You don't remember me - do you?

Good afternoon

Long time no see - entirely my fault, life got busy and I stopped blogging. Also my old desktop PC died and its taken a while to save to get a new shiny laptop and learn how to work it - even now I am unsure if this blogging lark will even work and if it does whether I can get back into the swing of it.

Lets see if I have learnt how to save photos and also if I can get them on here!

The easiest way to catch up is a photo mosaic from each month I have been missing.

So November - a smallest giant treat an afternoon of archery, Remembrance Parade, my other half took up Molly dancing my initial role to make a Molly style raggy for a Christmas display, a birthday cake for S and a treat night out - a Bellowhead gig.

December - so much stuff I got roped into Molly dancing, big son came home from Uni for a month, little son played his last brass engagement, we went to the panto (twice - 2 different ones) and we celebrated Christmas in style.

January - more dancing both Molly and Border, little son turned 17 and he gained a title!

Feb - we visited big son at Uni for his 19th birthday, there was Valentines day and Shrove Tuesday to celebrate.

March - more dancing, my birthday, mothers day, little nephews birthday, the eclipse and we bought a little caravan (more on that another time).

April - we danced for St George, celebrated Easter, had a very sunny day out at Southwold and spring began to appear in the garden.

May - more dancing and little stumble!, visiting big son again, decorating my dining room, garden sorting time and my first ever trip crabbing.

Ok so that's the past 7 months in brief - I will be back with proper posts soon and I want to catch up with bloggy friends and their lives.

Sorry its been so long

xxx Vintage Vicki xxx

Almost the end

Good morning

Only just - I managed to sleep in till 10.30 this morning! We're due out at 12 and there's a mad panic going on for breakfast and showers - I'll leave the boys to go first and I'll have a hurried shower once they are finished - oh the joys of being a Mum!!

How was your Christmas? Ours was lovely - time spent with family and friends and the day itself spent happily as a 3 :)

All 3 of us in our Christmas jumpers - it was very hard to get all of in the same photo - it was a selfie style and even with big sons Mr Tickle arms it proved quite a challenge.

We'd been organised and prepared all the lunch the day before - all that needed doing on the day was getting it cooked and everything finished at the same time. Whilst it was cooking, little son took on the task of setting the table - we'd decided that we'd all have our favourite beers/ciders with our meal so he hunted down all the tankards too;

The dining room faces south so it was lovely seeing the sunshine whilst we ate our lunch :)

In the crackers were wind up reindeer's and Santa's - after we'd eaten we raced those for ages - those on my FB or IG feed will have seen the video clip.

The rest of the day was spent doing what we wanted - reading, playing new games, listening to new music or just sitting together watching the Christmas Doctor Who - we are all going to miss Matt Smith - not sure if I will take to this new Doctor.

Boxing Day morning, I was lying in bed thinking about getting up when a text came through from my Mum - did I want to go to Aldeburgh? Yep - so quickly, up and showered and off we went. Firstly to watch the crazy people taking part in a sponsored Boxing Day swim in the north sea;

and afterwards a quick walk around the town a visit to a couple of shops to their sales - it means I can part with a few more bits that no longer fit me to the charity shop - see everyone wins ;)

Right I'd best be off - another day - another get together - today's challenge - getting 6 cousins ranging from Big Son who is almost 18 and Little Nephew who is 9 months old  into the same photo and looking at the camera!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

Good afternoon

Just a few spare minutes to myself so time for one final look at blogland for 2013.

Those that read regularly will know 2013 has been one heck of a roller coaster ride here in the VV household - however on balance despite life seeming like a dodgy soap script at times it hasn't been all bad. There's been a new hobby, new friends, a fantastic new house, a gorgeous squishy new nephew, plenty of fun, that long hot summer, lots of camping, loads of live music and best of all, those wonderful boys of mine have grown up so much are just the best a Mum could ask for.

Here's just a few pics from the last few weeks;

The mantalpiece is becoming more cluttered with Christmas stuff - just how I love it :)

Cards from both boys of course but this one from Big Son made me laugh loudly - I think it rather sums up my new life rather well!!

