Review of 2014

I have seen on many of the blogs I follow a review of the year, so I thought I would do my own version.  Instead of doing a monthly review, I am just going to post some of the photos that still put a smile on my face.

Jan 2014 - he is going to kill me!

Who needs to bake............  H happy with his 40th cake!

BEST PICTURE of Anni B.

Yes, we have the nerve to travel.

Friends

Birthday trip

Molly's Bar R Us.

Fab flowers

A dog who cuddles - yes!

Handmade is best!

Just some of the things putting a smile on my face in 2014.  Hope to see you in 2015.

RAOK

Hello

My mantra for 2015 

You know, I feel that 2014 hasn't been a great year for us.  There has been bad health for H, I have really struggled with his MS - which is ironic as he's now had it for 10 years and this is the year that I have grieved for what we have lost and for what we will never have.  I can honestly say that the first 8 months of this year are the worst I have ever gone through and have tested me to my limit.  Then a friend's husband has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness which has one again shown me how precious life is.

Anyway, I am determined not to hit 2015 with the same attitude that i have struggled with this year.  Life is what you make it and I am determined to make it a good one.  I am thankful for what we have and can appreciate the little things that we forget each day.

So in 2015 I want to share some of this good feeling.  I am willing to send someone a random act of kindness (RAOK).  There is a catch though - isn't there always?

If you want to participate in my RAOK then all I ask is that you share the love and pass one on yourself.

So my rules:  I will send a RAOK to everyone who says yes (in a comment, or via email).  It may be handmade, it may be bought.  I will not be doing this immediately (definitely in the handmade category!!!), it is to be a surprise at some point in 2015.  So you have an unexpected package in the mail.  All I ask is that you take the time to pass it on.


Want to join in ?????????

(Please don't let me a Billy No Mates )

Making me HAPPY this week

Wow, can you believe that this will be my last "happy" post for 2014.  I don't think I started at the beginning of the year, but I wasn't too late in starting.  This week it is really easy.

Making me happy so far;

1) Books!!!  I was very lucky this year and was spoilt with my books.  I have authors I love, authors I have never read, books I was DESPERATE for (thanks Mum) and a baking book which H has already chosen the first recipe out of.

2) Someone shamelessly photobombing.  Cheers N!!!

Christmas Eve with the Hubby.  Still loads to do but with a glass or 3 of Rose - I no longer cared :-)

3) Opening presents.  Someone REALLY wanted what was in the bag, and rather surprisingly there was no food involved......

4) OOh look not one photo of me on Christmas Day and those I took of my family were far and few behind.  One of my goals of 2015 is to take more photos - I keep meaning to but haven't been so great this year.........

My big Bro

H and my Dad

Mum

5)  My sis in law A and her son R coming for tea tonight - just snuck into my post for the week :-)

Merry Chrimbob

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous 2015.

Making me HAPPY this week

I am all a fluster today as I had lost 2 Christmas presents and have spent hours searching for them.  I have found one, and another I didn't know I had misplaced.  I have had to admit defeat on the other and order it again - fingers crossed it will arrive tomorrow.  I wouldn't mind but I have a present cupboard and the majority of gifts are immediately placed in the cupboard so I know where they are - Grrrrrrr.


Things making me happy, on my last happy post before Christmas;

1) Finishing a scarf for my Friend S for her advent box.  It went so wrong and I couldn't face frogging it - so I changed the design slightly and she says she loves it so all is well.  S can you take a photo please, I was so eager to get it into the post I forgot to do so.

2) Starting to wrap presents - I love wrapping presents.  From the choosing the wrapping paper, ribbons, to the wrapping.  I LOVE IT.  Well except round gifts- I don't love them!!!!!

3) Walking Anni with Dad.  Mum had friends for lunch so he escaped for an hour.  Not only does Anni love my Dad, but I also love spending time with him one on one.  My Mum and I sometimes go shopping and have lunch together, but I don't often get time with my Dad.

4) Having the friends I have. You all rock - well to be fair only about 4 of them read this blog, but you 4 rock, as do the rest of them.  I am truly lucky to have them in my life and I hope to have them with me for a long time to come.

5) My Hubby.  You are annoying but I love you and you make me happy.

and just in case I don't post much next week, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2015.

So Frustrated

Oh I could crush a grape at the moment.  Part of H's MS at the moment is that on an evening his legs feel like they are burning and he has uncontrollable twitches.  In bed, he can wake me up he's twitching so much - though strangely he can sleep through them :-)

So the MS team at the hospital wrote to our GP to ask him to prescribe a certain drug.  Hubby went today to ask for the drug and the Dr refused to prescribe it, saying he'd never heard of it.  Now if I received a letter with a new drug on it I would google it to look into it.  So he has prescribed a drug which H's Dad has been taking with some major side effects so Hubby won't even get the prescription filled and the drug only stops the burning not the twitching.

All I can suspect is that either it's a cheaper drug or the Dr gets a bonus for prescribing it.

