Santa has been......

Christmas Day....oh joy.....oh happiness......presents......it's true then, Santa can and does find you, if you're not at home. A few days earlier though, the Angels went out on the farm on a very special mission with Grandpa, Grandma G, K & D....a search party even.....to find THE most perfect Christmas tree.....they looked at this one, wondered about that one, checked all around this one, measured that one.....until it was declared THIS ONE was THE P E R F E C T one......it was cut it down......transported ever so carefully on the tractor and trailer back to the house.....they checked it's size again....not too tall, not too short......just PERFECT......wedged it securely in a bucket of water laced with a special tonic concoction of aspirin and sugar......to keep it healthy don't you know......and finally, with Grandma G overseeing proceedings, the Angels decorated their P E R F E C T Christmas tree.....their very special mission was complete.......and now Santa had been and left the finishing touches......

Radiata Pine - Traditional NZ Christmas Tree

And here is T H E man himself......Santa......

Santa

looking rather slim on it, it has to be said......must be that long and very tiring journey all the way from the North Pole! Notice the dubious looking refreshment in his hand......looks can be deceiving though.....it is actually a Simpsons can filled with sweeties......hehehe.

Stockings were opened.....the gazebo and sun umbrellas were set out.......dinner was prepared and set to cook............at last, it was time for a glass or two of bubbles, and some serious present opening......it was a big affair compared to what we usually have......there were many of us......Big Lad, Little Lad, Big Miss, Little Miss, Grandpa and Grandma G, and two of my sisters.....K and her husband D, and B, her husband J, and their children H & C, and of course, Me....wow that tots up to 13.....that makes for manic present opening all at once!!!....and there were presents galore.....and lots and lots of sweeties.....some very spoilt people if the truth be told!

Getting hungry by now you say.....absolutely......dinner was ready to be devoured......it was a full on cooked Christmas roast with trimmings......followed by Christmas pudding, trifle and the obligatory NZ pavlova with lashings of cream, fresh fruit salad, and ice cream.....all enjoyed outside under the welcome shade of the gazebo and sun umbrellas.....it was 28C after all......

Christmas Day Dinner Gazebo

Yep, the weather really got it right for the day......in fact, it was the best Christmas day weather for 37 years! Usually there is rain hanging around, and New Zealanders long for a sunny Christmas day like we here in Britain long for a white Christmas.


Absolutely glorious it was.......but I have to say......very, very different to how a winter Christmas feels.....in fact, it felt quite odd without the gorgeous, gentle, glow of candles and fairy lights, without a roaring fire to warm your cockles (not that we are lucky enough to have a real fire in the UK), without the aromas of orange, cinnamon, and clove, without warm mince pies and mulled wine, without that feeling you get of being all cosy and rosy inside, while it's cold and hopefully snowy, outside......don't get me wrong......it was splendid to enjoy again after so many years, and for the Angels to experience for the first time.......but there is just something sooooo right about a winter Christmas.......and if we are ever lucky enough to return to NZ to live, I would most definitely have to have an additional mini Christmas celebration on winter solstice day, just to enjoy those magical feelings of a winter Christmas.


A  H U G E  thank you to everyone for making our summer Christmas celebration so wonderfully different!

-xx-

We're back......

H a p p y   N e w   Y e a r !

Phew, it's been a while since I've posted here.....we've been soooo busy......half way round the world in fact.....to.....NEW ZEALAND.....for the most fabulous, wonderfullest Christmas and holiday with family and friends....remember that most fabulicious surprise I mentioned way back here? Well......this was it!

Silver Fern - Ponga

It was a H U G E surprise for my Angels who knew nothing about our trip until 2 nights before we travelled. It was full to the brim with new experiences....they had never even flown before. It was so full on, our feet never seemed to touch the ground......there was so much to see and do.....family to meet, driving to learn, cows and sheep to round up, eels to catch, quad bikes to ride, shooting to try, a tractor get to grips with, amazing and unique flora and fauna to marvel at, new friends to make, bikes, scooters and skateboards to ride, new pets to look after, graves to visit, long bike rides to tire, laughter, fun and excitement to be had, Christmas presents to be opened, new games to learn, seas to swim in, farms to explore, museums to see, flying foxes to zip on, boiling mud pools to wonder at, water slides to zoom down, BBQs to cook, earthquakes to feel, Christmas trees to find, cut and decorate, volcanic activity to learn about, donkeys to ride, birthdays to celebrate, sheep shearing to see, chickens to hold, old friends to catch up with, a ferry trip round the harbour to enjoy, an isolated island to explore, hot pools to relax in, Maori culture to experience at first hand, sheep shows to watch, lots and lots of yummy food to devour.......Wow, that was A LOT to pack into a few short weeks!

