January 2024

The new year started here with illness. I'd had a bad chest and awful cough since Boxing Day, in fact, the cough still hasn't completely gone. We'd struggled through New Year's Eve with Jasmine and Eleanor also under the weather and then on New Year's Day, Mick woke up with whatever I'd had. He's not one to moan though, unlike some men who take to their beds with a cold and call it flu, he just gets on with it. I think the last day he had off work for sickness was in the last century. Anyway, we're all much better now, thank goodness.

Mick and I spent New Year's Day on our own. It was lovely actually having the day to just relax before Mick returned to work on the 2nd. We spent the time catching up watching a few things we'd recorded over Christmas. Our TV is rarely turned on over the festive period so we had a few things to choose from.

We've had a few trips out this month. You can read about our visits to the Coast & Country in my earlier post. We particularly enjoyed our visit to Bridlington on the east coast, so much so that we returned the following week when it was a little warmer, though a storm was expected so the sea was very choppy. I think Archie especially enjoyed this second visit, he seemed to have a spring in his step and made lots of new doggy friends.

My reading mojo disappeared completely for a few weeks. I read my last book of 2023 before Christmas and I didn't pick up a book again until we were well into the second half of January. Even then, I've been reading sporadically and have finished just one book this month.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.

"Set in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Havana, Hemingway's magnificent fable is the tale of an old man, a young boy and a giant fish. This story of heroic endeavor won Hemingway the Nobel Prize for Literature. It stands as a unique and timeless vision of the beauty and grief of man's challenge to the elements."

It's a short book at just under a hundred pages but it's packed with such beautifully descriptive writing that it will be one which is long remembered. Not a subject I'd have expected to enjoy but I found myself recounting the story to Mick and it was clear to him that it's a book I'd enjoyed. There's little wonder that Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for this book.

I was thrilled to discover that I'd won a prize in a make along which I'd taken part in during the latter part of 2023. Ellie at Craft House Magic was running the Craft 20 a Day Make Along where you worked on any crafty project for, you've guessed it, twenty minutes each day. I joined in with my English Paper Piecing and won the prize for the last quarter of the year. Ellie sent me this gorgeous yarn, one skein called All I Want For Christmas Is You and the other a one of a kind. It definitely needs to be used together as the colours compliment each other so well. I just need to find a pattern to use it in.

We've had quite a few little treats this month, taking ourselves out for coffee (Mick) and tea or chocolate (me). We're lucky that we have a choice of cafes, some independents and some chains, near to where we live, quite a few within walking distance even, so we're spoilt for choice. It's nice to take ourselves out of the house, even for just half an hour, sit down together and chat.

A new series of Trigger Point started at the weekend and I've binged watched the whole six episodes already. It stars Vicky McClure as Lana Washington, a bomb disposal officer working for the Metropolitan Police. I enjoyed the first series and thought this second series even better. If you like fast paced crime dramas, this one might be for you.

So that's the first month of a new year already gone. I wonder what lies ahead, though one thing's for sure, time is whizzing by. It never seems long after we're seeing in one new year before we're seeing in another. Does anyone else feel the same?

Coast & Country

We had planned to have a drive out to the coast on Boxing Day but as I was beginning to feel under the weather, we put it off. You know when you've been looking forward to something and then it doesn't happen, it tends to be on your mind, and a trip to the coast was on mine, so the minute I felt I was on the mend, off we went. 

We decided on Bridlington on the east coast, about sixty miles from where we live. As is often the case, we didn't check the tide times before we set off but we were lucky, the sea was a long way out and there were huge, wide open spaces for as far as we could see. Perfect for a little dog to have a good run.

Archie enjoys the seaside as much as we do. The good thing about this time of year is that dogs are allowed on all areas of the beach, dog bans come into play between May and October, and there aren't the crowds during the winter months that there are later on in the year. This was a Saturday and look how deserted it was. Yes, it was a bit nippy but we wrapped up warm.

I think I enjoy my trips to the seaside more out of season. The majority of people we saw were dog walkers, we're a hardy breed braving all weathers, and we get well rewarded for it. Miles of unspoilt empty beach with the odd dog running around here and there and beauty all around us.

