Wednesday, 31 December 2008
A Happier DS
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
JYC Updates
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Brodie Castle
The recent lack of decent sleep finally caught up with DS this afternoon. By teatime he was screaming, refusing to eat and rapidly becoming more and more distressed. Sib and I popped into the bath, thinking that might help calm him, but he was out again within 5 minutes. By 6pm he was tucked up in his cot with his beloved Granny Ted, the dregs of his milk and DN's new microwaveable snuggly lavender pup (named Max!!). By 6.15pm he was sound asleep.
Friday, 26 December 2008
Christmas Crackers!


We had a fab day yesterday, even though DS wasn't very interested in the whole present thing. On the other hand, DN more than made up for it, his presents were all unwrapped within minutes! He was thrilled to discover an air-pistol and posed like James Bond for most of the afternoon! We all managed a walk to the pond with the dogs before lunch, although I think it was a walk too far for DS, who still isn't really feeling 100%. Here's a small snapshot of our day, in no particular order (more will follow on the SYD DLO coming soon!) ...
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
Christmas Eve
So here we all are, tucked up safely in lovely Fochabers but things haven't quite gone to plan. This morning I had to take DS to the doctor because he has developed a terrible hacking cough and was awake from midnight to 7am this morning either coughing or crying. My poor wee boy was in an awful state but it seems that his cough is viral so it's going to be something we have to ride over the next few days. He's been TOTAL STAR today, given that he's had almost no sleep and seems to have lost his appetite completely. I've put him for late nap but I can hear him wimpering so will go and get him once I've finshed this post. The other occupants of the house have adjourned to the local pub (The Redder, if you're local, the Red Lion if you're not). The two 4-legged occupants were happy enough to see me and DS come home until they realised that I didn't have either DH or BIL with me!
Sib and I took the boys out to RoseIsle this morning to see if we could find the Wish Tree in the woods there. The idea was to leave a wish in return for a chocolate coin and Santa would see if he could grant everyone's wishes by next Christmas. Sadly we couldn't find it; the Northern Scot said that only boys and girls who had been good would be able to find it ...
On the way home we called at Baxter's in the hope of seeing Santa with his reindeer but it turned out we'd missed him, as he was there at 12.30pm!! It really wasn't our day, was it?
Sib and I took the boys out to RoseIsle this morning to see if we could find the Wish Tree in the woods there. The idea was to leave a wish in return for a chocolate coin and Santa would see if he could grant everyone's wishes by next Christmas. Sadly we couldn't find it; the Northern Scot said that only boys and girls who had been good would be able to find it ...
On the way home we called at Baxter's in the hope of seeing Santa with his reindeer but it turned out we'd missed him, as he was there at 12.30pm!! It really wasn't our day, was it?
JYC
Now, obviously I'm a bit behind what with all the travelling and all. I did make a start on 21/22/23 while at mum's but somehow didn't complete anyone of them fully. I'm glad to see that today's prompt is all about whatever you fancy - have that sorted in my head all ready!
Scrap Your Day - December
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Tom's A Winner

Roll on the Christmas Day special and Strictly 7!
Christmas Recipes CJ

Friday, 19 December 2008
JYC #18 & #19


I'm up-to-date again today thanks to DS having a nap and DH off to Maidenhead delivering Christmas presents. Prompt 18 was about the kind of food you'll have on Christmas Day and prompt 19 is about a letter to Santa. Having a small child really helps the rediscovery of the magical side of Christmas!
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
JYC #15, 16 & 17



Monday, 15 December 2008
Bathing Beauties!
JYC #14
Sunday, 14 December 2008
We Have Visitors
Saturday, 13 December 2008
JYC #13




