Welcome 2007!!!!

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the last day of 2006.   I hope it`s been a good day for you all one way or another. For me it`s been one of those day`s where I should have stayed in bed. You`ve all heard the saying `my get up and go has got up and gone`? Well mine didn`t even arrive today so it didn`t get the chance to leave...lol!  I`ve had no energy all day. It started out as a unremarkable Sunday though I did sleep an hour longer which was most likely the problem. I always without fail (excepting for famine or flood) do the ironing in the morning. Nothing wrong there because that`s what I do. But I have to say that there were powers conspiring against me this morning.  However I tried something happened to stop me. I cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast and was about to go upstairs when I remembered something that had to be taken out of the fridge...and as I opened it a jug of cream toppled over and covered me from head to foot...and the floor...and the entire contents of the fridge......ahhhh!

         

Of course that wasn`t the end of it. I loaded the washing machine and found out an hour later that I`d forgotton to turn it on. The new ironing board cover came off and try as I might I couldn`t get it to stay on again, try as I might.  I did eventually get the ironing done despite having to clear up the milk that Danny spilt all over the kitchen floor and the cream that I spilt AGAIN, can you believe it?  Like I said there`s a conspiracy against me today...lol!

 

                             

I suppose it hasn`t really been that bad when put in context but this morning I just couldn`t get going and it seemed awful at the time. Oh well I shouldn`t grumble, I`ve got my health....apart from the arthritis in my hands well I could write a book....SHADDUP Sandra, you said you mustn`t grumble!!!!

              

Anyway, it`s New Years Eve but we aren`t going anywhere and most likely won`t see 2007 in. Jim has an early shift tomorrow and has to be up at 4.30am and I`m looking forward to a good nigh`t sleep to get my energy back. From people I`ve spoken to it seems that many of them won`t be out celebrating either. Even Kerry, Slava, Dan and Salina will be staying in tonight. I think perhaps it`s because everywhere is so expensive on New Years Eve. Everything has to be booked in advance and all the cabs charge double time so perhaps that puts people off. About 10 years ago Jim, myself and some friends used to dress up in evening dress and tuxedos for a night at the Polish Club nearby. We all had a great time there downing Polish vodka ( very, very strong) and dancing the polka despite not being able to dance, mind you I did say the vodka was very strong...lol! I can`t remember exactly why we stopped going but I have very fond memories of the marvellous New Year celebrations that we enjoyed there.

                               

Anyway, I want to wish you all, my dear journal friends, the very happiest of New Years. Take care and I`ll be back again next year. :o)

 

 

A Dark and Blustery Day

Hello Everyone,

Just popping in for a moment. I`ve no idea why I chose a moon tag to start this entry, the moon is the last thing I can see outside my window on this dark and miserable night. Actually I had to put the lights on at 2.25 this afternoon as it was getting to dark to see properly. Then it started to rain heavily and has continued to do so for the rest of the day. The winds that were forecast are here but probably not as bad as in some parts of the country. It`s a horrible night however and I`m glad I`m not going out anywhere, so I can spend some time here on the PC as there`s nobody home until Jim finishes work at 9pm.

I spent all morning doing some long overdue housework. I cleaned and conditioned the leather suite which is hard work I can tell you, covered some scratches and re-polished my beloved coffee table, emptied the fridge of it`s contents and cleaned and tidied it and stripped the beds and put clean covers on them. Then I had to do all the usual cleaning, polishing and vacuuming...But hey ho! it`s all in a day`s work for this gal...lol! Tomorrow Jim is going up into the loft for the Christmas decorations boxes. On Tuesday I shall be packing them away for another year and good riddance too, I want to get my house back to normal.

Also today we had the first refuse collection since Christmas and not before time either, the wheelie bin was overflowing despite Jim taking bags of rubbish to the dump on Boxing Day. It`s amazing how much junk we have over the holiday period. What a throw away society we are, no wonder we have so many environmental problems all around us.

I rang Kerry this morning and she says that Roman is much better today though he`s still not eating properly. At least his temperature has lowered and that`s the most important thing. It`s awful when he is so unwell because he doesn`t understand but let`s hope he`s on the mend and will be back on top form very soon.

