Wordless Wednesday 13/01/2016... I kid you not!

Kimmie x

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Deck the Halls... better late than never.

I'm late posting my Christmas paraphernalia this year. I usually have the halls decked by the 1st of December but (despite making a start early November) I was well into December before finishing. 

Fibromyalgia had me decking the halls with boughs-of-ouchie, and as this is my first Christmas without Dad there wasn't a lot of fa-la-la'ing going on. I'm glad I pushed on with it though, Littlie's eyes are shinning as a child's eyes should be, and me? Well, I love Christmas, and the Merry-and-Bright is doing me the world of good... Fa-la-la-la-la...la-la-la-la :o) 

Christmas is my absolute favorite... I like it a lottle (that's like a little, but a lot). 

I love the lead up to Christmas, I delight in the fairy lights and decorations which fill almost every corner of my home. I love the chaos of Christmas morning... the mess that out does all messes - the pringle-crumb-carpet - the tripping over of the long and short legs sprawled out into the middle of my very small dinning room as I attempt to get to the back door for a quick cigarette break - the 5am stumble along the landing to be greeted by a wide awake Littlie with stocking in hand, shouting "he's been Mummy, he's been!" 

I love it all, and despite the underlying sadness this year I'm really looking forward to Christmas morning with my gorgeous ones. 

Right, that's enough of my rambling... better-late-than-never; our home has been well and truly decked and I'd really love to share it with you all.

My house is a squash-and-a-squeeze and the dinning table's been packed away to make room for the tree so (unless you're a fairy) there's nowhere to sit, but you're all so welcome!  Heating's on, kettle's on, and there's mince pies in the tin... help yourselves.

And now to the Merry-and-Bright... 

My tree... An evening job (more accurately several evenings), on my own with Rod Stewart ringing in my ears... No touching (or tail-wagging) allowed! 

The lounge trees... a joint effort... some touching allowed :o) 

Littlie's tree (in her bedroom), she gets to do what she likes with this one... I like it but wouldn't wanna sleep with it... she loves it :)

The back door... this picture doesn't show the full glory of this area of the house at Christmas time... it's my favorite part of the house when decked... the windows mirror all of the downstairs fairy lights giving the impression that the whole garden is lit up...it's magical!

The old fish tank... which stands in the dinning room for most of the year looking like a heap of, well, old fish tank, and is magically (with the help of 4 rolls of cotton wool and a ton of fake snowflakes) transformed into Littlie's winter-wonderland each Christmas. 

The banisters

Most of my decs are years old... that's what makes them so special... my halls are decked with memories... Christmassy pages of my life...my kid's lives. I do add something to the collection each year though and this gorgeous Nativity is the latest addition. I love it! 

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Thank you all, Dear friends, readers-of-my-rambles for your support this past year...it's been a tough one and I couldn't have got through it without YOU! 

I wish you all a very merry Christmas 

Thank you for allowing me to share 

God bless you and all those you love 

Kimmie x

P.S... 

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Message in a Bottle... Wordless Wednesday

For you, Dad 

I miss you so much

Kimmie x

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Wordless Wednesday 18/11/2015... Christmas Past.

I made a start on this years Christmas decorations today (never too early for Christmas...IMO). Anyway, I'm feeling festive, so...here's one (A Christmas) I made earlier :o)

 

Thank you for allowing me to share 

God bless you and all those you love 

Kimmie x

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You know where the kettle is :o) #WeekendCoffeeShare

If we were having coffee I'd point you in the direction of the kettle and the cappuccino cupboard, and ask you to make me one while you're at it... Don't look at me like that...It's been a long day ;o)

If we were having coffee I'd tell you how grateful I was when my Mum and her partner picked 'Littlie' up, and took her to Church with them this morning... I'd tell you (perhaps you already know) that today was the first Fathers Day I've had to get through without my Dad... I'd tell you how tough it's been, how achingly Dadless I've felt, how hard it's been to do the 'Mum thing' today........how much I needed those couple of child free hours this morning.

I'd tell you that my 'Littlie' had a fab time with the Nannies, and that by the time she came home this afternoon I was needing the 'Mum thing', just as desperately as I'd needed a break from it this morning.
I'd tell you how welcome her distracting chatter was, how much I enjoyed (albeit sleepily) reading to her this afternoon, and again this evening... and how grateful I am for Enid Blyton's imagination... I'd tell you that it's impossible to grieve when you're up 'The Faraway Tree'... and that while up there, we were...FREE!

If we were having coffee I'd ask you to nip out and turn the sprinkler off for me, and if you happen to spot any dog poo while you're out there, be a love and pick it up... bags are in the draw... no, not that draw, the one next to the microwave ;)

If we were having coffee we'd need a top up around now... you know where the kettle is ;)
While waiting for the kettle, we'd stand at the back door and I'd point out all of the little solar lights that are now doted around the garden; in memory of Dad.
Coloured fairy lights in the trees, hanging baskets and bushes... solar cubes, dragonflies, and stakes in the beds...the crystal balls that are hanging from the fence, like diamonds in sunlight-colour changing at night.
I'd tell you that later tonight (when I wake her up to change her pad), I'll take Little through to my room where the window overlooks the garden, we'll climb onto my bed, cuddle up, pull back the curtain, and... 'Christmas in June' will light up her eyes.

I'd tell you how Iv'e tried (and failed) to capture the lights on camera, how much I'd love to share the magic on the blog, and I'd ask you if you have any idea how to photograph fairy lights at night.

If we were having coffee, I'd tell you how proud I am of Littlie this week, she (you may already know) is almost ten years old, and is disabled... she struggles (greatly) with tasks that would usually come easy for a child her age.
Well, this afternoon (for the second time this week) she managed to get the washing from the line. It took her an incredibly long time, and her legs gave way before she could finish, but... she did it...reached up, manipulated pegs (or, yanked when all else failed) and loaded the laundry bag... :)
She was so chuffed with herself... "all by my own self'".

If we were having coffee, we'd take our drinks, the biscuit tin (and in my case cigs) out to the patio now, I'd puff, you'd dunk, (or puff, or both) and we'd talk about you for a while.

How's life treating you?

**** 

Thank you for allowing me to share 

God bless you and all those you love 

Kimmie x 

P.S... Who's turn is it to put the kettle on? ;o) 

P.P.S,,, Weekend Coffee share is the brain child of Part-Time Monster Click here to go to the link up

Related post: Of windmills and woes

Christmas Eve 'Magic'

This'll be a quickie, it's unplanned, and unedited because Iv'e still got loads of Christmas prep to get through before tomorrow, but something magical happened this evening, and I couldn't resist sharing it with you all. 

'The Body Guard' (that's hubs to the newbies) and I took 'Littlie' to the Church at the top of our road this evening for the crib service, on the way back, 'Littlie' looked up from her wheelchair and suddenly began squealing - "look, it's Santa, it's Santa!" 

We looked up, and on seeing a group of twinkling lights moving across the sky immediately began squealing along with her, "Oh my God Littlie", says I - "you're right, it is Santa, it really is.. eeeek!"

Hubs and I went along with the magic of the moment, egged on by 'Littlies' amazement, and then.. "Oh no" said Littlie in earnest, attempting to take over the wheelchair wheels - "hurry mummy, hurry, I'm not gonna make it, he's nearly to our house, and I'm still awake!" 

Laughing, I explained that Santa was still incredibly high up, and had lots of other children to visit before getting to us, and the three of us, clothed in magic, continued back down the road to home, squealing all the way!

When we reached home 'Littlie' asked if Santa would see her if she waved to him.. "Oh yes Littlie", said I, "he's too high up for you to see him, but he will see you", and with eyes lit up like a childs eyes should be, she waved to the (sleigh) lights in the sky.

Oh! How I wish you all could of seen the joy in her eyes! - Her expression, and incredulous laughter bought tears of joy to mine. 

Of course, the moving 'sleigh shaped' lights in the dark sky this evening where probably an aeroplane..but my 'Littlie' firmly believes that we have just seen the man in red, and has gone to bed happier than Iv'e ever seen her!

I have never witnessed such joy on any of my kids faces - it was truly magical - the stuff Christmas movies are made of! 

Without a doubt, the best moments of my life so far :O) 

God bless you and all those you love 

Kimmie X 

Update: - Iv'e just been told, by a friend on facebook, that what we actually saw tonight was probably ISS (International space station) which was due over Britain at around 5.30 - so there you go..mystery solved - our secret though....Littlie must never know ;o) 

Christmas - Once more with feeling

Life's tough at the moment, overwhelmingly so, my existing health issues are exacerbated, and I'm struggling, mentally, physically and emotionally, but, despite a head full of blogger fodder, there'll be no real ramble tonight.
It's almost Christmas, and Christmas is my favorite, so.. I'll share with you my 'Merry and Bright' for now, and leave my misery for after the festivities.

Just briefly though, I will explain to you why I chose *Once more with feeling* as the title for this post, because, well, it makes no sense otherwise (other than to me) ....

....We had a call in October, informing us that our Landlord is selling our home.
We will get two months notice once he's sold the property..we don't want to leave..I feel safe here, we are happy here, and have been for many years.

Initially (with Christmas in mind) I decided that I wouldn't deck the halls to my usual (over the top) standard this year, the decs usually take me weeks to put up (owing to health issues) and almost as long to take down/pack away, so I decided I'd just put a small tree up for 'Littlie' in the living room.

'Littlie' (who is disabled) is physically challenged (more so than usual at the moment) and her behaviour is becoming more and more challenging by the day, on top of that my own health issues are as bad as they've ever been, and we're having to deal with all sorts of people (I don't do strangers easily) and with the stress that goes hand-in-hand with losing one home, and 'attempting' to find another. - It seemed sensible to keep the decorations to a minimum.

However, after some thought, I realised that 'Littlie', who has no idea she's about to lose the only home she's ever known, would know something was wrong if mummy (that's me) didn't do the usual over the top thing.

So, my friends....for 'Littlies' sake, our home, 'Once more with feeling', has been well and truly Christmassed, and I'd love to share it with you.

Welcome to my home (for now, it is still my home)
Heating's on, kettle's on, and there's mince pies in the tin (help yourselves) X

Thank you as always for allowing me to share 

God bless you, and all those you love 

kimmie X

POSITIVE THOUGHT 

My daughters eyes are shinning, as a child's eyes should. :O)

PRAYER 

Thank you God, for the kick up the bum, and for the 'Merry and bright', Amen.