New Year is coming.

         Hi my friends,hope you have all had a lovely Christmas and enjoyed time with your families.I have had a lovely time spending time with my family and friends and I have to say I have eaten and drank far to much.Those poor scales at slimming world will moan and groan when I get on,never mind cannot undo what is done so just got to get on with it.I don't usually make resolutions cos I cant keep to them but this new year I am and I'm going to do my hardest to stick to it.I have got to start and make time for me to give myself a little time each day to do what I want even if it is only sitting with a cuppa and switching off for a while.I only ever do stuff for me when everyone is settled for the night and I'm to tired to do a good job of what I want to do(if ya get me meaning).I have realised that I start to get a bit moody if I have to stop what I'm doing and do something for someone else which is not good so I gotta have me time then everyone is happy.I used to go out every day for a good 4 mile walk when we had a dog( Bilko) and I felt better in myself and slept better also so that is another thing I'm going to do start walking each day,that will probably  be my me time,thinking time, clearing head time,sounds good to me.
      I now can not wait to get the Christmas tree and Decs down,I know I am miserable but I just don't like the time between christmas and new year all I want to do is give my house a good clean and get back into some sort of routine.I have been known to take them down on new years day before now but I wont do that this time Ill wait till the 2nd LOL. Tomorrow I will get my washing and ironing done and potter about the house doing a bit of cleaning and then sit with hubby in front of the fire with a nice bottle of wine or two or, no better not make it three,and see the new year in.
      I wish you all a very happy healthy new year,I thank you all for your lovely comments this year and look forward to next years news on all your blogs.Take care and keep warm.Lots of love and blessings to you all from Jill xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kinect !!!!

   Having fun with a bottle of red wine and a kinect game,FUN. Hope you are all well and happy.
    Love Jill xxxx

Merry Christmas.

                   I would like to wish all my friends in blogland a very Happy christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year,may it bring you Peace in all you do. Take care and keep warm,lots of love to all, From Jill xxxxxxxxxx

Winter Solstice

             It was a beautiful day here for Winter Solstice the sun was shinning all day and it was quite warm.I pottered about the house doing a few jobs and out into the garden to do a bit of tidying up and put some fresh food out for the birds.All was quite peaceful I could of stayed out for a long time but the light stopped me.These are a few photos I took of the sky as the sun was going down.

           I read in a few blog's that I follow that some were joining in with a fire ceremony to release the old year and shift up into the new ,The Mother of all releasing ceremony. All you have to do is make a little bundle with a square of fabric and assemble some herbs,incense and add some small bits of paper with your releasing wishes on then tie it up,then burn it..  So last night at 10 pm I made my little bundle with my incense and some sage and lemon thyme,I took my little cauldron into the garden and there I did my own little ceremony.These are my photos of my bundle smouldering away.Now !!when I looked back through my photos on some of them I could see pictures in the smoke,is it my eyes just playing tricks on me or do you see any ?Please let me know,and no I had not had one to many before I saw them LOL.I did enjoy my little ceremony and pleased I joined in and will be watching out for any more.Look forward to your comments.Hope you had a lovely Solstice what ever you were doing. 
    Bye for now,Love Jill xx

     

W is for Whitby.

As I am a Whitby girl I could not post anything else for ABC Wednesday but photos of Whitby.I have always looked out for the Abbey on my return journey home,even though I have lived in a village a few miles away now for 18yrs.From a few miles outside Whitby you can see the Abbey proudly standing on the east cliffs.When my children were small we used to play "first one to see the Abbey"on our way home.I think these 3 photos are among the best ones I have seen they capture the beauty of it just perfect.

This picture is of the harbour taken from the West side.

And this one from the East side.

This street is called Church street and leads up to the 199 steps past lots of quirky little shops.

This is St Hilda's church which is on the west side and probably the biggest church in Whitby was completed in 1888.it is also were my parents got married.