Well that`s it from me this evening. Have a good weekend everyone and take care. :o)

 

Sandra Scribbles Day Off

Hello Everyone,

I`m continuing with my snow theme even though there hasn`t been one single flake of the white stuff.  In this part of England however, it`s doubtful we see any at all so this is the nearest I`ll get to it...lol! We had a bit of a scare with Roman this evening with Kerry having to call the emergency doctor.  Roman`s temperature went up sharply this evening and the doctor was quite concerned.  Kerry took his advice and now his temperature has fallen but if it goes up again she has to call him straight back on the emergency number he gave her. She told me that if it happens again she and Slava are taking him straight to A&E.  Poor Little Man, he`s had conjunctivitus and a heavy cold and he was getting better. Now it seems his glands are very swollen and it looks as though it`s his throat that`s causing the trouble. I hope he get`s over it soon, bless him.

                   

Being my day off work, this morning I went into town and did my exchanges. I managed to change Jim`s jumper for a larger size and his jeans for a smaller one though they were in another colour. Dan`s trousers are out of stock :o( and I couldn`t find another jacket. :o( so I took a credit note with a view to spending it in another Mark`s and Spencer. I DID find a very nice jacket but it was too big and they don`t do a smaller size....I was disappointed because I love the style. Never mind, Kerry and I are going to Windsor on Tuesday and there branch of M&S, though smaller, has a far better selection than ours. Hopefully I can find something there. I did find a nice jumper in the sale for £8 and another for £5 but that one has to go back as it`s a very poor fit. The body fits nicely but the arms are really tight. I have really thin arms too. I`d like to meet the person it does fit though I doubt I`d find them in a hurry.

                                  

I met Kerry in town at 9.45 and it wasn`t very busy then. Later when we were walking down the High Street the crowds started to build up and I just couldn`t be bothered to spend too long there. We went into Marks and Spencer for coffee, at least we did after I`d queued up to exchange the pressies. It`s such a nice cafe with soft chair and settees where we can relax and chat and they make the best cappuchinos, much better than Costa or Starbucks and it costs much less too. M&S now has a rival in the coffee stakes with a new branch of BB`s opening at the other end of town, they are my favourites when we go somewhere without a M&S cafe, I`ll have to be disloyal and give them a try next week when I`m in town with Jim....lol!

                 

Did anyone watch that drama last night called Perfect Parents? It was about a couple who lied about their faith to get their daughter into a Catholic school. The ramifications of it certainly proved that lying never does anyone any good. It was an excellent drama but it certainly makes you think. Anyway I must leave you now. Jim will be home soon and I still have some journals left to read. Have a great weekend my friends and take care. :o)

 

An un-Snowy Winters day

Hello Everyone,

It`s not really snowing, in fact it`s unseasonally mild out,  but as I`m feeling a bit chilly myself  I thought why not brighten up my journal with a bit of snow?  I`ve finished with work for this year as I booked tomorrow and New Years Day as a holiday and I go back on the 2nd January...2 working days in a week, now THAT`S not bad...lol! It was a bit busier at work today than yesterday as I think people are getting back to normal and are having a look around now. We have a sale on all Christmas items and there are some excellent bargains to be had.  I bought a couple of tree ornaments and a gold tree top star but in all honesty there`s nothing else I really need so I`m saving my money for the sales tomorrow. I wasn`t going to bother but as I have to go to the bank tomorrow and also to change some Christmas gifts it won`t hurt to see what`s on offer....a new jacket would be nice at a good price, or a jumper, or should that be two...hmm!  You know me, I just love a bargain...lol!

      

I suppose I`ll have to spend some time this weekend sorting out the kitchen and living room and clearing away the Christmas bits and pieces that are lying around. What looked pretty and festive last week now looks jaded and untidy, and anyway, one of my sets of lights blew this morning so they`re going in the bin, they are very old and I have another set that is unused and still in the box.  As I was saying I have to take three items back to the shops to be changed. A jacket that Danny and Salina bought me has something wrong with the collar,it makes me look as though I`m about to take off...lol!  It`s from Marks and Spencer so there won`t be a problem there. Some jeans that Dan bought for Jim are too big so I`ll get a smaller size and some trousers we bought Dan are too short so a longer pair are needed.  I just hope the sizes we need are available or it`ll be refunds or credit notes all round.

