Saturday 23 November 2013

A Jolly Nice Day

Today has been a jolly nice day. One of those days that seems to drift by at just the right speed in just the right way.

Firstly, the sun was out and the sky was blue which made a welcome change from the rest of the week which has been blowing a freezy, drippy gale. I have not succumbed to the weather, oh no I have not. I have continued my daily walking targets and the car has remained on the driveway. I have been arriving at work looking windswept and bedraggled, but I have kept on walking, oh yeah! 

Secondly, Kayleigh came round this morning and we made Christmas pudding together. Now I know it isn't Stir Up Sunday until tomorrow, but today fitted better with the busy social diaries of all parties involved, so we had a Stir Up Saturday instead. It was a lovely thing to do, pudding making with my granddaughter. We played the Salvation Army Silver Band Christmas CD and chopped and grated and poured and stirred and only recoiled slightly holding our noses at the addition of half a glass of brandy. The recipe we used is one that my great-grandmother used. Before we patted the pudding into the bowl, we stirred it and made a wish.

'Can I tell you my wish, Gran?' said Kayleigh.
'Ooooh no,' I said. 'Your wish is between you and the Christmas Fairy. If you tell anyone, then the wish won't come true.'

Kayleigh was clearly bursting to tell me her wish. She looked like a small person on the point of excitable explosion. I diverted her by suggesting a quick visit to the chickens to feed them the leftover carrot and apple peel and some breadcrumbs. Mustn't give away Christmas Pudding wishes.

Then off we went into town to have a spot of lunch at our favourite lunch place. The town was heaving with people.

'Every year,' said Andy (and he is quite correct in this matter) 'we say we are never coming into town on Saturday until after Christmas because it is always heaving with people.' 

Well, I am going to stick to it this year, because I have no need to go into town because I have finished my Christmas shopping!  Anyhow, today we persevered for the sake of lunch. Our favourite lunch place is an independent gift shop called Harpers. It is owned by a lovely lady called Kate, it sells all manner of lovely things and at the back it has got a tea shop where they make sandwiches, toasties and baguettes to order, and have a counter full of lovely homemade cakes. At this time of year it is full of lovely fairy lights. It is lovely, and away from the main bustle of town. All round loveliness!

I then decided I was going to buy Kayleigh a Christmas jumper. You know, something sporting a red-nosed reindeer or a cheery snowman, a bobbity robin or a jolly Santa. Well, Kayleigh declared all these to be 'scary'. She was not going to enter into the spirit of The Christmas Jumper. And thus we came home with a pink hairband, three pink tops and a tutu. Pink. Sigh...

And now, Andy and I are settling down to an evening alone to watch Strictly Come Dancing and the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special. Heather is away visiting her new beau, the cats are fast asleep, the pudding is steamed and there is a chocolate cake awaiting in the kitchen for evening nibbling with a nice cup of tea. 

It is not often one has a day like today. A Smiley Face Day. 

I hope you have one soon, too. 




8 comments:

  1. I think that every day should hold a portion of 'smiley time', especially if under a hell of a lot of duress! Tilting the corners of one's mouth upwards instead of letting them sag downwards not only cheers one's heart up, but also makes one's eyes twinkle as well. Hope you have a happy Sunday as a follow on to the happy Saturday you have had, and the week ahead stays equally as enjoyable.

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  2. It was probably stirring Sunday over here while you were busy stirring away with Kayleigh. I used to do the same thing with my kids when I was making Christmas cakes - they loved it and so did I.
    Now to shock you - I didn't grow up reading Winnie the Pooh, neither did my kids or grandkids, so that probably explains why I was mind boggled a couple of posts ago about pooh sticks. So you might say my education is sadly lacking :) I grew up reading a different English author whose books went out of fashion for a while!

    Diana

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  3. I do try and smile every day, Ver, but sometimes it goes horribly wrong! Having cats and chickens helps, because they always entertain me.

    Diana, I am glad I was able to help with the whole Pooh Sticks mystery! I like the old Winnie the Pooh books, the ones before Disney got hold of the characters and changed their appearances. I think they are very much part of our English literary heritage! Lovely, innocent stories.

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  4. I love that photo of Kayleigh- she's really grown up since I last saw her. What a very special thing to do together.
    Glad you had a nice smiley day. Will you be purchasing a crimble sweater for yourself? I feel you should knit one really, although with the daily crimble story to write as well you will perhaps be rather busy.... :-)

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  5. It sounds like you had a lovely weekend. Getting ready for Thanksgiving here, below normal temps are making it feel more like Christmas here.

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  6. She is a proper little girl now, CT. I should be knitting a Christmas jumper, you are right, but I am caught up in owls at the moment. And story writing.

    Happy Thanksgiving , Deanna! Hope you have a lovely holiday season. X

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  7. Hang on a minute. You've finished your Christmas shopping? I wish I was that organised (I have good intentions every single year but always end up in a last-minute panic.)
    I'm with Kayleigh on the Christmas Jumper; nothing wrong with a pink tutu, either.

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  8. Hi Alex! I know, but it is part of a teacher habit I have acquired over the years in that I get everything done in the October half term because otherwise that leaves only weekends and then the Christmas break and who wants to go into heaving town then??

    I have this week become the proud owner of 2 Christmas jumpers having never owned a Chistmas jumper in my life. They are fab! I am still hoping to persuade Kayleigh!

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