And Then We All Had Tea

Tuesday, 3 December 2019

The Simple Woman's Daybook . . .

FOR TODAY, December 3, 2019

Outside my window ...

Its dark, cold and dry. We have had heavy frosts every morning this week, but it melts as soon as the sun hits it. Todd keeps forgetting to buy car de-icer and windshield wiper anti-freeze fluid. Maybe today he will remember.

I am thinking ...

About what an adventure this life of mine has been. Its taken me in directions I never dreamed it would take me. Life is so unpredictable. Its best to enjoy each day as it comes.

I am thankful for ...

Loved ones near and far. Each morning when I open my eyes, I thank God for giving me another day.

In the kitchen ...

Million Dollar Salsa Chicken. Elaine made it sound so good, I had to find a recipe and cook it. So glad that I did! Its fabulous!

On my "To Cook" list ...

The Chunky Chef. Beef and Barley Soup in the Slow cooker. Looks and sounds great!

Good to know ...

Its easy really, small steps=big change.

I am creating ...

Red Heart. Dangling Donut Ornament. Cute!

Cottage Painted Rock. No source, just inspiration.

Crochet Elf Boots. Hand, Heart and Sole on Ravelry. Not free but not expensive either.

Cool Creativity. Rudolf Slippers. So cute!

The Crafter Life. Crochet Lip Balm and Gift Holder that looks like a Candy Cane! Cute!

I am Reading ...

PS, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry. Childhood sweethearts, they could finish each other’s sentences. No one could ever imagine them without each other. When Gerry dies, Holly is devastated. But Gerry has left her a bundle of notes, one for each month of her year, each signed 'PS, I Love You'. As the notes are opened, the man who knows Holly better than anyone teaches her that life goes on. With some help from friends and family, Holly laughs, cries and finds that life is for living – but it helps if there's someone watching over you.

Just started this one. So far I am enjoying it.

Dreaming About ...

Blue Point Siamese . . . this one looks like our Brandy that we had a long time ago . . . would love to have one again.

Brown Paper Packages . . .

Gingerbread Houses . . .

Snow covered gates . . .

Sparkly Christmas Baubles . . .

Makes me smile ...

Even the thought of a white Christmas . . .

Something to Watch ...

His Dark Materials on the BBC.

A Thought to carry with you ...

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜田田｜門 ★
*Talking about our problems

is our greatest addiction.

Break the habit.

Talk about your joys. •。★★ 。* 。

•。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。

Corners of my kingdom ...

Carnaby Street, London. Christmas lights, taken by Todd's niece June.

And that's my daybook for this week!

⋱ ⋮ ⋰
⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small *´¯`.¸¸.☆
⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆

✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.• ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥
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Have a beautiful day! Don't forget!

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And I do too!

Monday, 2 December 2019

Small and Wonderful Things . . .

"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny?...It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. what you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard

A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.

That beautiful spirit which weaves itself through the month of December, touching old and young alike. Cam is 7 now. I think a he wants for Christmas are his two front teeth. He looks like someone else in my family but I haven't been able to put my finger just on it yet . . . perhaps his mum. He looks like such a delightful little boy. I can see the excitement of Christmas to come building up here . . .

We awoke to a world yesterday that was coated in deep frost and it stayed all the day through. Today is it double frosted. What a fitting beginning to the month of December . . . when I was a child I thought there really was a little sprite named Jack Frost who went around painting everything with crystals using his little brush during the night. Back then, in the olden days . . . our windows used to frost up on the inside of the house and you could put your fingers against the frost and melt it . . . I used to wish I had a magic paint brush that would/could turn things to crystal too.

Looking out at the frosted hedge in the back garden yesterday morning, I could see all of these little heads popping out . . . sparrows patiently waiting for their breakfast. They must have been so cold. In the winter the birds fluff up and look all puffy. Nature's way of insulating them so that they are not as cold . . .

For the carols that are sung at church throughout the month of December. I ponder the words of them and take them into my heart. Our church has a new Nativity video out this year. Its really nice. No English is spoken in it, I can only think that the actors are speaking Hebrew when they speak. If you want to feel some of the spirit of Christmas I highly recommend watching it. Its beautiful. There is nothing about this beautiful story that I do not love and that does not touch my heart in a special way.

I am not one much for hot drinks, but when it gets cold and frosty that is the perfect time to enjoy one. Sitting on the sofa with a blanket across my lap and my hands and fingers cupped around a hot mug, the steam rising and tickling my nose. I'm safe, I'm warm . . . . life is cosy. One of the small pleasures of Winter . . .

