Friday's Fave Five - 31/12/22

And I'm a day late....again!

I am actually struggling a bit at the moment.  Tests indicate I haven't had Covid but I've definitely had something for the last couple of weeks.  I am still struggling with a cough and generally feeling under the weather and...it's been a full on Christmas.  Today is the first day that we haven't got any company here or anywhere to be so I'm definitely resting and trying to recharge my batteries.

But, as always, there is lots to be thankful for so a big shout out to our host Susanne for reminding us every week to sit and reflect.  Find out more here.

1.  A lunch with friends on the Monday leading up to Christmas.  It was my turn to host our "Ladies Lunch" and I really enjoyed catching up with my friends as I'd missed the last one.  I'd made an effort with my cooking but nearly had a disaster with the main course - I was layering the food into a large round pyrex dish when I knocked it and the whole thing broke in half!  Cue total chaos and panic for a few minutes as I scrambled to salvage everything.  Fortunately I coped and my friends are the sort that when they arrived mid chaos they were all keen to pitch in and help so I'm extra grateful for friends that I don't have to stand on ceremony for.

2.  More motivation this year - I actually made a Christmas pudding, a Christmas cake, mince pies and sausage rolls.  I'm usually relying on shop bought ones but it was good to be productive even if at one point I didn't think the cake would get iced!

3.  A lovely family Christmas.  We had my daughter and youngest son and their families here on Christmas day and they all stayed over for boxing day.  Our other son and his family arrived late on Boxing day and stayed until yesterday so of course it was lovely having all the family together. They were all here on Thursday and we just about managed to get a picture of all the grandchildren together:

  

They do like playing a game together.

Ella was not going to sit with all those boys on her own!

The television provided a way of calming them down lol.

4. A pantomime trip - on Wednesday Nanny and Grandpa took the 3 older grandsons to see Aladdin at a local theatre.  (We took one parent of each too!)  

They all seemed to enjoy it and it wasn't too scary for them.  Not sure Grandpa was fully engaged though lol.

5)  A get together with extended family yesterday.  We met up at the social club we're members of.  It was lovely to see most of hubby's siblings and some of their families in a nice relaxed environment.

And that's Christmas done for another year!

We will probably do our usual thing of staying home and watching a countdown to the New Year on the TV tonight.

I hope you all had a lovely festive time and wish you all a Happy New Year!

Friday's Fave Five - 16/12/22

3 weeks MIA.  Definitely time to look back and think about the things I'm grateful for and join up with others at Susanne's site - "Living to Tell the Story".

Susanne has a Christmas themed picture up on her post but the snowy one is apt for me right now - we had snow!  Lots of it (well for London) at least 5 inches fell from late afternoon and into the night last Sunday.

Tonight my garden doesn't look a lot different (although a few more footprints) because it has been so cold that the snow hasn't melted.  It's supposed to be a lot warmer by Sunday so we'll soon be at the slushy messy stage but for now it is still very icy underfoot.

Nathan and Ella were happy to be outside in the snow

Vinny wasn't so keen

The park near my son's flat.

Of course on Monday it caused total travel chaos and many schools were closed.  This country seems to come to a standstill every time we have more than a dusting of snow.

However, I am grateful for:

1)  Being able to stay at home in the warm and not worry too much about the cost of heating the house.

2)  Delivery drivers who are still working and delivering parcels and food.

3)  Living on a main road - we had to scape snow and ice off the drive to get the car out but once we get on the road it's all good - helps that we're on a bus route too - the road was passable fairly quickly on Monday.

4)  Grandchildren - seen 4 of them this week including time with just Rory on Thursday as he had an early finish at school.  Don't often get time with him on his own.  I had Vinny on Wednesday as usual and he had a very rare tantrum with me.  I told him that he could have one more episode of whatever show he was watching before he had to go home, not realising that the episode contained 2 stories.  I stopped the show after the first story and he had a complete meltdown - turns out the credits rolling after both stories signifies the end.  Silly Nanny!  Well he was not a happy bunny.  He ended up in the car with no shoes on and very grumpy.  I won't make that mistake again lol.

5)  A productive day today - I finally got round to making a Christmas Pudding and my Christmas cake now has marzipan on it.  Hopefully I'll get the cake finished tomorrow.  I also made a banana loaf using up the bananas that were very soft.  Yes I'm sure that some of you will have made cakes and puddings weeks ago but I can't remember the last time I did homemade ones so I'm grateful that this year I've found some motivation.  My Christmas tree was also up just after the 1st of the month.

Have a good weekend all.