The BIGGEST Flashmob Ever: Carol of the Bells with 100 Musicians in Paris!!

I love this song..........

Has anyone been to see these guys in concert?

They come to Toronto most years and I have never been to the concert.  One of these days I will get tickets and go, I think it would be worth while.

The other day I was humming a Christmas carol and you know what I couldn't remember all the words to it.  That made me sad, as I have always remembered the words to Christmas carols.😞

Giggle Girls Jewelry............

At the show on Saturday there was one vendor who was a 4 year old's dream...............Giggle Girls Jewelry.

My photo's don't do these necklaces any justice, they are really, really cute and are well worth the money.  

 They even had Christmas ones.

 Nora finally chose an Elsa necklace after much consideration.  She was busy eating a candy cane when I took this photo.

We headed back to the vendor later on to purchase a necklace for Nitara for her birthday and all the Elsa necklaces had gone.   They were super busy and I am guessing they had a good day with many sales.

This is an oldie from my youth..........

Look what (who) was under our Christmas tree last night.......

Yes our Miss Nora.  Mind you she was out for a count as she had just been fed.

 Poor little thing has a blocked tear duct in her right eye at the moment so her eye is all puffy and swollen.

That didn't stop her grandparents for giving her a long cuddle.

Never heard of this song sung by Cliff Richard before thought it was good:

Before and after photos of the kitchen

A couple of before photos first:

Here is the after photos, can you see a difference!!!

It feels a lot more modern and of course lighter.  It was a lot of work but well worth it I think.

Love this song:
 

Some random photos.....

I was sitting by the fire in the living room looking at the Christmas tree and thought the room looked nice so took a photo.

Just before dh started caulking the tiles, thought they looked good.  Will show more kitchen photos in the next day or two, as it is 95% finished now.

 Miss Nora's head is growing and this little hat finally fits.  No idea who she looks like in that photo, she changes every time I see a photo of her.

 

One of my all time favourite Christmas Songs:

Christmas Tree and painting....

Got the first coat of paint on the kitchen walls.  Can't say it looks much different to me; hopefully will look better when I do the second coat today.

I decided to decorate the Christmas tree on Monday after I finished painting.  This is my new ornament from my mother.  It's by Belleek and it's a snowman holding an umbrella.

 My first ornaments to go on the tree are all my Wedgwood and Waterford ones.

 Here it is in all it's "frothy" glory!!!

Can't wait for our Little Princess to see it, as they don't have a Christmas tree at their house.  Miss Nora will probably be asleep so she won't care!!!  And yes the Christmas crackers are huge!!!  The one small present under the tree is for Miss Nora it came in the mail on Monday.

I thought this song was appropriate for today's post:

Thanks for your opinions yesterday.......

I will catch you up with what I changed out etc., in a day or two's time.  Got a busy couple of days ahead of me painting the stair treads and painting the kitchen.

We got the tiling finished in the kitchen, only have to put the silicone around the edges now.  Got the Christmas tree up, but not decorated.  Have decided to down size the Christmas tree if we move as it is so bloody heavy that tree, even when it is splint in three each piece is heavy.

Did want to ask you all something else.  Is anyone still on allergy pills this time of year and do they know why they need them?

I went off my allergy pills the middle of last month. as I ran out and as the weather had turned cold and we had snow figured I was fine.  Three weeks later my poor nose is itching again and is full.  Under my eyes are sore, as though I have a minor sinus thing going on.  My ears are filling up and I feel as though I have allergies again?  I have no idea what too though?

Is anyone on allergy pills year round?  I am on blood pressure pills so I cannot take any sinus medication.  I really don't have the time to go back to the doctors, but don't want to go back on allergy pills again if I don't have too.