I finished this stocking for my new nephew rather quickly - had completely forgotten I'd made them for the others when they were small - I expect come Christmas morning it will be full of parcels for his first Christmas.

Christmas jumper wearing - we've all got them - just need to get a photo of the 3 of us together.

 Little Son off to play in his bands Christmas concert - I went with a friend and we had a good evening singing along :)

Big Son off to the 6th forms charity dress up day - they raised over £500 in local towns for 2 charities.

Straining this years Sloe Gin - such an awful task ;)

Sampling time - with a shop bought mince pie - I know shocking!! I will get some made it just life is all rather hectic at the moment. Looking forward to closing the door on Christmas Eve after the carol service and sitting down with another glass of sloe gin.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

2 weeks to go!!

Good morning

Ok so in 2 weeks time it will be Christmas morning, Santa will hopefully have been and its likely that my teenagers who can sleep for England will be awake early and sitting on my bed opening their stockings!

Where has 2013 gone? Even the last month has just whizzed past. Well there's 5 minutes now and time to quickly update my little online diary.

This post will run back to front - so newest pics first - why not - convention is boring ;)

The boys and I put up our Christmas tree at the weekend. Firstly there was problem with the lights - Big Son spent an hour untangling them and at the last knot the cable broke and we rushed into town to buy a replacement set. Then there was a hunt for a box of decs - after all when we moved in the summer we didn't think about remembering where Christmas was stored!!

We've decorated other bits of the house too - rather like the fireplace - once the stockings are added on Christmas Eve and a drink and mince pie for Father Christmas it will look even more festive;

 Still not convinced that there are enough things hanging from there - I keep looking at a box of spotty baubles - I may just add a few of them!!

Saturday morning I went to watch Little Son play carols at an event in town;

He's a few more engagements before a well earned rest from playing for a few weeks.

Last Thursday (told you I was going backwards) we awoke to the most amazing skies - red skies forewarning of the dreadful weather and flooding that followed. Luckily our litle town is ok - no tidal rivers. But many nearby places I know and love have been flooded and homes/businesses damaged.

I've said before how much I enjoy live music. Last weekend I went out with friends to a fab concert and danced all night. The weekend before I went to a local pub with a friend so see a local group - The Broadside Boys. I really love these two - fab music and a wicked sense of humour;

Nearly there - just two more pics to go.

Did anyone else watch the 50th Doctor Who celebrations? Well here at No6 we are big Doctor Who fans. We decided to watch in style - we cleared the coffee table and Little Son hunted out lots of monsters and Doctors and set them up around a big bowl of jelly babies (Whovians will understand why);

We loved the episode - complete silence here. No talking, no texting and no facebooking!! I don't think any of us even moved for the whole episode!!

Lastly for now - its been rather hectic here. Getting the house sorted for Christmas, the shopping and the keeping up with who is here at any one time. Those boys of mine have hectic social lives now and coupled with mine it take some remembering at to who is suppose to be where and when!!

My new favourite way to unwind - candlelit bath, bubbles and beer!!

Right time to make some packed lunches and make sure those boys leave for school on time!! Roll on the end of term!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

The Last Post

Good evening

Almost a rush to get the last post for 2012 sorted - a small matter of playing with my new camera and getting the photos off it and sorted and turned into a mosaic!

Oh yes a new camera - Father Christmas was very kind and noted my wish list - more on that another day.

As its the end of the month it must be time for a mosaic - not possible in the normal 9 pics - here's a bigger one for December;

 

Lots of candles, Christmas food, decorations, a bit of snow and a Little Son's festive jumper - what a month!

Even though I've got this new toy, I've not taken too many photos - still getting to grips with things and trying to read the online manual (I hate this - give me a little booklet one every time!). Here's mosaic of the past few days;

Christmas Lunch, a long walk along the river & seawalls at Aldeburgh, another walk at Southwold, MrVV & I braving the elements, mad surfers in the sea and some serious waves - we almost got a soaking!!

I've been sorting pictures for one of those review of the year posts - just trying to narrow it down to my favourite and the best bits!

I suppose all it leaves me to do is to wish you all a very Happy New Year - however you are celebrating tonight, enjoy. I plan to see the new year in with MrVV and a bottle of something bubbly.