National Emblem - the Silver Fern

It's been a long, long time.....more than half my lifetime, in fact......since I have been surrounded by family.....and it felt sooooo good....like being wrapped up all comfy and cosy in the warm (maybe that was because it was summer, hehe) embrace of a cuddly blanket.....it was very, very hard, sad and bittersweet when it was time to say goodbye.

But while we were there, we had the most amazing time, with loads and loads of fabulous memories made, to treasure for the rest of our lives.

Home of the Rugby World Cup Holders

Our most heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to everyone who made our time in NZ so special and amazing, but especially to my Dad and his wife G.....

T H A N K   Y O U ! ! !

from the bottom of our hearts.

I was hoping to post little blog entries every few days while we were out there, but seriously.....there just wasn't the time.....we had to make the most of every available hour, minute even......so I hope to make a series of posts over the next few days with a small selection of the 1500 or so photos we took.....a "flavour' of our best holiday ......E V E R ! ! !

-xx-

Home Sweet Home.......

I'm absolutely loving our new front door mat......

It makes my heart sing when I arrive home and see this delightfully pretty sight.

I have quite a "love/hate" relationship with our home.....I absolutely L O V E how our home WILL be.....onnnne day.....but I HATE that we have lived here for almost 10 years now, and still nothing is finished, and still most of the rooms are in a very sorry state.

But last weekend I purchased this most homely of homely door mats......and I totally rejigged the layout of our lounge (and tidied as I went) .....and what a success it was.....we all LOVE it, and it feels so much more cosier for the winter months......most definitely not a layout for summer!

I also totally cleared the whole length of our kitchen worktop and tidied the windowsill .....what a difference......hope it can stay that way....ha ha......just got the big central island to tackle now in the kitchen.

Just these few little things done, and I'm falling in LOVE with our home again......a little bit of Home Loving, so I can Love My Home....it really has made the world of difference to how I feel......I wasn't wanting to be in the lounge at all, and now here I am, in the middle of the day cosied up with the fire on (not that I like this old gas fire.....it will be replaced onnne day....but it does give a warming glow) typing my blog......

It's such a dark, blustery day today.....just perfect for cosying up in our new cosy rejigged lounge recording some of my current loves....and.....

Loving My

Home Sweet Home

-xx-

Tidy up time.....

Yesterday was the first full day I've had at home since the Angels went back to school .....so it was time to start tidying....BIG time.....after everyone being home all holiday......tidying...hoovering...cleaning...and putting away......was the order of the day. I do so ♥ the feeling of getting everything all spic and span, and ship shape again, after the chaos of the holidays.


I really get the urge for this sort of spring cleaning.....well, at the start of spring ......but also now, on the cusp of autumn. It's time to wash, clean, hoover, and put away all the summery things......the light, floaty curtains, the light and bright coloured cushions, and the light cotton floor rugs.....and bring out the heavier, thicker curtains, cosier cushions, warm, thick floor rugs, fairy lights, candles, and cuddly, snuggly throws. It's so nice and comforting to ring the changes and welcome in each of the seasons.....well, the warm season, and the cold season. And having a quick scoot round my favs in blogland today, it seems I'm not the only one who feels like this, at this time of year.

However, I always try to hold onto summer for just as long as I possibly can..... and this year, the weather can't quite seem to decide on whether to give us a little extended Indian summer, or throw us headlong into autumn. When the weather turns colder and gets all blustery as it is has been, I really start to look forward to the cosying up, and hunkering down, but I still can't quite let go of the idea and hope of some more balmy Indian summer afternoons......it's such a bittersweet time for me.


So for now, I'm just sticking with the tidying and hoovering, in the hope that the weather will let us stretch the summer out just a little bit longer.....the curtains, cushions and throws can wait......hopefully......until the beginning of October.....

Although, if it stays as chilly as it is today, I might have to succumb and bring those throws out sooner!

-xx-