One of my step-father's favourite artists, Doris Day:


Also stumbled upon this video, what a beautiful voice this girl has:

Out and about on Friday

I left the house just before 9 am on Friday and it was after 2 pm when I got back in.  Who knew shopping could be so stressful and tiring?  Oh and expensive.  I got most of the things on my list but still have some things to get.  Shopping used to be fun when I was younger, now it's just another chore.

I am too tired to post photos, but will get to it. 

Today's a fun Christmas tune:

Busy, busy

Busy, as always with one thing and another.  Got all the stairs prepped on Thursday ready to paint the first coat on Friday.  I have taken a before photo and will take an after one when I get the second coat painted on Monday.  Also helped dh with tiling the back splash in the kitchen.  It's coming along slowly but surely.  Even made a start on taping the kitchen ready to start painting that on Monday as well.  We are hoping to have the remainder of the tiling done in the kitchen by end of day on Sunday and the kitchen painted by end of day Tuesday.

I am hitting the mall and Barrie today to finish my Christmas shopping and see if I can find some things that are one my list for the house staging.  Homesense will be my store of choice I think.  I need towels, a large bathroom mirror, a couple of bedside lamps and some "girly" knick-knacks for the spare bedroom???

Talked with dd and Miss Nora is up to 6 lbs 9 oz, so she is putting weight on nicely.  Also dd blood pressure is back to normal, so that's good as well.

Something a little light hearted for today's Christmas tune:

More photos of Miss Nora.....

This is the birth announcement:

 Miss Nora has such a hard life as shown here!!!

She is a cutie; I know I am biased.  Won't be seeing her again for a couple of weeks.

On a totally different subject, poor dh has been chosen for jury duty AGAIN.  This is his third time; he's not happy!!!

Today a very classic Christmas song:



And because we are a bilingual country, here it is in French:

Very, very overwhelmed....

We had a home stager come through the house yesterday, and she was a whirlwind of a woman.  She did write things down but not everything and by the time she got to the family room, she had gone through the rest of the main floor, my poor head was pounding.  So I said I will not be able to remember all of this, how much do you cost per hour to come in when we get the photos done.  She costs $125 an hour and would probably be here all morning {SIGH}

HOWEVER, she is one of the best around and when she stages houses they sell.  I had to laugh though I am re-painting the bloody kitchen again as she didn't like the colour I have painted it, just like dh; it makes the kitchen too cold looking she says?  I will also be painting the mud room and the living room the same colour; Benjamin Moore Fogmist OC31

So I need to go shopping for odds and ends that she wants either changed out, replaced or added.  I will say she recommended Wal-Mart, Homesense and Giant Tiger for everything.  Her vision was great and what she has in mind was good, but how on earth we are supposed to live here is beyond me while we sell the place.  Also we have a lot of work to do in such a short time as we hope to have it on the market by mid-February, depending on the weather.

I will write another post about putting a house up for sale and especially a country property like ours, as it is a totally different kettle of fish from selling a house in the city.  Dh and I need to sit down and go over everything and decide a plan of action as neither of us could even be bothered to talk after she had left last night.

Should say the real estate agent paid for yesterday's appointment, not sure if she will pay for her to come in before the photos are taken?

Enough of selling the house, lets here a bit of Christmas music.  I hadn't heard this Celine Dian version of this song before, enjoy:

I forgot it was December?

I was so busy with one thing and another yesterday I forgot to post my daily Christmas tune on my blog???

So I will post two today.  First a classic that everyone knows and loves:


 Then here is a not so classic song sung by the Dixie Chicks and Rosie O'Donnell:

Hoping to have more time in the coming days to fill you in on all that is going on.

Christmas Eve, a scarf and a soup tureen.

Here we are on Christmas Eve and it's a case of if it's not ready now it never will be!!!  The veggies to peel for tomorrow, a couple of desserts to make including the Pear, Raspberry and Almond Tart we had a few years, that I posted about here. Also making Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars, the recipe for that is here.

Thought I'd show off my scarf I finished it over the weekend, looks okay.  I see Michaels has similar type of yarn on sale so will maybe pick up a couple more balls, as they make great presents.