Here's to 2013 - I've been adding dates to my new diary and there's some good stuff to look forward to - might just have booked tickets today to go and see our favourite band again very soon! Plus there's MrVV's first festive camping experience to happen in August - can't wait for that!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

A Pause in Advent 2012 - No4 (Fun)

Hello again

Just how quickly has this month gone by? Here we are at the last Sunday in Advent and time for one final pause before the main event on Tuesday.

I think we're just about ready here - a bit of veggie prep to do and another batch of mince pies to bake - one more session of carol playing for my brass players and then its time to hang stockings, leave a drink and mince pie out for the bearded fella.

My last pause is all about fun. The boys have had some fun things at school this week. Big Son's 6th form centre hold a charity dress-up day each year. Batches of 16/17/18 year olds forget their usual 'coolness' and dress up in silly costumes and visit 3 local towns to collect money for charity.

Big son along with 2 of his mates were the Thunderbirds - here he is as Brains;

The 6th form raised over £1,000 in about 3 hours which is pretty amazing.

Next it was Little Sons turn - his school were doing the Save the Children Christmas Jumper event - a week later than everyone else but a rather fun thing to do on the last day of term. Quite simple - wear a Christmas jumper - either bought, knitted or made - and pay 50p for the privilege;

Little Son hoped I'd be up for the challenge and between us ( he cut out - I did the sewing);

He jingled rather nicely!

I spent one morning this week in the kitchen - Christmas songs playing and a cloud of flour/icing sugar in the air - time to decorate my Christmas cake and make a batch of mince pies;

Vintage plaster carol singers were just 50p from my favourite little charity shop!

Now this is going to be my last post for a few days so I shall wish all my blog followers, commenter's and friends a very Merry Christmas;

See you soon

xxxx Vicki xxxx

A bit of festive sparkle

Good afternoon

Hurrah just 3 more school days left - looking forward to 12 alarm clock free mornings starting from Saturday.

Have spent another day working my way through my to-do-before-Christmas-list - nice things such as buy cake ribbon as well as the dreaded hoover the entire house! Another thing on there today was take photos - I made that task the last one so it was a treat to look forward to.

I think we're now finished on the festive decorating though I may still add things if I find anything else on my wanders this week!

 The top of the piano

Something new for this year - this nativity set was greatly reduced in our shop as one of the Kings had been beheaded! Luckily I'm a dab hand with superglue and he's able to join his friends. This set reminded me of the primary school nativity plays the boys used to do - all home made crowns and tea-towel headdresses.

 The hallway - complete with stockings on the banisters and an eight foot tall snowman! Please notice an almost tidy dresser - just the last few cards to deliver sometime this week.

 My collection of Santas & Snowmen - haven't managed to add to them this year - however there's still a week left!!

 One tree with almost every decoration we own on it!

Fireplace with stockings hanging already!

Even the mirror got a tinsel scarf and a Christmas banner.

I'm rather looking forward to tomorrows to-do-list it includes mince pie baking and Christmas cake icing - there's some ironing on there to but not much!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Faith, Hope and Festive Charity Shopping Swap

Good evening

Almost in the home straight for next Tuesday - I've a long list divided into daily tasks - if I stick to it, we will have pressies to unwrap, a scrummy dinner to eat and a tidy house to cover in wrapping paper!!

I do love it when you know that a swap parcel has arrived and been well received - an email last week told me that my swap parcel to Marina at Evelyn-May Vintage had arrived safely and I was happy to reply to her the next day saying mine had too.

Now it was dark when I got home to find my parcel had arrived but I so wanted to open it. So not in the best of light here are all my parcels and the gorgeous stocking that some of them were in;

The stocking has joined the rest of my collection and is hanging from the banister and making the hallway look very festive. The chocolate coins had a very limited life!

Inside the parcels were;

 A vintage tea-plate - just big enough to hold my elevenses!!

 A pretty cushion cover, some 70's napkins (that pattern is very familiar - we must have had that on something in my childhood) and a knitted angel.

There was also this gorgeous table cloth covered in the most amazing cross stitch - so, so pretty.

Here's what I sent;

A vintage Christmas book as I knew Marina collected children's books, some thrifted chinese lanterns, some CK smellies, chocolates, a Christmas tealight and handmade reindeer and toadstool house decs.

Thanks as ever for Lakota for organising this swap and to Marina for being a great swap partner :)

We spent part of yesterday turning the VV household into a colourful, slightly kitsch, Christmas explosion decorated house - the tree is up, things are hanging on shelves, windows and pictures (not ceilings - I live with 3 giants). No subtle, tasteful, colour co-ordinated stuff here - its so dark this time of year and we need colour/light to brighten things up.  Anyhow I tried to take pictures today but my big camera struggled and my little camera had a flat battery. I shall try again tomorrow and bore you all senseless with the pictures sometime soon ;)

xxx Vicki xxx

A Winters Day in Cambridge

Good evening

I said I was planning a little escape from Suffolk didn't I. Well all went to plan and yesterday I headed by myself to Cambridge to meet a friend of mine. She lives in deepest Cornwall and we don't get to see to much of each other. Her clever daughter was off being interviewed for a Uni place next Autumn and it left us too with time to wander, natter, drink coffee, shop, drink more coffee and more shopping!

The sun was rather low yesterday so the river, bridge and Kings College look rather dark. The river was empty no punters.

Cambridge seemed rather quiet - am guessing lots of students have already gone home on their Christmas breaks and perhaps the shoppers invade at the weekends only? Anyhow, the two of us had a good time - we found some gorgeous little independent shops in the back streets and presents were bought for family & friends. We also found the CK shop in the Market Place - rather hard to miss. We spent ages in there looking. As you know Miss Kidston & I have had a rocky ride this year both craft kits I've bought have turned out to be rather useless. However her Christmas design with the cute Bambi style deer is rather appealing so I bought a couple of things - Christmas cards (I must get these written) and festive tea-towels;

My friend arrived to meet me at the station bearing gifts;

A gorgeous blue & white cornishwear jug and a Ladybird book - lovely additions to two of my collections :)

All to soon it was time to say goodbye and head back on the train to Suffolk.

Fingers crossed if her daughter gets her Uni place then more meet ups can happen next year.

We've got to that point of the year now - lots of things happening and not many days left for them to happen - meaning that some days we've 2 or 3 places to be at the same time. Roll on Friday 21st when the school madness stops and MrVV finishes work.

See you soon - just can't promise when.

xxx Vicki xxx

Oh btw - thank you & welcome to my new followers. I shal endeavour to pop over to read your blogs very soon. I can't at the moment follow any new blogs as blogger says I follow too many ! I shall have a look sometime to tidy up my reading list - maybe unfollowing some blogs which are no longer in use.

A Pause In Advent 2012 - No 2

Hello again

It seems the hanging up of an advent calendar and the eating of chocolate or opening of doors makes the month go past quicker.

The boys have already munched their way through the top row of theirs;

 This weeks pause is about rituals/traditions - things which we do at the same time and the same way each advent/Christmas - am sure many of you are the same.

The first one is the hanging of the advent calendar. Bought when there was only one son from a Christmas charity shop. The pockets use to contain a few sweets and also a few treats and Christmas activities. It was meant to be a stop gap until I made something but that has never happened and now its probably too late. Those boys of mine are growing up fast and now need reminding about their chocolate each day!

The calendar hangs in the same place each year and I like to put it up on November 30th and fill it so its waiting for the next morning.

The other thing that happens at the same time is the first bits of Christmas find their way onto the dresser in the kitchen;

My calendar is stuck on the cupboard door, a candle is put out and lit when I have a few quiet moments to myself. I also gather together some of my Christmas ornaments.

Other things that have to happen are the cooking of a ham joint on Christmas eve so we can have it for dinner that night, always with baked potatoes, red cabbage and pickles.

This gets eaten after we've been to the open air carol service - though last year only 3 of us went - big son opted to stay home and make sure dinner was ready for when we got home!

Oh and for the carol service - a hip flask is filled with sloe gin and  when I meet with my friends and sing carols - we keep warm with the odd nip or two!

What special things do you family do?

xxx Vicki xxx