Almost the last day of December and I will go backwards from today!!!

So today has seen Effie having a hose  down from rolling in her favourite badger poo.  Revolting creature. She rolls in ecstasy all  four legs in the air,total abandonment.  She really enjoyed  her Christmas and opened  her presents herself, she was very lady like and tore off little pieces until she reached her goal. She had 2 penguins and a reindeer so she was very lucky .As  was  I. My dear husband bought me this after I fell  in love  with it whilst out with Catherine and Graeme back in November. I think my daughter had a word in her dads ear.

An ideal handbag for a book lover do you not think ,he also bought me a purse to go in it.

Now  all  I  needed was a book or two to go in it,  knowing my love of  Jane , he said he had to get this.

I shall enjoy dipping into this one .  Talking of dipping I also  had this ,so  keeping up the tradition of book buying.

My friend Miss Julie has introduced me  to the Ivy Hill  books by Julie Klassen , this is on my to read pile by the bed and is next to read,she has  a new one out next Year ,well Tuesday next  actually and that one is on order ,so will show  you next time.
While talking of Miss Julie , she has had rather a tough time this past year,I do hope 2018 will  be  kinder  to her healthwise and her dear hubby. She did find time to  knit for me  these.You will  be jealous.

I really envy Julie her knitting as it is so neat, I now have 3 handknitted socks  one by me,  never have got round to doing the other one . She  sent me  a little note attached with the instructions on  how to wash them  .

Love the colours. So warm feet when we walk Effie. She has settled in  well and  loves her daddy.

Although she does not look too happy,but better in this one.

 I think she is  making  the  point it is her chair. !!!
So now onto the  big day when the
were  open and  we  spent the day with our son and  daughter and families at hers. It was lovely to  see everyone opening  presents and  having good times  with the family. I left my stitchy gifts at home so I could open  them later. So I have a list of  Thankyous. Julie has already been thanked,  Sally my stitch along  friend sent  me this little  pouch.

Inside were 2 teabags, we  shall have   one each  on our virtual Monday stitching.Thankyou Sally ,just  the sort of thing I can put in my new  bag  in case I need refreshment.

 Every December  Sally and I do  a  christmas ornament  exchange,  I am  afraid mine  grew rather  large  but I am  pleased to say Sally loved it.  It is a design by Madame  Chantilly, the sheep are a nod to our love of sheep. The two angels are maybe us two, I found it  hard  to part with this when it came  sending it.

 Sally has it  on her hearth.  This is the back.

Still with Sally this is what she sent me  ,oh it is just so me,  we both have a bit of a problem with choosing a design as we  have  so many that are the same in our stash.

Another dear friend who lives a little  way along  the  coast did her  usual  finishing ,which is always so pretty and again a sheep, Along with some little perfect gifts all wrapped up in Mistletoe tissue paper.

A magnetic sheep book mark, again a thoughtful  gift  which  includes something  of all  my loves, books,sheep and  knitting  as the other white object at the bottom is  a needle sizer  for knitting needles,in the shape of  ,yes you guessed it a sheep.
Thankyou for your kindness June.
I  received from Clare of Needlecraft Haven a  tree ornament she had made.

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Isn't he the cutest Santa ever,  I had not realised I had placed him  on  the branch above another Santa.  He looks as if he has a wooden body. He is rather special though Thanks  so much Clare.
From  another lady on NH  I  had this from Angi ,which will certainly be handy in my handbag.

Last  but not  least a really unusual present  which again I think was  made with me  in mind. Christine  sent me  this .

It is awaiting  a use  as I have to find the right thing to do with it.So that was Christmas Day ,ate and drank far too  much and now  have to get my head round the Slimming World  again,next Saturday the I will be back  on it. I have not been for the last few  weeks, had problems with my back and 

on Friday I was rather naughty and took  an emergency appointment as I was in so much pain, he was a lovely dr though and he had prescribed me Tramadol,which makes me feel grim but at least the pain has lessened. So he needs to see  me next week to review  the situation. On  the 15th  we had to go see the consultant in Salisbury again,  this time  Martin  had  to drive as Jack was busy and everyone else was working. The outcome being that for now they have discharged me,they offered me an injection into the vertabrae but it was not a promise it would work and all sorts of things that could go wrong. So I have to try a  gentle pilates ,I had a dvd come today. I will not be sharing pictures of me in awkward positions  lol.
On the 3rd of  December the day had arrived for us to go see.

This  was the concert that was a gift from Graeme and Catherine and their families for our golden  wedding. Catherine came over for a sleep over with Effie , and  we drove to Graemes  where we had  lunch and then they drove us to a  travel lodge where  we  stayed the  night.  The  concert by these two  was absolutely brilliant.I had  not realised that  Alfie Boe hails from the town I  lived in until I was 6 and where my parents moved back to when I married, so many happy memories of Fleetwood.

Such good entertainment and wonderful voices.
So that was my December , I do hope to get back again soon .Meanwhile all I can  say is  I wish you and yours a very Happy and Healthy New Year. Keep safe  in your celebrations and I thankyou so much for your friendship and any comments you leave.
Much love
Barb xx