It's arrived.

I've filled my advent bags, which I made last year, loads of lovely treats which both hubby and I love. I'm keeping them in this silk bag, as they are bulky, it would be cheaper to just purchase advent calendars, but this is way more fun. 

It took a couple of days, the tree is up and the decorations are placed, it does feel like Christmas. I was lucky and did not drop anything, our ornaments are all glass and won't bounce on our wooden floor. The lights fill the room at night, and reflect off the patio door. I followed trend this year and instead of wrapping the lights around the tree, I went up and down, much easier.

We had little visitors on Friday, George loves a hat, here stealing my chair, which he finds hilarious. 

Molly also with the Santa hat, she is covered in spots, chickenpox, at least they will be soon gone, both boys have already had it.

We posted our cards this week, less said about the cost the better, both our families are not close to us, so cards are important this time of year, we transfer monies to parents accounts to be added to the grandchildren's cards. We had our first Christmas gift arrive this week, it's now under the tree and have a few cards, it's starting to feel right. 

It was lovely to have both little ones for the day, daughter looked exhausted and we got her to rest, Molly has not been sleeping to well, so a day at home. They both were very good with our tree, George wanted to touch more then Molly, I took both of them into the garden to help pick up the huge Magnolia leaves, they both love helping me, we did not stay out to long, it's dry but really cold. Our village lights were turned on Friday evening, but I was too tired to walk to the village, it lasted for two hours, these bugs are still causing me issues, I'm so tired by mid afternoon.

Saturday was a day at home, hubby put up a small shelf behind the TV, we have so many electronic bits cluttering up behind the TV, it does look much neater with them all out of the way. He has measured the space for a new radiator in the bathroom, the outside wall by the front door is always a damp spot, we have had work done, but it would help if we can double the size of the radiator, so we have chosen a tall one for the small room. It was dry and grey all day. 

It rained overnight and is still raining here, the snow was to our north, its cold, another day at home, I have a crafty plan for today.

Weekend

My home made advent bags, I did a post here about the process, I have filled most days with two chocolate treats for hubby and I, from the 17th there are three treats as my brother will be with us. Just a bit of fun, and now reusable each year. 

More stitching, these are growing nicely  I will stitch the flower centres bright red it should match all the flower colours, I still have not decided what shade of green for the gaps, I could go completely off design and use another colour, I might break again from this and start a pink square next to here. I am getting closer to the half way point, then I will require my longer frame sides. I have to decide on more designs, some I need to search out.

We are away in Somerset, driving home tomorrow morning, I have given all the family cards and gifts, caught up with all the family news and gossip. I meeting my sister soon, a day together, probably going to a garden centre,  I am after two plants for an inside display, and anything which catches my eye. My phone is playing up and I'm unable to comment whilst away. Sorry we missed you Sue, on Sunday, we got there about 11.30, it's nice to see the town trying harder to get shoppers to visit. 

We loved seeing our Taunton grandsons, how grown up they are, loving their new home  they each now have their own bedroom. So much space for everyone,  including a lovely space for mummy and daddy.

I babysat Will, George and Molly on Friday night, mummy and daddy took the train to London for daddy's works Christmas party, they were home by Saturday lunch time. The children were very good, I was careful with my back, I'm so pleased they got a night out together. Saturday was a very early start, but a morning inside with the 3 little ones  loads of fun. Later hubby drove to my brothers house.

Planning

Of all the images shown across social media, I love this one, love never dies, it waits for you to be together again. The image with Paddington leading her to Phillip also is beautiful. 

We popped to the village and Sarah called me into her haberdashery shop, 'just wanted to let you know the Christmas fabric is selling quickly', she only had a few panels left, so I purchased one. It has a front and back panel, and you sew it so you have a hanging item with 24 pockets on, well, that's not what I am doing, no space to hang it. 

I have also been stitching, the heavy rain for most of this week, kept us inside, I have not picked a book to read so I keep stitching. I did a bit of sorting and found a 3rd set of Q snaps, these were bigger than the small ones I am using on the side of my work, so I now have a bigger working space. I mainly finished the colourful panel from my Spanish Sampler and now working on the 10 squares from my chemo cushion.

Hubby has been busy in the garage, sorting and making space, his motorbike is gone and so too are lots of the bits he used. The plan is to clear one side and give me space for my garden stuff, sadly my shed is letting in the rain in the back corner and is really wet and whilst still usable, I don't want the damp to get into my things. This means soon I will have the space behind the garage near the greenhouse, I posted about the space here years ago when installing the shed. 

I am happy when I am making plans, I can't sit still and do nothing, TV does not interest me to be able to watch it all evening, and we never watch daytime TV. So I am planning what to stitch where on my sampler. I also have loads of sewing, things to make so planning a day or two with my sewing machine. 

Also planning how to reuse the space behind the garage, we have already decided the big water but, composter and mulch dustbin and be popped there. We put paving slabs and stones under the base of the shed, so no groundworks. None of this will be done quickly, hubby needs time to rework his garage, then we need to dismantle the shed, the first thing to be moved will be the water but, we need to empty it, and then through the winter months it will refill with rain water. 

I have been taking cutting from around the garden, I want more plants to grow up the 2 exposed fence panels, I have enough colour here to create a nice display. I am doing my cutting differently, in hope they grow stronger, time will tell. 

I'm still not feeling right, if I do the simplest of task, I get really hot and tired, just waiting for results to come through and my next appointment with the doctor. We are having a quiet weekend at home, I'm doing bits outside hubby is in his (soon to be ours) garage.