Archie had a whale of a time, he doesn't do much running around now as he's an old boy but he loves all the new smells as well as having a little paddle. He loves making new friends too.

There are lots of rockpools on one stretch of the beach. If it had been a little bit warmer I might have explored a little to see what I could find.

Beach treasure. I didn't find any sea glass on this particular day, though I wasn't really looking.

Just look at those pink fingers. Yes, it was rather cold.

The pleasure cruisers were still taking passengers for trips around the bay despite how much the temperature had dropped on this particular day.

After our time on the beach we took a walk around the harbour. There wasn't much water left in it with the tide being so far out.

The Turnstones were grubbing about in the mud which was left behind.

As we passed the harbour we could see Flamborough headland in the distance. Flamborough is a little under five miles from Bridlington and it's the place where was saw the seals on Our Staycation.

A little further round and there's the lure of the amusements. I'll admit that I'm quite drawn to the 2p pushers but I resisted on this occasion.

I did give in to a doughnut though, well who can resist the delicious aroma when it's wafting through the air, not me!

The following day we decided on a trip to the Yorkshire Dales and in particular, Reeth, which is in the north of the Yorkshire Dales and again, about sixty miles from where we live. It has a population of about 700, though it looks rather busy with all the cars parked here but I believe there are many walking routes which can be taken from the village so people park up here. We did see evidence of this ourselves with people changing into walking boots and others returning to their cars with their walking poles.

The village has a little more for tourists than some of the small villages in the Dales. Fleece is an arts and crafts cooperative and a non-for-profit organisation. Arts and crafts from a number of different makers are sold here and it's a lovely shop to look around.

There are a number of small shops, a gift shop, an art gallery, a post office and general store as well as a toy shop. It was a shame to find most of them closed on Sundays. I would have particularly enjoyed looking round The Threshing Barn, a fibre arts shop, but their winter opening is just Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and it doesn't open at all on a Sunday, even in summer. It was nice to find Dragonridge Hills open for a browse. Here you can buy some beautiful jewellery as well as a selection of textile items and fossils and stones.

The ice cream parlour was open for business though it was far too cold for ice cream in my opinion. They do sell hot beverages though too.

Reeth has three pubs. We noticed that one of the signs outside The Black Bull is upside down and looking on Google when we returned home, discovered that this was done as a protest when a previous landlord removed the render when he tried to tidy up the exterior and exposed the original walls, only for the National Parks officials to take exception to this and insist that the render be replaced, threatening legal action if this didn't happen. Some local pranksters, apparently, turned the sign upside down in protest and it's still upside down to this day.

What a funny place to put a cat flap, in the window. Right next to the bird feeder too!

Reeth Evangelical Congregational Church.

Swaledale where Reeth is situated is known for its farming landscape of fields, barns, drystone walls and hay meadows. The village is surrounded by beautiful scenery. I wonder who lives in that white cottage halfway up the hill.

There was snow on the tops of the hills.

I can't go to the Yorkshire Dales without taking a photo of some sheep. The one on the right is definitely trying to tell me something.

After visiting Reeth we decided to head over to Hawes to stock up on some Wensleydale and Fountains Gold cheese from the Wensleydale Creamery. Before we realised which road we'd taken we were heading over Buttertubs Pass, a road which crosses high moorland between Hawes and the small hamlet of Thwaite. Jeremy Clarkson has apparently labelled it as "England's only truly spectacular road". It's a meandering road with hairpin bends and sheer drops to the side and only a length of barbed wire between the car and the edge in some places. To make matters worse, it had been snowing up there. The photo above was taken through the windscreen as we were driving.

I really don't have a head for heights and I couldn't look as we were driving the parts with nothing to the side of me, but as we got further along we stopped the car so that I could get out and take a photo. There isn't usually much traffic up there anyway but I think we saw just two cars on this particular day. Absolutely stunning scenery over the pass but I won't be rushing back, especially in the snow!

We're so lucky to have these beautiful places, and many more, not too far from where we live. Our small town is just under eight miles from one of the largest cities in England. We have all the amenities that a large city offers on our doorstep if we need them but we're far enough away not to be bothered by the negative aspects, and where we live is surrounded by beautiful countryside. The coast is less than sixty miles away, so very convenient for day trips. We really do have the best of all worlds.