On another note the MS Physio arranged for a chair to be delivered this week for Hubby to test out to see if it makes it easier for him to get up and down.  Shame it's obviously come from a smoker's home and now my living room absolutely reeks. - it gets collected next week!!!

The NHS is sadly not fit for purpose with long term illnesses and it is so frustrating - ARGH.

Rant over!!!

Making me HAPPY this week

This week has been loads of fun.

In no particular order

1) Mum and Dad coming down for a curry to say thank you for all they do for us.  The last time they came down for a takeaway (2 years ago), H had a relapse and it was the start of a very hard time for us.  Tonight, we have laughed, listened to a new Christmas CD and had a good time.

2) Getting the tree up.  Mum helped H wrap my present and Dad and I got the tree up - it still needs some decorations adding but it is largely done - and I was thinking of not putting one up this year :-)

3) I haven't read much this month - too many handmade gifts to make, but I have started on my Christmas reading.  I do try and find a Christmassy book to read every December.  I am currently reading 'Wish Upon A Star" by Trisha Ashley.   I haven't read much, but I am enjoying it so far.

4) Christmas lunch with G and C and to make it better it'll be C's turn next year :-)

5) H having Physio and starting to walk better with his crutches.  Don't get me wrong, he needs his wheelie for most things, but watching him walk upright in the house is amazing.  It's been a long time coming.  Not sure, if his 2 sessions of physio have helped him achieve this, or just given him more confidence in his walking but I am happy that he is able to walk better - saying that I think he's just face planted upstairs - at least there has just been a loud bang............

A Grand Day Out

My friends G and C and I try and meet up fairly regularly throughout the year.  We all used to work together in Leeds and were determined not to loose touch when first G and then I left work.

Yesterday it was G's turn to do the Christmas do and what a day it was.   Although I was up early yesterday I went so wrong and felt all a dither.  Although I had loads of time before I had to catch the bus, I somehow started ironing and suddenly I had 8 minutes to get out of the house and onto the bus.  I forgot the wine for lunch, the soft drinks and my mobile phone and by the time I was sat on the bus, I wasn't even sure I was on the right timed bus.........  thankfully by the time I got to G's I was a little calmer and less rushed.

Thank you G is was lovely and I do love spending time with you and C.

Me and G

G & C

A few Advent gifts perhaps......

 Photos courtesy of C (thank you).

A new job?

I'm a big fan of trying to shop local.  I use my local Post Office, Hair dressers, charity shop and more recently the wool shop.

Tomorrow I am helping out in the wool shop and I am part excited and part terrified!  I am only helping out as and when she needs someone to cover for her, but due to illness it might be a little more in the new year.

Is it normal to worry about all the small things - how to use the till, not selling things for the wrong price?????

I am hoping it will help re-build my confidence in myself and help out someone who needs a hand for the near future.  Maybe I'll even get a discount on my wool :-)

Comfy

Do you think she's comfy?  She's even got the remote!!!!!!

The blanket she is on was knitted by my Grandma (and my Mum thinks some of the squares may have been from her Grandma) and given to me when I went to University when I was 18.  It is precious and is the last outing it's having. It will be washed this week and put away (it is just starting to get damaged).  The blanket over her is H's new blanket.  We spoil our pets don't we!!!

Making me HAPPY this week

It's that time of the week again and I start thinking about positive things whilst in a peeved mood, so I am thinking, oh hang it, I'll miss this week.  But then I think no, being peeved for an hour or 2 shouldn't spoil the rest of the week.  So here I am with the things making me happy this past week.

1) Looking at old photographs whilst de-cluttering.  Anyone know where this was taken?  Yup, that's me in the pushchair - I haven't changed much - I still go round kicking one foot into the air and grinning madly................

2) Opening the advent box.  I got a fab knitted snowman.  He is a little scary as he has no eyes, but the rest of him is lovely :-)  Hubby has opened 2 of the gifts and found chocolate each time - how does he manage that?

3) Spending the day with my Mum.  We finished (most) of the Christmas shopping, had lunch, shared a bottle of wine and just had a lovely day together.  So glad we can do this now.


4) Walking Anni in the woods.  I don't like to do it by myself but we did it and she loved running through ALL the mud she could find.  I am so happy we got a black Lab who loves mud.........

PS Is it too early to open the Christmas chocolates????????


5)  H has opened the choccies - hooray.

Advent has started

Whoop, advent has started.  I tried to wait until Hubby was home to open my advent box but I couldn't wait.  I have one this year and I am really looking forward to the next 24 (well 23 now) days.

I may have cheated and found number 1 before the big day....... Shush, but don't worry the creator of this box doesn't follow my blog :-) See it there, the little white one??

How about now?  Want to know what was inside?

A fabulous little candle, but way too cute ever to be used.

Thanks M.

On another note, I was slightly late in getting box number 4 out to my friend C.  So I took the decision to post the first 4 days to her (H will deliver the rest tomorrow).  Now, although I can't tell you what the 4 gifts are, they were so little and light I was shocked to find that postage cost me £1.71 and the PO wonder why people are no longer sending so much post......