Busy, busy, busy

I both love and loath this time of year.  I used to be uber excited over Christmas and I loved it all - the cold, the christmas music in shops, the decorations, the window shopping to choose presents before the real shopping itself.  The last 2 Christmas' have not been great so I don't have a lot of festive spirit these days.  I am hoping that if this one is a good one then the spirit will return in future years.

Today, I popped into Leeds to meet L and to celebrate her Birthday.  I only went into 3 shops to kill time before lunch and I hated it.  In one shop, 3 mature ladies were stood in a line, across the aisle and then 2 more came to say hi and completely blocked the aisle.  They then looked affronted when I asked them to move - Grrrrrrrrrrr.  Then in Next there were a zillion people in the queue in front of me.  I shall not believe it if the news tell us we are still in recession.

Still, it helped me decide that the rest of my Christmas shopping will be taking place online :-)

On the way to Leeds I did manage to work on another Christmas present - don't worry the person receiving it doesn't read my blog - I don't think!!! :-)  Don't all us crafters craft on the bus??????

I had a lovely time catching up with L and giving her her presents (again I forgot to take a photo of presents or the lovely L).  At least we've set our next date!

Being Spoilt

A week today I will be 40.  Now, that doesn't bother me.  I'll be a day older than the day before and a day younger than I will be the following day.  So NOT BOTHERED.

However, it has meant that my lovely friends have pulled out all the stops to make me feel loved, and feel loved I do.

Yesterday I met my friend S in Leeds for a catch up.  We try and meet up as often as we can, but she lives in another place and has 2 young children so it can be difficult.  Yesterday we started talking the second we laid eyes on each other- and this was across the street from each other - oh yes, we have tons to catch up with and never enough time to catch up.

After a drink, S is addicted to Starbucks we went for a wander.  "Oh no" says I, "I have nothing to buy".  Then I remembered i needed travel wash and pants for H.  Could I find either, could I heck........ Grrrrrr.

We had lunch in a fabulous Retro tea room, so nice to be in the middle of a city but in the quiet of a little tea room without a care in the world.  We had a sandwich and afternoon tea between us and just relaxed.  If in Leeds, I can recommend it Grand tearooms

A bonus of eating lunch here, was that we were sat across from some fabulous looking shops and I am very pleased to say that I have at last found my independent shops for Leeds (in the past I have had to travel to York for independent shopping).

One of S's gifts to me was the most gorgeous blue handbag to take on my hols.  I may even get around to taking a photo on daylight so you can see if you like it!!!!


Last night my SIL A took my out for Dinner.  We went to our local pub down the road as it has a nice beer garden.  We sat out until 9.30pm (when I started shivering) chatting and catching up.  She also gave me a gorgeous bottle of perfume (one of my favourites) so I was feeling well loved yesterday.

Happy, happy day

Oh my.  I have really missed you.  So, so much.  Oh sunshine welcome back!  3 days of sunshine now and boy oh boy it's been sorely missed.  I love Winter (well I love the snow) but I am so glad to have the sunshine back.  It was lovely to see the spring flowers today.  I love the blues and yellow together.
I am now hoping to see tulips next time I go out and about.

I must try and learn to use our camera on a setting other than standard.  The photo below doesn't capture the blue of the sky at all.

Today I have been into Halifax with my friend G.  I love Halifax.  It is full of beautiful old buildings.  I love old buildings.

I wonder what it was originally built for?  It is now the Post Office.  I would love to wander around all the rooms inside and try and image them in days gone by.

We were out to celebrate G's Birthday.  An early lunch out.  A glass of wine (well I did), a gorgeous duck wrap, a good catch up, sunshine.  Can you ask for anything more?

Early Happy Birthday G.  Hope you have a fab day on the actual date.  Next time I'll try remember the balloons!

Making me HAPPY this week

I've not had a busy this week this week and it's been great.  I pottered and learnt new skills and spent time with my parents and Anni.

1) Learning to make biscuits.  I have not made biscuits since I was a child and I loved it.  Only problem is that they didn't last long enough to take a photo.  I have tried lemon, chocolate and orange.  I think Lemon are my favourite so far - though that maybe because I used an elephant shaped cutter!

2) Meeting a friend for a fab catch up.  We may have had wine, steak and a lot of talking.  We haven't met up since early Summer so it was a great night.  The bus journey home was interesting and I may not have been walking in too straight a line when I got off of said bus but we had fun.  A - I have not posted THAT photo.........

3) Emergency surgery on Babbit.  I am amazed that Anni loves this toy so much.  Our first dog (and my very first dog) Patch was a rescue dog and she didn't know how to play.  She was a lovely, happy, loving dog but could not play.  Anni LOVES to play but is not so touchy feely.  (Yes, I could have picked a more neutral colour to fix it but she is not bothered!)

4) Going out for lunch with my nephew O and his Mum.  His last day as a 5 year old so it was an important lunch and it was great.  Hope to do it again next time you are on holiday O.

5) Knitting another item for the advent box.  I think I may need to add something else to it and hopefully my Mum and I are going to learn how to embellish it next week when we have time together.  No photos though as you never know who is reading this blog.............