Advent 19 - A Hyacinth

This hyacinth in a pot was bought at a late Autumn sale at the Methodist chapel for 50p. I re-potted it and added some moss and it's been included in the box of gifts for Col's Dad.

Years ago I always bought some hyacinths and did the planting/wrapping/keeping in the dark thing before bringing them in for Christmas. Then one year they all got eaten by mice or something and I've not bothered since. It was only after I had biked home again after buying 1 hyacinth that I thought ......why on earth didn't I get one or two for us

We went to a funeral yesterday. Col's uncle, who was almost 80, had been ill for a while after a stroke and then the dreaded dementia crept in too. It was a sad time but at the same time a lovely funeral (if that doesn't sound too weird). Col's Aunt and Uncle had been baptised into the church family of Wetherden Baptist church in the mid 1990's and by a very strange co-incidence that isn't really a coincidence, Wetherden Baptist church is where I went to Sunday School and Youth groups ( F.O.Y. or Fellowship of Youth) all through the 1960's between the ages of 7 and 15. It was a proper funeral where the people who spoke really knew Col's Uncle, and the chapel was packed out with people who had known him at various times in his life. Unlike some funerals where there are hymns but no one is used to singing, yesterday there were so many chapel people there that the hymns sounded wonderful. Col caught up with his cousins who are all much younger than him and their families. I caught up with people who I knew from Chapel all those years ago and reminisced with the youth leader back then about the time we got stuck in the snow after going to a bible quiz at Hadleigh chapel.
 My Mum and Step-Dad are buried there too so I popped a tiny Christmas tree on Mum's grave while we were there. We saw other members of Col's family who we won't see until after Christmas so that was nice too. It was lovely to see they have a new young pastor, in his 30s with a young family, quite a rare thing.

I'm looking forward to the Strictly final tonight, but I've no idea who will win.

Many thanks for comments yesterday. I sometimes think I mustn't keep mentioning all Col's nasty health things, that wasn't what this blog was supposed to be about, but it's difficult not to when it seems to be taking up so much time. Someone said they liked my blog as it was like chatting over the garden fence which I liked the sound of so I'll just keep chatting about what's happening and apologise if it's a bit tedious.

Back Tomorrow
Sue

Advent 18 The pre Christmas jigsaw puzzle.

I loved jigsaw puzzles when I was a child but haven't done many recently until this time last year when I found this lovely colourful Christmas shopping puzzle in the sale down at Friston. It kept me out of mischief during the 2 weeks before Christmas and I decided to look out for another puzzle during the year but  promptly forgot. Then I spotted this one secondhand on eBay while searching for wartime magazines for a Christmas present ( didn't find the magazines ) and thought it looked a good one to do. It's coming along nicely. I don't know if my friend who likes WWII books and magazines does puzzles but I'll offer it to her when I've finished it.

This was taken a few days ago, now I'm getting to the sky/cobbles/brickwork bits - not so easy

Col had the final part of the camera investigations done yesterday, while they were doing it they did another scan too to check on something else that might be causing the blood count problems. Hopefully we will hear the results soon.

We've just noticed that I'm rapidly approaching 1 million page views - Good grief, who knew so many people would want to read about a quiet thrifty life in Suffolk.

Did you see the Greg Wallace last night (with his silly grin) and the programme about cutting food waste and costs at Christmas - how did they find that family? Totally OTT. Or are their families like that all round the country.

Thank you for comments about Christmas cards and jumble sales yesterday.

Back Tomorrow
Sue

Advent 17 3D decoupage cards

The 17th picture in Advent
Some  3D decoupage Christmas cards.




 I made these for our children and partners. I would like to make all the Christmas cards I send but on the other hand I like to support a charity by buying charity cards from a charity shop in their January sales. I've got a draw full of Christmas bits and bobs for card making right ready for the time when I can't afford to buy ready made! Not sure if that makes me frugal or foolish? related to this.............
 A question I've been pondering for many years when queueing up for jumble sales. - Are the people who do NOT go to Jumble sales rich so they don't need to OR are they rich because they don't!

I'm not keen on this mild weather we are having, it doesn't seem at all right for December.  I biked down to Friston to post a card and came back sweltering as if it were June. The temperature on the thermometer on the outside of the kitchen window as we were doing the dishes yesterday lunchtime was 15.5C, more like May. I was listening to Radio 4 early yesterday morning and, because it was Jim Naughtie's last day on the Today programme they were speaking to someone living in the highest village in Scotland ( presumably Jim N has some connection with the place) anyway, it is  cut off by snow more often than anywhere else, but even though they had had snow already it had now gone and very mild with no chance of skiing - disappointing for the man who owns the ski centre there!


Welcome to Lisa, follower number 334. Hello hope you enjoy reading. Thank you for all the comments yesterday.

Just 7 pictures to go to finish my advent photos posts, which is a good thing as I'm running out of ideas.

Back Tomorrow
Sue

Advent 16 = Small presents already sent and messages to penfriends

Picture 16 of my advent photos for you is a pile of small presents.

 I've written before about my Penny Pincher Penfriends.  We all used to subscribe to The Penny Pincher Paper which was privately published monthly by John and Irma Mustoe in the 1990's. They appeared on TV in a series called Scrimpers presented by the actor Ray Brooks ( Not Superscrimpers which was more recent) which was on TV in the mid 1990s followed this with a Book and the monthly newsletter. I wrote for the paper for a couple of years ( no pay sadly!) and when they retired a few of us who had subscribed or written for it managed to keep in touch. We've been taking it in turns to write a letter for nearly 15 years now and we do little Christmas presents for everyone  They've probably all arrived by now I hope.

I'm feeling guilty because I've failed to send cards to D in Michigan and P in Canada - whoops. If you are reading.... HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you both and to your families! My other penfriend W lives on a windy Scottish Island and a present and long overdue letter was sent that way a few days back, I hope it gets there as their ferry and planes keep being cancelled due to the awful weather. I received a letter and gift from W    (Thank you W, had to smile at L having to eat bought marmalade because you sold all the homemade! )

Honestly, what a hopeless penfriend I am! Using the blog instead of writing. Tut Tut

Thank you once again for the good wishes in comments, very much appreciated.

Back Tomorrow
Sue

Advent 15 Christmas Fairs

We live between 2 villages and each  has a Christmas fair to go to. The first is the Cancer Research Sale in Knodishall village hall  on the last Saturday in November. It's always well supported and they have a huge prize drawer, a table of bits and bobs, books and then other village charities have their own stalls there too. They also have mulled wine and mini mince pies - for free! Very Festive and packed full of people.

I biked down and came home with a basket for a hamper -50p. 6 gold crackers- £1. Old Spice After Shave for Col's dads Christmas hamper - 50p. Some tiny heart shaped candles for someones Christmas  present - 50p and the River Cottage Veg book for £1.
 They raised over £3,000. Of course I didn't win a price in the draw - never do.

On the other hand, it was the Christmas fair in aid of the village hall in  Friston last Saturday and it's so sad to see how it has shrunk since we came to live here. Just  a few elderly ladies with a few donated items for sale and some cakes. 20  years ago it would be packed out with people, holly,  mistletoe,cakes,crafts and decorations for sale. I didn't buy anything or take any photos - too depressing and once again didn't win a price in the draw!

Knodishall is a thriving village with a primary school, church, playgroup, chapel, pub, shop and village hall. Friston is closer to the up-market seaside resort of Aldeburgh and is two-thirds second/ holiday homes and even though several new homes have been built they've almost all been sold to be used as second homes or to be let as holiday homes. There is a church, pub ( open and shut several times over the last 15 years -open again at the moment) and the village hall and that's it. I've said before that I'm the only person who uses the library van when it stops there, it seems to be a dying village and at this time of year when the holiday cottages are empty it already looks dead.

Thank you for comments yesterday and Welcome to Frugal Fingers and sumdayiwillc,  new followers, blogger won't let me see if you have a blog today so let me know if you have.

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Sue

Advent Photos 14 - Christmas family get together

Thank you to everyone for the good wishes yesterday. It is a shame our first grandchild will be all the way down in Surrey but without campsite and smallholding ties we will be able to go and stay close by in our caravan. Poor H and J have had a worrying two weeks as there could have been a problem with baby and lots of tests were done, we are hoping and praying that everything will be OK. Our eldest H is 35, already 10 years older than I was was when we had her ( I had all three by age 32) but I guess lots of couples have to wait so much longer to get themselves established with job and house before thinking about a family nowadays.

Apologies to Sandy ex-pat who asked for photos of our meal, we completely forgot but here are a few from later when we had collapsed in front of the TV. Sorry about the quality, every photo editing site I've tried uses Adobe Flash player and what ever I do Adobe Flash Player just will not stay connected on my computer and crashes. It's so annoying.

Our son in law dad to be and our eldest the mum to be ( chopped off Daughter in law to be)

A thorn between 2 roses - Col between our girls, H had already slipped into PJs due to the bump!

Our 6 foot something archaeologist son, who was experimenting with something our youngest ( who works at the opticians) was saying about eyesight being better when viewed through a tiny pinhole. Our youngest has the worst eyesight of all of us so it's a jolly good job she does work at the opticians and gets almost all her glasses for free!

Daughter in law to be avoiding looking at camera!

Our youngest daughters partner - future son in law also trying to avoid the camera

Thank you again for all the congrats yesterday, just need to find out what Col's health problem is now. 2 more hospital visits this week. We know the way there blindfolded!

Back Tomorrow
Sue

Advent 13 Red House Christmas Barn

A few years ago one of the local farms planted 100s of Christmas trees and  opened up a barn for Christmas with decorations for sale. We hadn't been round for a couple of years so we popped down to look with our son and daughter in law to be. It's expanded a bit and was heaving with people looking round. Some lovely things but what a price. I came away empty handed.
This farm is also a duck fattening farm the rest of the year, with huge sheds, noise and lights we can see through the hedge at the top of our field, even though it's half a mile away.

We had a good time yesterday with our Christmas gathering of all 3 children and partners. The table cloth remained clean so I didn't need to strangle anyone! Our eldest and her husband are off back to Surrey later and then away in Devon for Christmas leaving us with the news that, God willing, I will be Nana Sue from June next year! Yippee do!

Back Tomorrow
Sue