Twelve Days Of Christmas 2023

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you'll know that my friend, Lisa and I have been swapping twelve small gifts each year, one to be opened on each of the twelve days of Christmas. This is now the tenth year that we've swapped gifts, it's a lovely tradition.

This is what I received from Lisa this year.

A closer look.

The Big Little Wedding in Carlton Square by Lilly Bartlett. I haven't read anything by this author before so I look forward to reading this. Gingerbread mug hangers to hang on the side of your hot chocolate mug, almost too cute to eat. The Big Cheesy Night In, well we all love cheese here, with the exception of Daniel, so this will be fun. Cheese themed quizzes, jokes and games. It's a long time since I've done any card making so these blank greeting cards may just get my creative juices flowing, and the craft bags will be brilliant to decorate.

A pretty water bottle, always handy for days out. Some gorgeous handmade pure natural essential oil bath bombs. They're so pretty and smell gorgeous, I can't wait to use these. A ceramic Happy coaster and a sachet of Galaxy hot chocolate, yum. Three Yankee Candle votives, each a Christmas scent: Mulled Wine, Warm Apple & Cinnamon, and Gingerbread. They smell delicious.

A pair of Christmas Up To Snow Good socks, they'll be sure to keep my feet warm. Some hand cream: Wild Meadow with notes of Apple Blossom and Violet Leaf, and In Bloom with notes of Jasmine and Freesia, don't they sound lovely. A note book and pen, always handy and just the right size to carry in my handbag, I'm always scrabbling around for a bit of paper and a pen when I'm out. Some of my favourite Green & Black's ginger chocolate.

Haven't I been spoilt. Thank you Lisa, I'm thrilled with all my gifts.

This is what I sent to Lisa.

A closer look.

A bit of a baking theme here. A set of three Christmas cake tins, there's two nestling inside the big one. I popped the tub of edible Christmas sprinkles inside too. A tropical cupcake set, you get the cases and the toppers. An eat, drink and be merry spatula with a gingerbread man cookie cutter, and a winter wonderland plate.

A tin of Scottish shortbread biscuits in a lovely nutcracker tin, I admit it was the tin which drew me to these. A bar of Cadbury's Snow Balls, who doesn't love this. Baylis & Harding hand cream in floral scents, and a pair of really squishy socks for the cold weather.

I always pop a Christmas book in the parcel, this year it's Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop by Jessica Redland. I expect it's the usual boy meets girl at Christmas time but I enjoy a cosy romance to settle down with during the festive period so I hope Lisa does too. A ceramic tea cup bird feeder. I saw this and thought it looked so cute. Just imagine the birds feeding from a tea cup. A calligraphy set, something I've fancied having a go at myself but never have. A Winnie the Pooh weekly planner ready for the year ahead. I'm always a bit wary of buying people diaries in case they've already got one but this planner just has the days of the week printed so it can be used at any time.

Well it's been such a fun swap again. I enjoy looking for all the little gifts to include in the parcel just as much as I enjoy opening up a gift each day, and as I always say, it keeps the excitement of Christmas going right into January. Thanks again, Lisa.

Advent Calendar 2023

This is the fifth year that I've had a yarny advent calendar. I had one from Josie at Beaches & Birdsong back in 2020 and I went with one from her again. This time each mini skein weighs 20g, I've always had 10g ones in the past. I thought having more yarn of each colour would give me more options when it comes to choosing what I'm going to use it for.

The theme of this advent calendar is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It was delivered on the 1st of November in plenty of time to start opening all the little packages at the start of December.

It was such a treat opening each little parcel, I couldn't be more happier with what I got. The colours are just beautiful and the yarn, as always when buying form Josie, is so squishy and soft. I haven't decided what I'm going to make yet but it will be an absolute pleasure to use this yarn.

And that wasn't all. There were also little treats added to some of the packages, sweeties, chocolate, stitch markers, a little tin to keep the stitch markers in, and even a sticker of a lion on the day I opened the Aslan colourway.

I'm still using up the yarn from previous year's advent calendars so I doubt this will be used in the very near future but I shall enjoy pondering on what I'm going to make with it.

