Christmassy January and Green Day!

 I went back to work this week and so life is back to normal

well as normal as can be!!!

Doesn't time fly, it's like Christmas never happened!

This week we have had lovely frosty mornings and lovely evening skies...

I miss all my lovely Christmas decorations but the house still looks Christmassy as

I  have decided to keep the twinkly fairy lights on my kitchen cabinet
as they brighten the dark mornings and make me smile when I'm drinking my cuppa at 6am

and
I threw some of them into a large glass jar after seeing  something similar on
Vicki's blog don't they look pretty?

the little cream poinsettia is still flourishing

so I'm hoping it keeps going for another couple of weeks

and of course it is nice to sit down and enjoy candlelight

and a glass of the red stuff occasionally

But I have been out for a few walks over the last week and can honestly say I feel better for them.

I took these two scallywags with me...

Oscar loves it but Charlie is a bit lazy (a bit like myself) but he could do with losing a few pounds too!

Buys this week...

No further knitting done  (oopsie)!!
but I did buy this lovely magazine which cost less than 2 euro
and which included a free set of knitting needles and 2 balls of wool
now that's good value!!
So you never know maybe next week I will have produced something!!

and while out and about I saw this dress (I love the colours)
it was 27 euro in Carraig Donn and the boots were less than 70 euro in Clarks
I will get lots of wear from both of them so happy days!

and so it's Friday and therefore
it's Green Day

The usual rules apply...

Thank you to all who participate I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do

Raindrops and Daisies



Well hello my friends

I have borrowed teenager Raindrop's laptop so that I can do a quick post
I am sorry that I have not been visiting you
but

I am hoping to get a new laptop as mine is now completely banjaxed
and so fingers crossed I will be back in action again soon...

The weather here has been cold cold cold

those roads are ICY

I  hope that they improve as my nerves are shattered driving on them!

But when the ice melts the days are beautiful, cold, frosty and clear.

I went on a long hike with lovely daughter across the Curragh Plains

it took almost 3 hours but it was just wonderful

not so wonderful the next day
 when I could barely walk, had aches and pains all over

and had a stride like John Wayne's

my bottom and legs were sore for 2 days!!!

House and Home...

Planted some hyacinths around 2 weeks ago, the pot was pretty so fingers crossed that they grow!!

 also treated myself to two lovely Cath Kidson mugs

they are so pretty and dainty

the tea definitely tastes better from them!!!

I'm still knitting but this time it is taking forever

might be finished by Summer....

Well I know from reading your blogs

that you are all busy decorating your homes for Christmas

I bought some of these pretty decorations

I have far too many now but sure it's a time of excess
 so I suppose it's ok!

The crib is probably my favourite thing at Christmas. 

My crib was given to me by my Granny on my 1st birthday

it is probably an antique as it is so old

but it is very special.

Years of my brother and I playing with the figures

and my own children playing with them too

have resulted in chipped faces!!

✴✻✵✴✻✵

Well it's Friday and so it's {Green Day 26}

The usual rules apply...

Thank you to all who participate I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do

Raindrops and Daisies



Autumn Lovlies & Green Day 19...

Here in Raindrops land the weather has been foggy, damp and miserable

but we did have a blue sky on Sunday
Happy days

♥ In the Kitchen...

baked some cakes but they were demolished very quickly by the 3 men in this house

 I could bake everyday and it still wouldn't be enough to feed them!

I made a coffee and walnut loaf (my favourite)

 and

out of the same mix

I made a chocolate and orange loaf and a zingy zangy

lemon loaf

easy peasy lemon squeezy!

To make 2 loaves you need the following ingredients
4 eggs, 8oz caster sugar,  8oz soft butter, 16oz self raising flour,
 add about 4 half egg shells of milk and just beat the lot together, voila!
 If I want lemon cake I add grated lemon rind  and substitute some of the milk with lemon juice
for coffee cake I add some coffee essence
 for basic light fruit cake, grated orange zest  and some of the juice and a packet of mixed dried fruit,
Orange and chocolate chip - add orange rind and a packet of chocolate chips.

All baked in a loaf tin at 160 fan oven for approx 35 minutes.
This mix can be used for buns too

I love baking,

measuring out the ingredients

putting the mix into the tins and popping  them into the oven

the wonderful aroma that fills the house

but

after I have baked my kitchen always resembles a war zone

 and the washing up, oh dear, oh dear oh dear!

*** is it just me or are you a messy cook too?

Because I ♥ cakes I needed a stand to display them on

so I bought this one for €18 in Dunnes Stores

it is so pretty with or without cakes!

I bought a mug to match for when I am having my cuppa €3

and the cutest little delph spoon - 75c ♥

 

♥ Home & Garden...

The orchid I got during the Summer is thriving

and I think that for €8 it was certainly good value!

" 

Ordered one of my very  favourite dvds from Amazon - Captain Correlli's Mandoin

brilliant  soundtrack, scenery, love story and Mr. Cage comes across as very manly and a bit of a hunk.

Not a huge fan of his in anything else but in this he just hits the spot.

What's your favourite curl up on the sofa movie?

♥ Where I live

photos from my walk with Mr. Raindrops yesterday

♥ and finally an Award...

Thank you to the lovely Natasha who has given me The Versatile Blogger award

I really appreciate this award, thank you Natasha.
Natasha has a wonderful blog Made by Natalie visit her and drool !!
I will pass the award on next week as this post is so long
 and I'm sure you have read enough of my ramblings at this stage!!!

 Green Day 19

Well it's Friday and so it is Green Day

The usual rules apply...
Thank you to all who participate I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do
Raindrops and Daisies

Autumn life...

 has been busy, a lot hApPy and a little sad...

I walked, I read, I gardened, I drank, I shopped. I laughed, 
 and
I  said goodbye to an old fRieNd...

On the road where I live is this little house

and even though I always admire the thatched roof

I think it looks even prettier with the autumn leaves behind it.

and in the autumn of her life was our lovely Mittens who  lived with us for 17 years.
She fell asleep on Tuesday
I am sure she is now chasing mice and birds in pussycat heaven.
we are sad that she has gone but happy that she was part of our family for so long.

the summer garden is losing some of it's beauty...

but some things are lasting well...

the owl and the pussycat

and so looking ahead...
I treated myself to a new cookbook (another one to adorn the shelves of the kitchen)
but it does look pretty...

There are some great recipes in there and so I might try out a few or I might not...
watch this space...

and...

lovely heartbruised daughter who was sad

is enjoying single life and smiling again...

Isn't it funny that when your children are happy you are happy too!!

I bought some new boots to keep me warm as the days get cooler

€18 - sure you couldn't leave them behind, could you?

and I can turn the cuffs down if I want a snuggly fleecy cosy look...

 I planted some bulbs in my pots so that when Spring arrives I will have some loveies in pots.

and just to remind you that it is 66 days until Christmas!

 Yippee love Christmas, how about you? 

Do you enjoy that special time of year?

*** finally a tip for you all that I read in a magazine ...

 when choosing a new lipstick

it should be as close as possible in colour

to your gums

hmmm...

the lady on the Estee Lauder counter

wasn't too impressed with me when I started pulling

 at my cheeks and gums pushing lipsticks inside them

trying to compare

needless to say I still haven't found the perfect shade!

Friday has arrived

and that means Green Day 18

The usual rules apply...
Thank you to all who participate I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do
Raindrops and Daisies