Happy New Year 2012

Our FirstFoot, H1, was tall (not really!), dark (well greying somewhat) and handsome;he stepped over the threshold as Big Ben chimed its last into the New Year armed with his fuel (a matchstick), food (a sweet mince pie), drink (wee bottle of whisky from his stocking) and silver (well actually a pound coin!)- so we hope that will bring us good luck in 2012.......



Christmas was announced by a trip to D3's for mincepies and mulled wine before a gang of us walked the Enchanted Forest (park!) Crinolined ladies strolled with parasols and lit with bulbs;



ice designs dripped gently reminding us of the warmest winter season on record while the bandstand was empty of last year's bear but festooned with hundreds of lights.



We dressed the tree to our usual vinyl carols; decked the hall with boughs of holly & tinsel and hung the mistletoe near the front door- only I am not allowed to kiss all and sundry in 2011! Wait till next Christmas!



K reminded me of the Solstice- & already I have had to reset the porch light to go back a bit as the daylight is getting longer- hurrah!

Christmas was strange as I couldn't go to crowded places but we managed Fenwick's window/Mark Toney's super-duper icecreams and I was given my own special & wonderful carol service at home- flute, solos, candles, sermon, readings, carol sheets- magic & tearful.

Christmas morning was heralded , not by angels but by a phonecall telling of a romantic engagement- C&B have decided to tie the knot! Fizz! Pop!

Sausage sandwiches at D3's, free range turkey and stuffing with all the trimmings and charades and bingo- like no other bingo you have ever played before! Our little family is the best & I look forward to welcoming C to it!

We two had a quiet New Year- we thought the fireworks in London on telly were fantastic. The firstfoot was cold outside but would have been colder if he had had to stand outside in today's weather- howling, window blasting rain and fence breaking gales.



Now the year of the Olympics in Britain and Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee commences.........

I have changed bits of my life- so I have at long last ordered a veg box from local organic growers for weekly pick-up.
I am looking at what else I should do to destress my life.
I have eaten no chocolate over the festive season as I have gone right off dairy stuff.

No matter how many rose hellebores I have planted, my Christmas roses have refused to come up pink...... till this year!



MY garden remains unkempt as my health restrictions, the weather and busyness has stopped my usual leaf gathering and pruning. This overgrowth has not stopped the bulbs from peeping out to check on whether we have snow- none so far!



I have finished my Boxing Day book-'One Day',(an interesting way of mapping out lives) lent by B. I have now started on Barbara Erskine's 'The Warrior's Princess'.

I received lovely gifts- lots of things which remind me of the most important of life's lessons- just what a wonderful nuclear family and kind friends I have-all the visitors and especially & including those who do not visit while nursing the tickly coughy cold going around.



Meanwhile we attempt to ensure a daily strut/stroll in fresh air- Bolam was filled with sun and birdlife.
Trawlers bobbed alongside the Fish Quay while canine exercisers pulled at leashes,a seal swam along the shore by the Widow Makers (rocks near the Tyne mouth)and families with Santa's scooters and prams pushed against the gale; Collingwood smiled as H1 yelled his disbelief into the wind at how long the North Pier was.

There- I am back - at least this week- but who knows what next week will bring?