Soop's very welcoming kitchen...

I'd received a voucher from the garden centre for a half price artificial tree. As my old one is looking its age, I went to look for a new tree. It's glittery and snowy, but now the front seats of my car are covered in glitter and so is my coat.
A bitterly cold morning and we've had some snow flurries but nothing pretty. My poor knees got so painful with the cold that I am sitting here with a hot water bottle over them. I now have enough cards to write, though many friends will have e-cards instead so that the cost of postage will go to a more deserving cause than Royal Mail shareholders!

Maw a friend had plain white cards printed explaining the situation and saying she was donating to the cause researching the illness her H had died of.
Just do what you feel like doing, you are the important one here.
My S has gone on a tree hunt.

kitty I've only managed half a dozen cards to date. I cannot get into "the mood" for such things.

I'm away to finish a painting. I've sketched a different portrait of a fawn. May manage the first wash this afternoon.

I'm doing my cards this afternoon - can't you tell!!

Maw, I echo exactly what everyone else has said about cards - ignore them. As someone said a while ago 'Those that matter won't mind and those that mind don't matter!' I think N&G's idea of buying something new, with no memories attached, is a brilliant idea - something prelit and with no potential to drop would be good. (((hugs)))

Right, off to do the cards!!!!!

Galen I made half the cake but used 2 eggs. I think it made it easier to mix by the sound of it. It was very light. I sliced and froze it and am eating a piece a day!

A bright and beautiful good afternoon to all you lovely people.

granniequeenie The view that you have photographed is very much snowier than ours. The islands are white. Apart from which, everything close to our home remains untouched by snow. I understand that the village three miles away looks Christmassy.

Nellie your little angel couldn't look more angelic...a darling wee boy!

hildaJenniJ Welcome! Your account of being helped to dress the tree, made me chuckle.

ann We no longer buy a tree. Those we bought in the past, had roots. They have grown into fine trees in the garden. We have frosted twigs decorated with small lights. I believe we purchased them from Homebase. We arrange them in a sturdy vase and dress them with our collection of traditional decorations (a few belonged to my late Nana) and the effect looks pleasing in our small sitting room.

N&G Yet another winning photo. I love it. As for that 800 calories-a-day diet. I cannot imagine how miserable it would make me. Best be realistic and stay with SW.

Maw Bella and Grey have said it all. Allow yourself all the time you need to mourn in whatever way you chose. PLEASE do not apologise for sharing your honest feelings with us. I can barely imagine how I would be coping in your position. I fear that I would be inconsolable. You are marvellous.

Thanks! I was thinking of perhaps trying to make 1/2 of the 6lb trout apple recipe, but gave up because of the egg.

Maybe Maw instead of doing what you always did in terms of any festive decorations - buy one new thing? Maybe a teeny tiny tree already decorated or something simply beautiful to look at and leave the rest for when time has passed and made it a little easier?

As for cards.... leave them... send something in the new year when you feel more able? No-one will mind or have other expectations. Just do what works for you.

I think that the people who love you best would not expect you to feel any other than how you do at the moment, Maw, and probably for some time to come, and they will make any allowances you need them to make. My BF lost her DH a month before Christmas a few years ago and she felt exactly the same as you. This time of year is still difficult for her as she told me recently.

maw I hadn’t seen your post when I wrote mine. I think it’s quite usual for bereaved people not to send cards at Christmas and I think everyone would understand if you didn’t. Enjoy your time with the family, but don’t worry too much about decorations at home. You are in a period of mourning so close to Christmas that it would be impossible for you to feel festive. Just let the family take care of you and share their Christmas spirit but they, too, of course, are mourning the loss,of their dad. Just let it happen around you, don’t worry, cry when you want to, and come on here often. Hugs!

Maw people will understand if you miss sending cards this year- I personally would not bother. It is still so soon so your emotions are bound to be raw. A few tears may help. You should do what you want and when you want, provided that you look after Hattie- she is a good friend to you.

NandG. Love the picture. I think you could enter it, or send it somewhere (local RSPB maybe?). You were lucky to capture it as it happened. I love GQ’s picture too. Wanted to ask where it was, but I’m aware of not saying too much.

I am so in two minds about the whole Christmas thing.
I am looking forward to being with the family and certainly NOT in “Bah humbug! “ mood, but find myself incapable of putting a single card up (the Christmas cards are gradually replacing the sympathy cards and those, once read, went straight into a box) and the thought of getting the tree decorations down has me dissolving in tears again.
Maybe a garland or two with some fairy lights and battery tea lights? (I am banned from real candles unless I am in the room as Hattie is so curious and into everything) but I can’t face more.
I know I will have to send some cards to people I was unable to contact before the funeral, but my heart is simply not in it.
As for DGD’s Nursery “Jingle” on Wednesday, crying just thinking about it. Oh dear, bad morning perhaps.
Have others among you had this feeling of not wanting to be a total misery, withdrawing into myself but yet finding it hard to pin a smile on?
Sorry for being a moaning Minnie, I have so much to be grateful for, but apparently no control whatsoever over my emotions

Ann, I missed your post. I'm sorry about your bones - are you having treatment? Re the Christmas tree - why not splash out on something fake but gorgeous? You could then bring it out each year. We've got a 'paper tree' from JL which cost about £80 but packs away in a box really easily. We splashed out on trendy baubles too. It is lovely and bright and I love it! If when I get it up I'll try to remember to post a photo.

