Tuesday 31 December 2013

Happy New Year

Hello Friends

Hope you all managed  to have a good Christmas and that you were all safe. Unfortunately there were many that had Christmas cancelled, postponed or just spoiled due to the bad weather and it looks like new year celebrations will also be bad for many others too. Hopefully they'll manage to get cleaned up and back into their homes soon.

I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe new year, not just for the time of celebration but for the whole year too.

Best wishes for 2014 and I will see you all again very soon. Thank you for popping by

Carolx

Friday 20 December 2013

2013 Challenges and Needles

Hello friends

I've been thinking about next years challenges and what I would like to achieve and as yet I've not decided as there a quite a few going around in my head. My plan is not to set too many so that it's impossible to achieve them. When I have made my decision I will let you know. Back to this years challenges did I succeed or not?

Blog twice a week I started well with this but in the end I couldn't keep it up because sometimes I didn't have anything to say and other times I just didn't have the time and other times I did have something to say but no pictures because I forgot my camera (ah carry my camera all the time challenge).  Will I be able to do this in 2014? probably not. Although we don't have a gala float to build this year my mum is getting worse (has Alzheimer's/dementia) and has entered into the later stages so dad is going to need more help.

Declutter 365 items from our home Yes! I succeeded in this one 555 items have nearly left our home. still have about 10 things to sell. We have bought a few items but not 555. L had a clear out of her room (she did so well. Really proud of her) and made lots of space. We sent a lot of things to charity, passed a few things onto others that was useful to them, binned other stuff that was of no use to anyone and could not be he recycled, recycled and sold some stuff. This challenge I will repeat again next year because we still have way too much stuff.

Set up a shop on Folksy After lots of research I didn't set up a shop on this web site because after deducting the commission and other fees I wouldn't earn much so I decided to set up my own web site, www.l&ccraft.com This has not been successful and luckily I only signed up for one year. I will not renew my membership when it's due. I do get lots of hits but no buyers.

No spend days This was a good one but I forgot to keep a record as most days were a no spend day anyway. Some months I only went to the supermarket to do the weekly shop so it was a whole month of no spending. I won't bother with this one next year as it's normal and not a challenge.

Now for the needle. This morning I went into hospital to have a small procedure done. Since October I have been back and forth to the hospital to have scans done and see the consultant to get a diagnosis then a decision about the treatment. I have fluid around the macular of my left eye and has made the vision very blurred and there is only one treatment. A steroid injection into the eye. Yep into the eye. I was feeling quite sick this morning whilst M was driving me to the hospital. I was worried that it was going to hurt, or would they numb my eye? They did put some numbing drops into my eye just before I went into theatre. I had to lie on the bed and the surgeon put this blue cloth over my face with a window in it so that he could see my eye. I felt the needle and said "ouch" so he had to stop and put some more numbing drops in and then continue. Back in the waiting room I joined the lady who was sat next to me. She was really scared and was quietly tearful. I chatted to her and asked about her children and after my procedure I told her the facts and not what happened to me I didn't want to scare her anymore. She was ok afterwards. All the staff were wonderful they do a great job - Thank you.
Now I have to wear a clear eye patch until tomorrow morning and use some antibiotic drops for a week. and then a check up a week later. My eye feels very uncomfortable at the moment it feels dry and sore. I feel I want to rub it but thankfully I can't with the patch on. M thinks I'm a pirate and I tell him it's the new Christmas accessory.

Nearly time to get L from school, she's on a half day today, so I will say bye for now and thank you for popping by I love to read your comments and if I don't make it before Christmas I hope you all have a great one and an even better New Year.

Carolx

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Christmas Festival and Victorian Market

Hello friends

Last night we went to a Christmas festival and Victorian Market.  We went last year but it was so cold and damp that we didn't enjoy it much so decided that we would go again this year as it was dry and see if it was any different.

The stall holders were meant to dress up in Victorian costume but didn't. However there were a few people dressed in costume but I suspect that they were the committee.
There were many food stalls selling burgers, hotpot, curry, chips. and some were selling drinks like mulled wine, tea, coffee and hot chocolate.  A few other stalls selling other types of food stuff and one or two selling Christmas items. Most of the shops were open for business but nothing we were looking for.

We met these two happy people. I loved their costumes, or were they the real ones? What do you think?

  
We also met this very tall guy. There were two of them, not sure where the other one was. They mingled with the crowd, shaking hands of the adult males and high fiving the children and posed for photos with children and actually managed to crouch down almost to their level. Their costumes were white and silver and quite magnificent. As you can guess these were the highlight of my evening. L's highlight was probably the chips and hot chocolate oh and not forgetting the hot donuts. M's highlight? having the evening off from taxiing. I think we might give it a miss next year.

Does anyone else go to similar festivals at Christmas time?
And what are they like?

Carolx

Friday 6 December 2013

Christmas Decoration Swap

Hello friends

Hope everyone is ok after the terrible winds and high seas.  In my little corner of the Northwest coast we did suffer high winds with the sea coming over the wall but, compared to other places around the country, our coast appears to have got off quite lightly. There was damage to some buildings and trees felled and some flooding.

Now back to the title.  I joined Ladybird Diaries in her Christmas decoration swap and was linked with Chrissie from Chrissie Crafts. This is what I received last week

 
 
The little crocheted Christmas tree is just gorgeous. Chrissie felt that the tree wasn't enough (she is very generous) and added a small jar of homemade Quince and Pumpkin chutney to it. I can't wait until Christmas to try it. The Christmas card is lovely. The scene is a print of a painting done by one of her neighbours of their village green. I had fun making my make for the swap. I can't tell you much more because I don't know if it's arrived yet. If you pop over to Chrissie's blog in a few days she might let you have a peep. Chrissie has done a tutorial on how to make the tree if anyone is interested.
 
I've finished my baby niece's Christmas present. Do you want to see? ok, here it is.
 
 
 
I think that is my Christmas knitting finished, Still some shopping to do, lots of wrapping, cleaning and tidying in readiness for putting up the tree and other decorations.
 
 
Have a good week everyone
 
Carolx

Farewell

I've taken some time to think this through and decided to stop blogging. I'm not getting out of it as much as I did when I first sta...