The van has arrived....

.....unlike Margo and Jerry's.

The shopping is all done the house all clean and ready. A few presents still to wrap, the family don't arrive until tomorrow but apart from that we are ready. As you can see Harley is already waiting in his favourite chair for the festivities to begin. he has at least tree presents under the tree just for him.
So have a Happy Christmas what ever you are planning to do. 

Here's a link to a fun website where you can track Santa as he flies around the world and play some games.

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html

Rosie xx

It all started

On Friday youngest son was home for a few days and wanted some things he had stored in the attic to take to his new home in Wimbledon. I suddenly remembered that when we moved in to our present house six years ago  I stored some items there myself.
After much rummaging around I discovered what I was looking for in an old suitcase including this Autumn decoration that was given to me by a family friend from France who stayed with us the Summer we moved.
So this Autumn it will be on display and the candles lit.

A few more things included a 1911 Coronation mug, a Wilfred Toadflax (Brambly Hedge) figure, a 70's Habitat candlestick (should be another one somewhere but not found it as yet), a brass elephant that my mum bought at a Boot Fair in 1975, some glass ornaments from the 70's and also an ugly cat ornament that I can;t remember where I got it from. There was also 70's Laura Ashley tablecloth that I had wondered where it had gone and much much more.
Trouble is as my house is for sale ( and I am desperate to sell it) is there any place for all my knick-knack out on show or should I put them away again?

Sunday

Pluckley near Ashford in Kent is famous for being the most haunted village in Britain and the village where they filmed The Darling Buds of May. 

I love watching  'Darling Buds'  and the tales of the Larkin family''s 'perfick' life in rural Kent.

It is also featured in Classic and Sports Car magazine this month as my son James who works for the magazine decided to do an article on the monthly meeting of vintage and classic cars at the Dering Arms. I enjoy going along and meeting up with the friendly car owners and looking at what turns up each month.

Because everyone meets mainly outside lots of people bring dogs along.

Outside the Dering Arms, Pluckley

James now has his own feature in the magazine the first of which was in last months (May) edition. It is all about purchasing and looking after his classic Mark 1 Golf. I think he he will be in there every other month for the foreseeable future.

This is the illustration they produced to go with his article.

It looks like him I think.

Forgotten 2

Some more photos on my USB that I had forgotten about. Last year we went to this National Trust property That isn't too far away from us.

Bodiam Castle in East Sussex

The castle was having one of it's many themed weekends.

I think it was the one about knights. Check here to find out about this years weekends.

We had coffee before moving on and this cheeky bird kept flying down and looking for food.

My boys having a weekend away last year at the Le Mans 24 Hour Race. They go with their dad every year and only come back with photos of cars so I asked Andy to make sure he took a photo of them whilst he was there.

My family

I have spent a lot of time looking in to my family tree recently. It has been very interesting and I have managed to trace some of my ancestors back to the early 1700's. I have I think uncovered one secret (ssh, don't say anything but I think my grandparents didn't get married until my dad was 2yrs old and he wasn't the eldest of their children) and now know far more about my family.

Here is a photo taken in Germany when I was 10yrs old with my mum,dad and my dad's family.  My aunt married a German prisoner of war and went to live there in the late 50's much to the disgust of my grandmother at the time. She had had two sons fighting in the war and there was still a lot of hostility around to the German people. They were reconciled later on and Uncle Walter became a much loved member of my family.I loved going to to stay with them and on the last night we would have a party. The dog ( I know it's difficult to tell what it it is) I am hugging was my aunt's poodle Jackie.

'Twas the night before Christmas....

and in my house lots of things were stirring.... family, friends and all the hullabaloo of Christmas Eve.

I bought the candlestick at a Boot Fair for £1.00. The fat fairy is an old purchase and Christmas wouldn't be the same with her looking on.

I have a big collection of vintage glass candlesticks. I just cant resist buying them when I see them in Charity shops.

This little lady was my latest purchase. I bought her when I was in Bath a few weeks ago from the shop aptly named 25th Dec. The East Of India tree another bargain, only £2.00.

It's lovely to look out and see snow on the ground.  

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone,
Love Rosie xxxxxxxxx

Changes

My lovely boy left home again at the weekend to start work on a motoring magazine in London. I am very proud of him not only getting a job in this economic climate but getting his dream job. 

I am on holiday from work but conveniently have a cold! .My computer has kept me busy though.  Facebook,  Ebay and Widdlytinks have been fun. Also we have been getting to grips with Skype. I have also started to get more things made for the up and coming Christmas Fairs.