N&g - raid the gf stall for me! I am of the belief that gf means calorie free too.

Oh that pic really put a smile on my face!
I have been “sorting” c pressies for the DGCs online since about 9 o clock after consulting DD about their lists for Santa. Bless her she has told them that their “lists” needed to be no more than 4 items

“Something I want
Something I need
Something to wear
Something to read”

A good principle to follow!

Morning all !!

Love picGrannie - I have a corker for this morning too... a visitor to our garden :-)

Super cute angelNellie !

You def need a little Christmas spirit Ann even if its fizzy and comes in a bottle !! What about a mini tree at least? Its all about what you want as H is not bothered. I'm sorry to hear about your test results- does it help to know the issues? Would good pain management help?

Kitty it would NEED to be 800 cals a meal - its just not for me. I know me really well by now and my willpower is limited anyway and I would rather life a short and happy life than a long and miserable one - SW is tough enough for me so I think Ill just persevere with that.

Although it might be tested today as there are lots of homemade goodies at the Fayre today ( including a whole stall of gluten free treats) !!

I hear a bacon roll calling my name....back later !!

GD, hehe! That apple cake shall now be called The Six Pound Trout Cake ?

Good morning the kitchen!
galen that problem exercised me recently and I got round it by, as Kitty said, beating it and then putting it in a small graduated measuring cup - that is assuming that you have a small graduated measuring cup......
nellie he does indeed look gorgeously angelic! I hope no-one trots that one out to embarrass him when he brings his future intended home ?!
gq I expect to have photos of white stuff to post by tommorrow if the weather forecasters are correct. We are going over to an event at GS’s school this afternoon, and then he was supposed to be coming to us overnight as his parents have an evening out, but we are worried about him being stranded here if the forecasts are correct, so we will probably bring him over for tea and to help decorate our tree, which we promised he could do, and then take him home later in the evening. Bloody weather!
N&G I’m afraid it takes less than a bit of tinsel to make me run out of decorating steam. I lost interest as soon as the loft cover was closed again! Enjoy your Christmas fair this afternoon!
If Baggs is around, I tried your cake recipe yesterday. I had to wrestle a bit with the mixture - when you said it was a ‘relatively stiff dough’ you weren’t wrong. I have played a six pound trout to a standstill in less time than it took me to get the mixture out of the bowl into the tin! Only joking! It was very nice and surprisingly light, and I will make it again!
I’m off now. I will look in later.

gq - I didn't say mine weren't opinionated - DD1 particularly can be very scary sometimes! I'm not sure where she gets that from - DH probably. I hope you enjoy the book.

Nellie - what a sweetheart!

Hilda, you made me smile. Dgd1 has promised to help me with the tree next week end - shes very 'definite' -takes after her mother!

I presume the 800 cal is per meal, N&g - how else would you keep your strength up?

Galen, beat it!

Right, I'd better get up and attack the day! See you all later!

Good morning all.
My S took me to Aldi yesterday to buy a tree, I have had one from there for the last 2 years, Nordmann Fir, for £20.
All sold out! Do I raid the bank to buy one from the garden centre, bearing in mind we have a very quiet Christmas? Or do I not have One?
H would not really mind or even notice.
Sadly no Christmas spirit in this house.
I love hearing about others though.
Nelliemoser you have the most beautiful GC, I would imagine they will be the Angel Gabriel in the Nativity for all their Primary school years.
Kitty Lottie is adorable and couldn't possibly ever be anything but good.
It is very cold this morning but no more snow yet, conditions were very bad underfoot yesterday, very scary for me. I have had the results of my x-rays and not encouraging.
My hip does have osteoarthritis but not severe however my back has degenerative changes, which will account for the pain and my bones are thinner.
Don't you just love getting old?

He looks like a sweetie Nellie. My 3 grandsons were here helping me put up the Christmas tree this afternoon! GS2 thinks he's an expert electrician, (he's 7), but he tangled up the lights. I spent a happy half hour untangling them before putting them on the tree. Then all 3 of them helped hang the baubles. DD picked them up and off they went, I then rehung the baubles!!!

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My littleAngel! His name is not Gabriel. I love the wings DD says they were just under a fiver.

Lovely photo of you both , maw, so many memories of a lifetime together - happy ones and no doubt some sad ones along the way too. I hope that they will go some way to seeing you through the time you’re in now. Hope you have a better night tonight.
800 calories does seem a bit spartan n&g, good luck with SW. It’s funny how festive preparations can bring out the worst in most of us.
I don’t know about “capable daughters” kitty but I certainly did a good line in opinionated ones! They can scare the life out of me sometimes! By the way your son’s book arrived today, I’m looking forward to reading it.
gd I share your feelings about snow, we just had a little sprinkle last night and fortunately it didn’t freeze overnight but there’s supposed to be lots more on the way. We drove out a bit to visit a favourite coffee shop this morning, it’s the old boy’s way of compensating me for not participating at all much in any Christmas shopping/wrapping etc! It looked very pretty but if we get what they’re forecasting the poor folk’s business will suffer as their coffee barn is pretty high up and even on a day like today was quieter than normal.
Stay safe and cosy soop, I can imagine the roads could be tricky where you are I have to admit to smiling at reply to sar, re knowing the gender of the expected baby in your family! , note to self, to see the context always read the preceding posts!!
Wishing you all a warm and cosy sleep.

How please, do you put half an egg in a recipe?