Christmas Eve Thoughts

For quite some time now I’ve done an email Advent Calendar with cartoons I save on a memory stick under Santa pics.

In 2018 they got a little extra...

From Facebook Archives

24 December 2018 at 08:42

Opening the twentyfourth window of the Advent Calendar on Christmas Eve.   

Just the cake to decorate and gifts to wrap and tidying to do and I've no idea where I stashed the stockings last year.  

Remember if it doesn’t get done today, it wasn’t meant to get done and it doesn't matter.

24 December 2018 at 22:51

And finally ... just when you thought it was all over ...

and (despite the vulgarity) at the special request of Mrs Quilt ...

With gifts wrapped, boys in bed, stockings stuffed, Christmas mugs out on the mug-rack and the cat fed ...

Here’s how Santa’ll feel tomorrow.

See you on the other side

Goodnight & God Bless

 

 

Knitting Needle Natter

From Facebook Archives

23 December 2022 at 13:55

Just had a very satisfying morning at LD:NE's knit'n'natter session sorting out all the hundreds of knitting needles kind people have donated over the years. 

I've sorted them by size, and the sizes range from 0 to 13 (8mm to 2.25mm). 

Our ladies only really use size 8, 9 and 10 (4mm, 3.75mm and 3.25mm) so all the bigger and smaller size are going to waste, as are all the double ended needles, wooden needles and crochet hooks (unsorted and unsized).

So...

If you know of anywhere that can make good use of these various needles let me know.

If you need any big or fine knitting or other needles, let me know what size and I shall see what I can find.

They're free to good homes, but a small donation would be appreciated.

Miss Doozer  When we're back in the New Year I'll ask our crafty staff network. Double pointed are always useful.

Bentonbag  There are short and long ones.

Birdfoodlady  I love long chunky knitting needles, which I use to knit my fundraising scarves etc, so any you have would be welcome.  Anything fatter than 10mm.  Thanks and have a lovely Christmas!

Bentonbag  Could you use some yarn?  I have a lot of very thin machine knitting stuff, two or three threads can be knit together to produce a tweedy look.  I'll try and remember to lift the big needles and bring them to your stall in the New Year.

Give me a call next week and I'll get the yarn out of the loft for you to have a look at.

Birdfoodlady    Thanks, yes I'll take it.  What I don't use I can pass on to other crafters.  How about I ring you when I have deliveries over your way after the New Year - it's usually a Thursday early afternoon if that works for you x

Bentonbag  Excellent. You can have a look at the needles then too.

Mrs Jeremy  I would love to be able to knit...there's nothing else for it, I'll just have to learn from YouTube, Tom Daley style!  Unless, of course, there's a 'real life person' around who could give me some very basic lessons!

Bess Cavalier  There are only two stitches in knitting - plain and purl.  Once you've mastered those all the fancy stuff is just a combination of the two.  And counting - there is a lot of counting in knitting.

 

I still have a hefty stash of yarns and needles should anyone want any…

Oh Christmas Tree

From Facebook Archives

22 December 2021 at 08:09

Three nice surprises yesterday:-

Got the last tree in Tesco's half price, £12.50 not the £25 I was expecting to pay. Mind you the needles are dropping like buggery so it may be bald by the time it's up.

The secretary of Jesmond WI called with a Xmas card, booklet and two lovely little lavender bags, which I have put in my nightie drawer in the hope that the scent helps me sleep.

WillFixit phoned and is coming around this afternoon to look at the bathroom window.

Cousin Daisy  Love the comment about tree. xxx

Miss Doozer  Does hairspray work to keep the needles on?

Bentonbag  No idea, but seeing as the Harmony hairspray I've got is decades old not sure if it would work.  Also proximity to candles might be a problem.

Miss Doozer  Ah yes. No naked flames...

Bess Cavalier  When we have a real tree we water it with full fat lemonade.

McChurch  Only respiration will keep the needles on. If the stump is dry the water column is probably broken.  Still, it makes a great frame for the deccies.  I got a Nordman in B&Q last week for £9.50!  Cut 75mm off the stump, drilled it to fit on the pin in the tree holder and stuck it in a bucket of water in the greenhouse.  It seems to be thriving.

Mrs Quilt  Spot on advice horticulturally but Christmas tasks piling up time is not so likely!

McChurch  Yes and I appreciate not everyone has a tree saw, greenhouse or drill ! Merry Christmas.

🎄🎄🎄

Fortunately Ferretfingers is a dab-hand with a saw and Thunderthighs built for carrying trees around.  He’s also tall enough to just pop cards onto the strings, saves me going up and down steps or furniture mountaineering.

 

Family Wisdom

Remember those friends or family members who have lost someone; don’t leave them out but don’t be offended or too pushy if they need to be on their own.

 

From Facebook Archives

21 December 2015

I remember my first Christmas without Phil waking up, in the middle of a mid-December night, in a panic thinking

"But where will I send his Christmas card?".

 

In our seven years together I'd spent a few Christmasses at home in Wales without him so it wasn't so bad.

 

But we had spent every New Year's Eve together, and that was hard.

 

I sat in Blodfa's front room with the light out.   

Sat in my Granma's seat next to the fire looking into the flames, just like she did in the decade she was without Grampa.   

Wondering about how she had felt and remembering how she had told me about seeing pictures inside the embers.   

And fortunately my family were wise enough to leave me alone because I needed no one that night but the one I'd lost.

Little Oates

He was 13 at the time

From Facebook Archives

20 December 2009 at 11:12

Thunderthighs has just gone out, all alone in the snow and ice, to get the Observer for his father who is lying snoring in bed.

Miss Fiddle  Has he come back yet?

Bentonbag  He was out for some time but has returned.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Whitley Bay beach

From Facebook Archives

19 December 2017

For the past few years, whenever we've gone to Druridge Bay for driftwood we've also picked up a similar amount of (if not more) rubbish.   

The bits that have obviously come off trawlers don't really offend me; accidents happen.

It's the cans and bottles which people have had the strength to bring to the beach with them but somehow haven't the strength to carry back home empty.   

Also fishing line.  

My Dad always took his home.  

We find great tangles of it just waiting to snare birds...

Last time I was at Whitley Bay I found a brand new dustpan shovel floating in on the tide: it's in the car now in case I need to dig myself out of a snowdrift.

(It’s still there)