Quietly sitting and working on needlework that I am trying to get finished pronto. I don't know why it is . . . . but sitting with needle and thread in hand, quietly working brings a certain sense of comfort to my soul. I feel like I am connecting with all of my past generations of women who probably also sat in the same way with needle and thread in hand . . .

Tears that come out of nowhere and without reason . . . they are just always there. Sometimes the dam breaks and they leak out rolling down my cheeks. I miss my mother so very much. Out of all the people I have known and loved, and who loved me back . . . . she loved me first. While I was in that secret place her heart beat was the song that sang me to sleep . . . her quiet murmurs kept me company, her love followed me all the days of my life. It has not gotten easier . . .

Making Christmas . . . the Christmas Cake, the Christmas pudding . . . meat pies . . . planning, decorating, writing cards, reading the scriptures, watching the films, remembering Christmas.s gone past, thinking of family . . . this is such a tender time of year. Filled with abundance on the one hand and yet oftimes filled with missing and longing . . . cracks. Cracks, however . . . are how the light gets in, or at least will do if you allow it to . . .

A thought to carry with you . . .

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜田田｜門 ★
*Most of the shadows of this life
are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson •。★★ 。* 。

In The English Kitchen today . . . City Chicken, not really chicken but pork. A recipe from my sister given to me many moons ago . . .

Have a wonderful day. I hope you week is filled to overflowing with love and joy. Don't forget . . .

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And I do too!

Sunday, 1 December 2019

Hello December . . .

“December's wintery breath

is already clouding the pond,

frosting the pane, obscuring summer's memory."

~John Geddes

It's hard to believe it but here we are on the first day of December. This year has flown by every so quickly. I hate it when that happens, but it seems to happen every year. Ten things I love about December . . .

Listening to Christmas Carols, morning noon and night. They are on the telly. They are in the shops. They are on the radio and on the stereo. We sing them in church. Carols are in the air. I love, LOVE it! My favourite Christmas Song of all . . . Mary Did You Know. I love them all, it's hard to pick one really. If you go to this radio channel, they have Christmas music 24/7. A mix of old, new and traditional.

Snowflakes that fall on my nose and eye lashes. In December snow is welcome. It even makes you smile., especially on Christmas Eve. Big, HUGE goosedown flakes falling from the sky. It even tastes different in December. Its been a very long time since I have seen snow at Christmas. I live in hope.

Familiar Christmas movies, old and new. We watched our first one last night, The Homecoming. It is a tradition we have in our home. The Homecoming is the first one we watch each year . . . it even gets the old Grinch in the mood! Other's we watch are The Holiday, Miracle on 34th Street, Home Alone, The Family Man, A Christmas Story, Its A Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Christmas in Connecticut, The Bishops Wife, The Santa Claus (1 and 2), The Muppets Christmas Carol. Little Women, The Polar Express, Holiday Inn, Prancer, Meet Me In Saint Louis, The Shop Around the Corner, Love Actually, Bridget Jone's Diary. Charlie Brown's Christmas. What are some of your favourites?

I also love to go onto YouTube and watch old Christmas specials from th 1960's/70's. Dean Martin, etc. Yes, December makes me very nostalgic.

Christmas Lights . . . on the streets, people's windows, in the shops, on the tree. December lights are magical things that stir the heart and soul . . .

Baking Christmas Cookies. I don't bake as many as I used to, but I still have a few favourites I like to bake . . . whipped shortbreads, sugar cookies, nutmeg logs, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Chocolate Pixies, Gingerbread Men . . . sets my tastebuds to tingling!

Buying and wrapping presents for the ones I don't have to post. The rest are all done and gone, it's only my nearest friends and loved ones now. This year we are going homemade all the way!

Bringing home the tree. The smell of a real tree can't be beat. This year I am not going to wait too long like I did last year. They were all gone when we went to get one . . . and so we had to have a fake one again. This year I am getting one early!

Candy Cane Hot Chocolate. It's the only time of year I really like hot chocolate. Creamy and rich, chocolatey with a candy cane stirrer. It's the best.

Magic . . . it's in the air. We live it, breathe it, feel it . . . it's all around us. Despite all the bad and the painful . . . the sorrowful . . . Magic lives in December . . .

The greatest gift ever given. Love come down to earth. Peace on earth, goodwill towards men.
Tis the reason for the season.

We saw Tina and Tony yesterday. Tina is doing very well. She is much better for being home. The Insurance is going to help cover the cost of a lot, which is great. She's had her teeth done already and is on some good painkillers for the time being. She is very grateful for the prayers and love that have been offered on her behalf! So thank YOU!

A thought to carry with you . . .

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜田田｜門 ★
*Learn to smile at every situation.
See it as an opportunity
to prove your strength and ability.
~Joe Brown •。★★ 。* 。