beads for extra effect.

Next week I shall add some greenery to the apartment, hopefully collected from my brother's garden when we go over to exchange presents. And that will be quite enough festiveness for me, you'll be expecting me to sing along with the Christmas songs in the shops next.

Better to give

I really really like these socks, they are Ann Budd's Mock Wave Cable from Favourite Socks by Interweave.  Pleasingly I knitted them in the same colour as they are shown in the book using Cygnet wool rich 4 ply that I believe was on offer a while back from the lovely Kemps Wool shop in Sunderland.  The top photograph is true to colour, a sort of lilac, but I kept the others to show you the pattern detail, it's rather dark in the penthouse at this time of year.
Whilst I was knitting them, in Italy, I wasn't totally enamoured by the results, despite my love of cable and the fact no cable needle was involved.  It wasn't until they were finished and I tried them on that I was smitten.

However, tis the season and I have wrapped them up to give as a present, how good am I.  Not that altruistic, I still have enough yarn to knit myself a pair and I shall.  
Incidentally Cygnet Wools are based in Bradford, their address is on the ball band.  However no where does it say where the yarn is actually produced.  I'd like to think it was spun just over the hill from me but somehow I doubt it, I have emailed to ask and will let you know.

You won't believe this

but nonetheless it is true.  
I have posted off all my overseas Christmas parcels, today I am going to post my overseas cards, I have wrapped all the presents apart from the ones for Mr FF, yet to be sourced, and I have the address labels printed and stamps purchased for my UK cards.
You will believe that this hasn't put me in the best frame of mind, it's that time of year that doesn't suit me.  Tomorrow the Christmas tree goes up in the hallway of our building, there is a list for volunteers to sign up to help with the decorations, it's best I stay in the apartment.