December 2023

The month started off with a sprinkling of snow, in fact, it was more than a sprinkling. It wasn't forecast at all for our area but they got that wrong. We got into the Christmas spirit at the very start of the month by putting up our tree on the 1st.

Daniel and Jasmine spent Christmas with her family in Colorado this year so we decided to bring Christmas forward and spent a lovely 'Christmas Day' with them on the 9th before they jetted off on the 13th. We exchanged presents and had a full Christmas dinner and I have to say, it did actually feel like Christmas.

The following day was very wet, I don't think the rain let up all day but having spent the full day before indoors, we really wanted to get out. Ripley Castle was holding its Christmas market so we decided to have a drive out. Archie wasn't very pleased, he'd been having a snooze on the sofa before being rudely woken up and dragged out into the rain. We didn't stay long but it was nice to get out of the house.

I've read five books this month.

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman.

"An old friend in the antiques business has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.

As the gang spring into action, they encounter art forgers, online fraudsters and drug dealers, as well as heartache close to home.

With the body count rising, the package still missing and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out?

And who will be the last devil to die?"

This is the fourth book by Richard Osman and by now we expect to be fully entertained, and entertained we were, or at least I was. I loved this book, not the hardest plot to unravel but I find that Richard Osman's writing just gets better and better. This book gives him scope to jump from what he's used to into other, more emotional subjects and I think these parts are written in a sensitive and understanding manner. One of my favourite reads of the year.

The French Chateau Dream by Julie Caplin.

"You are invited to a summer of sparkling champagne, warm buttery croissants and a little bit of je ne sais quoi...

With a broken heart and a broken spirit, Hattie is in need of a summer escape. So when an opportunity comes up to work at a beautiful, stately chateau in the Champagne region of France she books her flights quicker than the pop of a cork.

Romance is the last thing Hattie is looking for but then she wasn't expecting gorgeous Luc to stroll into her life. With picnics in the warm French sun and delicious trips to the local market, Hattie starts to wonder if a holiday fling - or maybe even something more - might be just what she needs."

I've read every one of Julie Caplin's Romantic Escapes books and enjoyed them all. Yes, it's the usual boy meets girl romance, but each book takes you on a trip somewhere different. I wouldn't say I have wanderlust but this author should be working for the tourism industry as she has me wanting to visit every country I read about. Another thumbs up.

Christmas with the Railway Girls by Maisie Thomas.

"Manchester 1941.

Christmas is the season for family and friends, and this year the railway girls will need each other more than ever.

Cordelia appears to have the perfect life. When her daughter Emily arrives home unexpectedly, she can't wait to introduce her to her friends. But when things don't go to plan, Cordelia must decide where her loyalty lies.

Things aren't going too smoothly for Alison either, Her beloved boyfriend has yet to propose, but there's a charity fundraiser dance and she's dressed up specially. Surely, tonight must be the night.

Colette's friends are envious of her devoted husband; he meets her after every shift on the railway, and accompanies her around town. But Colette has a secret that could change her life - if only she knew who to confide in.

With the festive season fast approaching, the railway girls are hoping for some Christmas magic..."

Back to some Christmas reading now and this is the third book which my pen pal, Pauline, bought me last Christmas. I suspected from the title that this book is one from a series and after a little investigation, discovered that this is indeed the case.

Many books which are part of a series can be read as stand alone stories and this is the case here, however, I do think you'd probably get more out of it if you'd read the preceding books first as many references are made to events which have already happened in earlier books and they're not fully explained. I also had a bit of a job following who was who at first whereas you'd have got to know all the characters gradually from the first books. Having said that, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and wouldn't hesitate in recommending this book if you enjoy fiction set in wartime.

Merrily Ever After by Cathy Bramley.

"Two Strangers. One big secret. And a Christmas to remember...

Merry has always wanted a family to spend Christmas with, and this year her dream comes true as she says 'I do' to father-of-two Cole. But as she juggles her rapidly-growing business, wedding planning and the two new children in her life, her dream begins to unravel.

Emily is desperately waiting for the New Year to begin, so she can finally have a fresh start. She has always put her family first, leaving little time for happiness and love. When her beloved father Ray moves into a residential home, she discovers a photograph in his belongings that has the potential to change everything.