                  

Brrr....these snowy scenes are making me feel even colder even though it`s been mild all day. I`m sure I`d feel warmer too if our shop had any heating, I`m usually a very warm soul who doesn`t feel the cold too much. By all accounts we`re in for a very mild New Year, though I`ve heard we`ll be getting some very cold weather before too long.... NOTE: must buy some extra warm socks for work, and perhaps a hot water bottle or two...lol!  Anyway my friends, I must away. I have dinner to prepare and journals to read. I hope you`re all having a lovely day. Take care and Cheerio for now.

 

After The Event

Hello Everyone,

Well here we are once again.  Christmas is over for another year after all the anticipation and will quickly be forgotten along with every other year....sigh. I love Christmas but it goes by far too quickly for me.

Does it suit me Nanna?

We had a smashing Christmas Day and Boxing Day with the whole family at our house for both days. Roman is much recovered from his conjunctivitis and is almost back to normal, he`s certainly been full of mischief the last couple of days with poor Kerry needing eyes in the back of her head, each time her back was turned he found something else to get up too, bless him!

Roman really seemed to love getting his presents though the best part seemed to be tearing the paper off them. It must be overwhelming for a small child to be confronted with all these brightly coloured packages.  I had some lovely presents from family and friends. Thanks Jeannette  and Mike for yours, they are exactly what I wanted.  Amongst my presents I have two books, both autobiographies that I`ve wanted for some time.  I`ve started one already and it`s really funny, just what I need to keep away the Winter blues.

Our Family Christmas 2006

Boxing Day was similar to yesterday but slightly less hectic. In the afternoon my brother, SIL and two nephews turned up for an hour so there were 11 of us in my living room.  It was nice to see Little Brother as it`s been a year since we last got together, even though we only live a couple of miles apart, I suppose that`s what busy lives do to us.  I hope we get to see each other a bit more often during the coming year and don`t wait until next Christmas.

Today Danny, Salina and I went back to work though Jim, Kerry and Slava are still on holiday. I really wonder why we didn`t close until after the New Near seeing as though we didn`t have a lot of customers. I would think most shoppers have headed for the High Streets and the January sales, not garden centres. If I were the consumer I know where I`d be....most likely at home I think until the rush died down. I can`t stand crowds of manic bargain hunters that seem intent on trampling me underfoot...lol!

Anyway, I have to catch up on some journal reading. I hope you all have a lovely day.  Bye Bye for now. :o)

 

A Very Happy Christmas To You All!

Hello Everybody,

I can`t believe it but it`s Christmas Eve at last. I`m really into the Christmas spirit now and can`t wait for tomorrow. OK, what`s been going on in the last week....erm...let me think. Oh yes, I have been really busy at work on Thursday and Friday which was useful as it was bitterly cold and at least it took my mind off the fact that I couldn`t feel my feet...lol!  I really can`t believe some of these last minute shoppers, many of them having left their Christmas spirit at home with the tree and decorations. If it was going to make them so miserable why not shop a bit earlier.  Never mind, I`m off until Wednesday and work for two days then I`m off again Friday until Tuesday which suits me fine.

                              

Roman has been very poorly the last few days, he has a dreadful cold and conjuntivitis in both eyes. On Friday he spent most of the time sleeping on my lap, I hate to see him like that as I feel so helpless and I know he doesn`t understand, bless him.  Jake has been limping on and off the last couple of days and I suspect he has early onset arthritis. The vet warned us that as he has mild hip dysplasia it would most likely show up by the time he is 5 or 6. I really didn`t expect it this soon as he`s not 4 until March.  What is in his favour is that he is in great shape physically with strong muscled back legs and is the perfect weight for his size.  If we keep him fit and slim and don`t over exercise him he should be fine for some time yet. He`d better be as I couldn`t bear to see him deteriorate too quickly.

                                    

 

I`m not a really superstitious person but what I did this morning will horrify those that are.  I have broken a mirror, not just any mirror but the tall mirror that used to hang in the hallway.  I must admit some quick mental arithmatic told me that I`ll be 61 when the `bad luck` runs out but I soon dismissed it.  Me superstitious?  Nah....fingers crossed...lol!

                                        

This afternoon I`ll be reading journals, peeling potatoes and sprouts ready for the morning. The turkey is defrosting in a bucket of cold water while the bacon and chipolatas are in the fridge. I keep thinking there`s something I`ve forgotten but if I have ,well so be it, I`ve had enough of shopping to last a lifetime so I`ll have to manage without it. This year I`ve made up stockings for Roman, Danny, Kerry, Slava and Salina and I have wait until Dan has gone to bed before I can hang them up. He thinks I`ve only filled ones for Kerry, Salina and Roman but I couldn`t leave the boys out. I just hope they like what`s in them. Jim is working tomorrow but should bve home by 1pm so we`ll wait imtil then to open our presents, it wouldn`t be right to open them without him.

                   

I really want to thank you all, my journal friends for reading my day to day mutterings throughout the year, and for entertaining me with your smashing entries. I do miss not being able to read them as often as I`d like. Also I want to thank you all for the Christmas cards and greetings that you`ve sent me, it was lovely to open them all. Also I must thank all those who`ve made the graphics that I`ve been privileged to use, I have no idea how to make my own and would have had a very boring journal indeed without them. I`m going to find all your names and links and will list you all in another entry. And finally I must thank my wonderful family without whom I wouldn`t have had very much to write about in the first place! And that, my friends was my Christmas equivilent to an Oscar speech...lol!

                        

Anyway, that`s it from me apart from wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and have a wonderful magical time.  Take care. :o)

 

Mistletoe a Christmas poem by Walter de la Mare

Sitting under the mistletoe
(Pale-green, fairy mistletoe),
One last candle burning low,
All the sleepy dancers gone,
Just one candle burning on,
Shadows lurking everywhere:
Some one came, and kissed me there.

Tired I was; my head would go
Nodding under the mistletoe
(Pale-green, fairy mistletoe),
No footsteps came, no voice, but only,
Just as I sat there, sleepy, lonely,
Stooped in the still and shadowy air
Lips unseen - and kissed me there. 

                             

A Whatttt???

Hello Everyone,

I hope you`re all having a really nice Tuesday.  It`s been absolutely freezing here with thick freezing fog. We have no heating at work so I`m wearing many layers of clothes that make look two stone heavier than I am...not that it makes much difference because my poor feet have been frozen to the spot and it took ages to thaw them out again. As for my hands they weren`t too bad as I`ve been wearing fingerless gloves and that made a real difference.  I couldn`t have my little halogen heater on either as there was a problem with my till so I had to use another where there were no extra plug sockets...sigh.  Tomorrow I hope I`m back on my usual till where I can at least keep my feet and legs warm.

 

                      

This morning the funniest thing happened, not that I found it funny at the time.  It was 7am and I was just about to have a shower when I saw something run across the upstairs landing.  I looked again and saw it was a mouse.....A MOUSE!!!!  I screamed blue murder, something I`ve never done before though how many of you expect to find a mouse that has just run upstairs?  My yells woke Jim and alerted Dan who was downstairs preparing his lunch for work .  Anyway, the daring duo set about cathching said mouse who had retreated to the safety of the computer room.  All I could hear from the bathroom was furniture being shifted and loud whispers of men who were making plans...lol!  As I left the bathroom I met with a triumphant looking husband and son, they had caught the mouse and released it into the wild.  This is what happened.

1) Room was cleared of all furniture, laundry baskets, Christmas presents and just about everything that was on the floor.

2) Mouse was located under the freezer by Dan armed with a torch.

3) LP records were put around the freezer to form a barracade so mouse had no escape route.

4) Gap under door was blocked off just in case mouse was cleverer than them.

5) Jim lifted freezer while Dan, armed with lightening reflexes and an empty shoebox captured mouse.

6) Jim slides another record under the showbox and mouse is secured.

7) My heroes deliver mouse to the safety of the green opposite the house.