The whale bones are on the west side,these were given from Alaska in 2003 but the original jaw arch was erected around 1853.

This is a lovely view of the 199 steps from the Abbey.People come from all around the world to climb them, to count them and to see the lovely view of the town at the top,and of course the Abbey.

I think this is quite a special photo of Whitby in the moon light.

Also this one,a very stunning peaceful picture.

     Hope you enjoy my photos and if you have not already visit one day.
     Love Jill xx

Christmas.

Some photos of my christmas decorations.

I made this wreath hung on the front door.

                                              And these two little hearts hanging in the window.

                          I love this Santa,my friend Ann bought me him 3yrs ago.

                          This Santa I bought one Christmas holiday in Scotland.

                     Lights around the fire place.

                          Lights around the dresser in the kitchen.

                                       And the Christmas tree.I have taken some photos of the lights in the evening time but they have come out a bit dark so I will have to do them again then I will post them as well.
With love for now Jill xx

Snow.

          Just a sprinkle of snow in our village today,looks like someone has dusted us with icing sugar and its stayed with us and no wonder its freezing.I haven't done much so far just pottering doing a bit of this and a bit of that,cooking dinner now, well just posting this while the veg's are roasting.My laptop is letting me post photos again now so after dinner and once I have sorted the evening jobs I will post some of my decoration pics.Kitchen beckons better go before dinner burns see ya soon.
Love Jill xx

Its Cold tonight.

      It is cold here tonight I have my feet in front of the log burner toasty warm and pussy cat Patchouli is curled up warm and cosy, she knows where the best place in the house is.We are now all ready for Christmas, decorations up shopping all done only fresh things to get on Christmas eve,a few presents to wrap which will not take me long,then I can forget about preparations and enjoy.Looking thro the Christmas tv mag this morning I may as well have picked up last years,the same films the same stories even the same old things going on in soap land.I just hope that I receive a nice book on Christmas morning then I can sit and enjoy that and some nice relaxing music. My laptop isn't allowing me to post any photos at the moment don't know why it did this once before then worked the next day.I wanted to show you some of my Christmas dec's photos tonight but I will try again tomorrow.
     Well,I'm now going to fill my hot water bottle and sort out the house for the night,stock the fire up to keep us warm, put the rubbish out and I think I will have a brandy,It was my dads favourite tipple so it seems right to have one for him tonight when my dear auntie Avis his only sister has passed over to the other side.I do believe that there will be a party in heaven tonight to celebrate her been with all her family again. I know that one day I will see them all again (hope I'm not depressing you cos that is not my intention).I have said enough now so will bid you a good night ,hope you are all well,keeping warm and not to stressed with your Christmas preps.
Night night sleep tight love Jill xxx

Auntie Avis.

       Today my mum phoned me with some bad news,my auntie Avis had passed away early hours of the morning.Auntie Avis was the last of my fathers siblings to be with us.When I was younger I spent  a lot of time with her and her family,uncle Bill and cousins Jackie ,Janice and Lesley.I have such a lot of lovely memories with her that will always be with me.They lived in a much larger town than I was brought up in about 40 miles from us,my elder brother and me used to go stay with them for weekends when we where only small,there is only 11 months between Mike and me and when we where three yrs old we told a friend of auntie Avis that we where both free not three,auntie Avis always used to remind us of this and pull our legs about it,I will always smile to myself when I hear of any child becoming three or free now.I remember sitting in her kitchen next to the aga in her rocking chair and listening to her tell us bedtime stories and the sound of the clock ticking in the back ground.She had a shop where she sold wool and ballet clothes and accessories,I used to love going with her and helping sort the wool onto all the little shelves she had to display it on all the lovely colours like a rainbow(oh I can see them all now).
      I could go on and on about the times with her they are all  there stored in my memory box and will come out often auntie Avis will always be a part of me.I will light a candle tonight for her and anyone else who has passed away today and say a little pray for them.
       Thank you for listening to me hope you are all well and safe.Love Jill xxxxx

Slimmingworld.

