Goodbye 2013

Hello

One last post of 2013 and then its gone - goodbye.

Its been one heck of a year - a serious roller coaster ride - some highs and some lows. Looking back at it all now - wow what a year - a dodgy soap script perhaps? All in all its been ok - lovely new house, a gorgeous new nephew, new hobby, new friends, amazing old ones who've really stuck by me and helped more than they'll ever know, that long hot summer, lots of camping, dancing, live music and spending time with my two wonderful boys who have grown up so much this year. In just a few days time - Little Son turns 16 and then 3 weeks later that Big Son of mine will be officially an adult - 18!!

I've taken quite a few photos this past year and I put them neatly into monthly folders on my pc - here's a mosaic of a favourite from each month - there's a strong theme running through I think!!

January - Snow and lots of it

February - Live music - Bellowhead in concert

March - Red Nose Day

April - My first Morris dance out - I was so scared!

May - First Morris festival - no nerves :)

June - Big Son and Little Nephew

July - Me - recovering from surgery in the sun

August - More live music - Jon Boden at Folkeast

September - My boys in Cambridge visiting my little brother

October - Last dance out of the year

November - Doctor Who's 50th celebrations at No6

December - Us 3 on Christmas Day in our Christmas jumpers

I think 3 things that sum up my life rather well - family, music and dancing.

Talking of family - we sort of managed it - 6 cousins in one phone - not all looking the same way and some pulling lovely silly faces as only small boys can;

Here's to much more of that in 2014 - lots is already planned - concerts, festivals, more dancing and family fun and I know I'll be sharing plenty of photos with you.

Thanks all for visiting, commenting and emailing in 2013 - its meant such a lot to me.

See you in 2014 

xxx 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

And now for some good news :)

Good morning

I know, I know - another long gap between blog posts. The usual life getting in the way of photo taking and actually sitting down at PC to write a post.

I think part of the problem is 'other things on my mind'.

One of the big 'other things' has been the ongoing worries about my health and backwards and forwards trips to hospitals to be prodded, poked and have needles stuck into me.

The last trip was the day of the storm and I've been waiting nearly a month for either a call or letter to let me know how I'd got on and what happens next.

Last Wednesday I got in from work and there on my desk was a brown envelope - having received many of these this year I knew who it would be from - but what would it contain?

A letter from my cardiologist saying that the tests at Papworth showed that my heart was mostly normal and within the expected range. So putting these results with the other data, they have decided to discharge me from the Cardiology clinic and I need no more follow up appointments :)

Yippee 5 months to the day from when day surgery started a whole new chain of events, it was all over.

I am surprised that my yelps didn't attract more attention - however the boys came rushing to see what was happening and to see me leap several feet into the air !

So no more nagging worries about heart giving out - so time to get life back on track and have some serious fun. 

2013 has been one heck of an emotional roller-coaster ride - its now looking like it will end a whole lot better than it began!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx