Christmas WOW

Last year I posted a pic of my wombat Christmas decorations - since then I have two more. The wombat in the Santa hat was part of a Secret Santa gift and is quite bristly; I'm not sure what he's made from, but if he stands on four legs the tip of his hat touches the ground and his cute little face can't be seen, so he sits erect. The dark wombat with presents and a tree was a recent gift from my older son. As a change from a Christmas tree they are posing under a crystal tree; the leaves are green aventurine, and the base is bloodstone. That was a gift too, several Christmases ago from my younger son. And the tatted doyley was made by my Great-Aunt Laura who died when I was a wee baby, I have some of her exquisite tatting - she did beautiful work. That probably dates from sometime in the 1930s. (no, I am not that old)

A couple of pics of the recently painted and curtained sewing room, the first looks to the west over the back yard.....
....and this one overlooks the new house next door in all its huge glory. Today is cloudy, those pics were taken before 3pm, perhaps I should have turned on the lights so you could see the mess better. The pics are not quite so dark when they are full size. And of course you must admire the curtains.....true works of art, are they not? especially when hemmed by a woman with less than two working hands.
Our carol singing concert went well on Friday night, apparently - it's not always easy to tell when one is in the middle of the singers! But people sang along with us and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Good King Wenceslaus and his page made a hit, as did the poor man gathering winter fuel. Nothing like making a production number from a carol.

Judging from a few comments on my blog post one is entitled to be crabby at times...here's the gist of what I wrote in reply. Isn't it funny how we, as women, feel we have to continually present ourselves to the rest of the world in a 'good' light? and when we let our guard down and we say what's on our mind, it doesn't always go over well? especially for those of more advanced years, as it makes us out to be grumpy old women. I have decided that much of my life has been given to pleasing other people, and now that I am on the brink of maybe one day possibly being a 'senior' I am going to say what I really think, although I would never intentionally hurt anyone by doing so.

I have read - sorry, but I can't remember where - that as we become older, we become the person we were always meant to be.

Do you know, we haven't put up our Christmas tree or put out any decorations? Partly because they were packed away after last Christmas, and as things have been moved so we can paint the Christmas decoration box has been covered, and I didn't have the strength to lift boxes and move things, let alone climb ladders and hold on with one hand while trying to hang stuff. Also partly because we are having Christmas Day with our older son and his girlfriend so the house doesn't need to be titivated. And partly because, I suspect, I am just slack. Let's face it, if the tree and decorations aren't put out then they won't have to be packed away again.

Last appointment with the physio tomorrow for a few weeks as he is going away. The swelling is slowly going down, and I am getting more use of my hand and fingers, but I'm a long way from having the range of movement I had before the break. However I am getting better at knitting, my tension isn't too bad now, and last night I managed to plait my hair! It was very painful and slow, by gosh it hurt, but I managed to get it done. One person will be getting an IOU as part of their Christmas gift - I bought a kit earlier in the year and should have sewn it there and then, but not me.....plenty of time before Christmas, I thought.....little did I know......when I can use a ruler and rotary cutter it will get made and handed over.

"Never refuse a present if offered in kindness, unless the circumstances are such that you cannot, with propriety, receive it. Nor, in receiving a present, make such comments as would seem to indicate that your friend cannot afford to make the present. On the other hand, never make a present which you cannot afford to make. In that case the recipient, if he or she knows anything of your circumstances, will think that you had better kept it yourself."

Have a lovely week, and don't let Christmas preparations stress you out too much.

Jennifer