         Off I went to slimming world tonight after a week of on and off not really food optimising dreading getting on the old scales ,fingers crossed and all the usuall stuff ,and I had lost another pound. I was not gutted that it was only a pound or glad that I had lost and not put on because I just did not know what to expect,quite pleased with that.5 and half pound off  in 2 weeks is not bad.I now would like to keep on loosing about 1lb a week, as that is what they say is a healthy weight lose and I will soon be at my target.Keep ya fingers crossed for me out there in blog land,thanking you.
         Hope you are all keeping well,warm and loosing weight if you want to.Love and hugs Jill xxx

V for vegetables.

         At this time of year I'm sure that most of us welcome a nice bowl of vegetable soup or a nice plate of vegetable stew and dumplings or a vegetable pie or a Sunday roast of meat and 3 veg.I love vegetables most of them raw as well as cooked,as a child I used to sit at the dinner table eat all my veg's then sit and laugh at my 2 brothers and sister while they where having to sit and eat thiers as they did not like them,mum and dad always said "you gotta eat ya greens".I love feeding my family as they have always eaten thiers and now my grandchildren all eat thiers,they must all take after me with my love of all things veggie.

Weight update.

     If you read my previous post you will know I went to slimming world tonight and that I have been up and down,WELL what a shock I got tonight when I stepped on them there scales 4and a half pounds off, yes you did read right 4and a half.Do not know how because I have had a bad week but Im so chuffed I could jump over the moon.
   Weather is very cold here tonight think I will have to put me shawl around me that grandma made me a long time ago tonight,oh now that does sound like a old granny dont it?   Hope you are all keeping warm,night night sleep tight.Love Jill xx

My day.

      The weather here today is bright and breezy,we don't seem to be getting any of the snow that other parts of the country are only about 1hr away and they have snow.Its funny how you can drive only a short distance in the same county and the weather is so different.
      I have the house to myself for a few hours today,as I have said before it don't happen often so I sure make the most of it.Iv got me music on Fleetwood Mac "Chains" is playing at the moment.I have a few jobs to catch up on this morning and going to do a bit more gardening while the weather is dry.This afternoon I have to go into town for a few bits and bobs of food shopping then home to cook dinner for the men folk.This evening is slimming world night,have'nt been doing very well these last few weeks but I have given myself a talking to and hung a skirt and blouse I love but cannot get into at the mo on my wardrobe door to remind me that I should loose because of all the lovely clothes I have from when I lost weight before.
     Well I will go and start those jobs while dancing to me music.Hope you all have a lovely day.Keep warm Love Jill xx
  

U for Unicorn.

  
I have always liked anything that is magical, mystical and different. When I was a child I used to dream of living in a fantasy world where I would live with all mystical creatures and one of those would be the Unicorn.I would ride it through magical places stars all around me. One of the favourite songs my mother and grandma would sing to us was The Unicorn song which was sung by The Irish Rovers it holds lots of precious memories for me.

For more ABC contributions see here

T is for Trains,Trees and a Three year old.

On Monday my three year old grandson came to stay for a couple of days so off we went for a little trek in and around our little village.Lewis and his two brothers love coming to stay because we have a steam railway literally on our door step,you can see it from our kitchen window so as you can imagine it is a little boys dream and a good few big boys as well.These are a few of the photos I took hope you enjoy them.

I think trees have such character.

This is our very pretty village church.

A very cheeky face.

Filling up with coal.

My friend donkey.

T   for Teepee.

One very long hill to climb,there is 12 grit bins on this hill all full ready for the winter ,do you think they are telling us something.Lewis opened everyone just to make sure they had not forgot one bless him.

The top at last.

Can you see the Tunnels?

Railway Track.

Twisted Tree roots.

Tumbling river.

Trees at Twilight.

And one very Tired Three year old,night night Lewis sleep Tight.