As past secrets come to light, will this be a magical Christmas for Emily and Merry to remember?"

You may remember that I read The Merry Christmas Project in October, a book which my pen pal bought me last year. I enjoyed it so much that I bought the sequel, well this is it.

A year has passed and a Christmas wedding is on the cards, new characters are introduced and there's a dementia storyline running alongside the usual boy meets girl romance. I'm so pleased I bought this second book in the series as it was just as enjoyable. Another entertaining read. 

Celebrations For The Woolworths Girls by Elaine Everest.

"It's February 1952 and while the nation grieves the death of King George VI, life must go on for the Woolworths Girls.

At the Erith store there is a new temporary manager and Sarah is getting more than a little concerned by problems he seems to be creating. The whole mess is enough to make her want to resign.

Meanwhile, Ruby is extremely worried about her friend Vera and, with illness causing a problem from Vera's past to come flooding back, she knows it's going to take a lot of strength and willpower to do what needs to be done.

Then there is Freda, looking forward to the arrival of her first child, but sick with worry that her Tony won't have returned home in time for the birth, let alone to run the Erith store.

As coronation day for young Queen Elizabeth II approaches, the girls from Woolworths celebrate friendship, family and overcoming anything that life can throw at them..."

The latest offering in the Woolworths Girls saga. I've read all the books in the series and they never disappoint. I am beginning to get a little confused about who is who though, after nine books we not only have the original characters but there's now their husbands and children, not to mention other unrelated characters who have been introduced along the way, and I'm not the best with names. It does keep me on my toes trying to follow who's who. Another enjoyable read though, I like the storylines which this author comes up with and I'm looking forward to reading more.

Haworth was hosting its Christmas celebrations in the run up to the big day. Unfortunately, the torchlight procession on the 9th of December was cancelled due to high winds and rain, though I believe it went ahead on the 10th. On the 16th we had a drive out for their Christmas Music Weekend. We saw a traditional brass band playing carols and a ukulele band too. Inside the church was the most beautiful organ music, very atmospheric. It was a nice day out.

I'm not a huge film watcher so there's lots of Christmas films which I've never seen. I decided I'd make the effort to watch some of them this year so during December Mick and I have watched quite a few, by my standards anyway. We've watched The Snowman, The Snowman and the Snowdog, The Polar Express, Elf, Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Genie, Arthur Christmas, Deck the Halls, Scrooged and of course, no Christmas film viewing would be complete without National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Some of these films I've seen before and some I haven't. Some I thought were considerably better than others and some which were firm favourites already and some which I'll never bother watching again!

Christmas Day was lovely. Eleanor and Jacob joined us around midday as Jacob had been working a night shift on Christmas Eve so he caught up on a couple of hours sleep first. It was much quieter than usual with it being just the four of us but Daniel and Jasmine video called us in the afternoon, they're seven hours behind us in Colorado so they'd just got up. They were having a nice time with Jasmine's family. We may have been two men down but we still enjoyed our Christmas dinner, cooked mostly by Mick with just a little help from me (doesn't it always taste better when you don't cook it yourself) and enjoyed some games. We picked up a couple of new games when Tesco were having their toy sale, each of these cost just £5 and they've been a big hit.

We'd planned to have a drive to the coast on Boxing Day but I wasn't feeling my best so that didn't happen. I didn't want to stay cooped up in the house so we took ourselves off for a walk down the lane. We'd had some terrible storms and were due more but it stayed dry and still while we were out. I'm glad I got out when I did as I've been a bit under the weather ever since with a hacking cough which is so bad that it's making me sick. I've been testing for Covid but each test has shown negative, thank goodness.

Daniel and Jasmine arrived home on Friday evening, worn out after a long haul flight and then having to hang around at Heathrow for a connecting flight to Manchester. Mick drove over to pick them up so they didn't have to worry about getting home from there. We had a lovely time yesterday hearing all about their trip and catching up on each other's news and we're expecting everyone round again later today for the New Year's celebrations. I'm sure there'll be drinking and games involved, though I think the strongest drink I can manage at the moment is a cup of tea!

That just leaves me to thank you all for visiting my blog and for all the wonderful comments so many of you leave throughout the year. Every one of them is very much appreciated. Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 2024.