One of my nicest Christmas memories is of singing Silent Night by candlelight in German (Stille Nacht) in the CofE-Church-In-The-Attic at RAF Gutersloh. And if I remember correctly it was 1989 and BF was with me and Louise Mann (whatever happened to her?)
Friday, 12 December 2008
Loft Progress #30
DH is hoping to paint the remaining walls over the weekend, before Tony the Plumber puts the bathroom furniture back in place. That reminds me, I must buy a new loo brush ...
Down At The YMCA...
Loft Progress #29
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Varsity Rugby At Twickenham

DH had a day off today and toddled off to Twickenham for the Oxford v Cambridge annual rugby match. In this house we support the dark blues and I'm glad to say that they squeezed a narrow victory over the light blues: Oxford 33 Cambridge 29.
Tim Catling scored the first hat-trick for Oxford in 88 years as they ended their losing sequence in a thriller against Cambridge at Twickenham. The 21-year-old wing from Lewisham scorched in for three historic first-half touchdowns - the first Dark Blue to do so since Bernard Jacot at Queen’s Club in 1920. Cambridge responded with scores early in each half from James Richards and Niall Conlon, with Richards adding a conversion and penalty, before replacement flanker Joe Wheeler drove over on the hour to keep their hopes alive. Then they struck with a sensational fourth try through wing James Wellwood with Richards converting to set up a nerve-tingling final four minutes when Oxford should have been home and hosed. Ultimately the game had been taken away from them when Oxford skipper Peter Clarke galloped in for a fourth try just after the break, Tom Gregory adding two penalties and a conversion, even though they were forced to spend most of the second half on the defensive. Oxford’s attacking vigour would also have won warm nods of approval from former Dark Blue greats at the ground, with David Kirk (New Zealand), Rob Egerton (Australia) and David Evans (Wales) among the victorious 1988 Oxford side reunited 20 years on. Cambridge were combative enough up front but had no answer to the fluidity of Oxford’s backline Catling’s initial strike in the sixth minute, when he fended off Wellwood and Richards down the left. Richards responded with a try on the right after Jon Dawson’s forwards – with Australia’s Dan Vickerman packing down in the second row – laid siege to the line and the full back converted to nudge his side in front. Richards and Gregory then traded penalties before Oriental Studies student Catling - a teammate of England's Danny Cipriani at Whitgift School - changed the complexion of the game by scoring twice in 10 minutes before the break. He beat Wellwood and Richards again down the left, Gregory converting, before another break saw Richards sin-binned for blocking Catling as he chased a chip ahead.
The challenge was punished immediately as Catling came infield and took fly half Ross Swanson’s reverse pass to score his third and send Oxford in 23-10 up. Gregory’s second successful penalty followed immediately after the interval before Cambridge found a way back into the game, driving prop Conlon over in the corner in the 46th minute. But Oxford put their foot on the gas again, this time through their forwards with number eight Peter Wright bursting out of a maul and putting skipper Clarke in for a 20m run to the line. Wheeler added fresh impetus in the Light Blues’ back-row and stayed on his feet to force his way over 20 minutes from time, Richards adding the extra points. It took them another 15 minutes to add the fourth try, though, with Wellwood making up for his defensive misses with the 76th minute effort which Richards converted.
The challenge was punished immediately as Catling came infield and took fly half Ross Swanson’s reverse pass to score his third and send Oxford in 23-10 up. Gregory’s second successful penalty followed immediately after the interval before Cambridge found a way back into the game, driving prop Conlon over in the corner in the 46th minute. But Oxford put their foot on the gas again, this time through their forwards with number eight Peter Wright bursting out of a maul and putting skipper Clarke in for a 20m run to the line. Wheeler added fresh impetus in the Light Blues’ back-row and stayed on his feet to force his way over 20 minutes from time, Richards adding the extra points. It took them another 15 minutes to add the fourth try, though, with Wellwood making up for his defensive misses with the 76th minute effort which Richards converted.
DH is at that level of drunkeness where every action is considered and careful - very funny to see my big bear like that!
JYC #11


"When I was small and Christmas trees were tall..."
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