So there you have it, alls well that ends well.  Mouse lives to fight another day.  Computer room is the tidiest it`s been for ages. I don`t have to worry that it will chew through the wires of the freezer and desatroying my Christmas food....OR and this would be serious, chew through the wires of my beloved computer...lol!

              

Well that`s it for this evening my friends.  I won`t be posting tomorrow as I`ll be going to Windsor with Kerry and Roman after work for a final look around the shops. Also It`s just nice to go out and have a coffee and a chat.  I hope you all have a nice evening, take care and wrap up warm. :o)

 

 

 

 

 

The Weekend news

Hello Everyone,

I thought you might like to know all about my weekend.  It`s beens been quite eventful, at least I think so.  Yesterday morning Jim and I went shopping for my Christmas present.  Instead of trying in vain to find a parking space, Dan dropped us off in the High Street and left us to our own devices.  It made a nice change to go shopping in town on a Saturday especially as it wasn`t as busy as I thought it would be.  We met Slava and Roman in the town and we went to M&S for a well deserved cappuchino and piece of cake.  Slava had left Kerry at home to enjoy a quiet morning while he also shopped for presents.  Afterwards we went our separate ways and continued our search for the brown leather boots that I wanted and guess what?  I found then almost straight away in Wallis AND they only had my size AND they were reduced by £25 too!  If that wasn`t enough,  I saw a smashing pair of black leather shoes, again in the sale that I bought for myself...what a great day this had turned out to be.

                               

 

We ended up spending five and a half hours in town by which time we were footsore and very, very tired.  We were going to walk home but Jim saw a taxi waiting outside the shopping centre and that was that,  a nice comfy ride home was much appreciated especially as we were carrying some heavy bags and I had an armful of Christmas decorations that were too big to fit in a bag.  We were home just long enough to put everything away before Roman came over for the evening.  Kerry was working and Slava had a dance engagement so it was Nanna and Grandad to the rescue again.  When it was time for bed he screwed his little face up and yelled as loudly as possible but I wasn`t having any of it and he did put up as much as a fight as last time.  I think he`s getting the message that it`s best not to argue with this big bad grandmother...lol!

                                       

Last night we watched the semi final of Strictly Come Dancing.  Wasn`t it good?  I was amazed that Emma and Darren were voted off but then the voting public obviously didn`t want them to stay.  Mark and Karen did a terrific Argentine tango, it was the best dance I`d seen in the series and I hope they win the competion, they certainly deserve to.  What will I watch once the series ends?  I suppose I`ll just have to spend more time online instead...lol!

                                      

 

                  

 Today was busy because I had two weeks worth of ironing to do. Last Sunday morning we went out so I thought I`d leave to the lot until today, it seemed like a good idea at the time!  Today it took nearly 3 hours to finish, I thought my arms were going to fall off ...lol!  Jim went out and bought some poinsettias from another rival garden centre, they are really nice and much cheaper too.  How disloyal I am...lol!  Tomorrow I`ll buy some nice pots to put them in, at the moment they have silver foil wrapped around to make them look nice. This afternoon I spent some time playing games on here then this evening Jim and I went out for a meal.  I`d love to be able to tell you that it was lovely but it wasn`t...it was horrible, very bland and overcooked, apart from the vegetables and they were undercooked.  We didn`t complain but we won`t be eating there again I can tell you.

                                    

                    

 Danny is out at the moment at his company Christmas party.  I think Sunday is a strange day to hold it as they all have to go to work tomorrow but never mind, it`s better than no party at all.  Jim`s company are probably not going to bother this year...Scrooges!  Talking of my son and heir we have a little problem with him, at least I do, Jim thinks it`s funny.  Do you remember me saying one of the reasons Dan will fit in well  is because he`s very quiet like me first thing in the morning?  Well, how wrong could I be, quiet he ain`t.  It`s not just that he chats in the morning,  I could just about cope with that.  He seems to think that it`s ok to have deep and meaningful discussions at 6.15 in the morning.  WELL IT`S NOT OK DANNY BOY!!!! Leave me alone with my weetabix, cup of tea and newspaper and let me wake up slowly.....please!

                                      

 

                                      

I`ve just noticed the time and I have 2 mins to finish this entry before a programme I want to watch begins.  So I`ll bid you goodnight, and take care.