Jane how are you getting on with yours?

Wanted to show you my latest purchase from the charity shop.  Its a Bishop & Stonier tureen, minus the lid, I think?  Its in the dalrymple green pattern, here is a link to the blue pattern  I would love to know more, but I have come to a dead end?  I paid $15 for it.

The detail is wonderful.  There are a couple of chips and signs of wear, but I don't care.

The back mark on the pieces confirm who made it and dates it between 1891 - 1939

I have bids in on a number of other items over the next couple of weeks including a Shelly Cup and Saucer.

There will be a post tomorrow, but I do want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas to those of you who are popping by today.  Have a lovely time and a great meal.

Today's Christmas Song is lovely:

January No/Low Spend and Decluttering Challenge

I know it's not January but Carla is inviting us all to participate in the January No/Low Spend and Decluttering challenge.  You can sign up here  I am determined to sort out our old basement once and for all, so will be doing that in January, and our savings has taken a hit over the past couple of months, so need to put money in there.  I'll aim for $200, but would really like $400 to go in there......we'll see though.

I have never heard this version of today's Christmas Song, very pretty:

Great new site....

well it's new too me.   Kraft Canada First Taste  it's a site that you can participate in and earn points towards free things.  I also ordered the Samplicious pack again, as it's well worth it.  There are recipes and games and lots of other things to do.  The only negative thing I found was that it's a bit slow to load for me the site, but I have old computers.  If you have a few minutes check it out.  I would think other countries where Kraft products are sold should have something similar, but don't know for sure?

It was "top coat" weather for the horses on Friday:

"Top Coat," is your thick or winter coat I haven't used that expression in a while.  It snowed on and off all day on Friday, but as it was above freezing for most of the day it didn't really amount to much.  Can't say I am that bothered!!!  Other than going to get the mail and emptying the ashes I never left the house.  I have a bloody ear infection, mainly on my right side which sucks.  So I guess if it gets worse out will come the olive oil and cotton balls to put in my ears.  I have suffered from ear infections since I was a small child, so am a pro at dealing with it; could have done without having one now though.

Another classic Christmas song, is the soloist Welsh?:

First day of Winter today.........

and it feels like it around here.  Gone a lot cooler and snow is forecast....

This week's "Home of the Week," is not my cup of tea and the price of $1.1 million doesn't help the matter.  What they don't show you is what the rest of the street looks like.  This house will stick out like a sore thumb amongst all the older type houses in the street.  I have no idea how they get planning permission to build these eye sores?  It's a very clean finish inside, and I do like the look of the garage out back, but too my mind way, way over priced for what it is.

The "Condo of the Week," is for someone with a lot of money, who wants the space of a house without the upkeep.  At $3.6 million, plus $2,700 a month maintenance fees; but that does include valet parking, you do need to have deep poackets!!  It's okay inside, a little dated, in a prime location, hence the price.  Will give this one a miss though; as I'd rather have a bit of outside space as well for that price!!

The Condo of the week overlooks "Hoggs Hollow," in Toronto, which is an unusual name.  So I googled why the name and here is a few lines from Wikipedia, you can read the whole article here

"Hoggs Hollow is named after Joseph Hogg, a Scotsman who settled in the area in 1824. Hogg operated a whisky distillery and a grist mill, and was viewed as the most successful of all the millers in the valley. The name is usually written without the apostrophe as Hoggs Hollow, but sometimes appears as Hogg's Hollow.

In 1856, John and William Hogg, sons to the late James Hogg, subdivided their father's estate under the name "Hoggs Hollow". The Hoggs Hollow subdivision included one hundred and forty-one lots. With the area full of quick sand, swamps and bogs, only a few houses were actually built at this time, however. the subdivision stood in close proximity to the historic village of York Mills. A school, post office, pottery, blacksmith, livery, stable, store, golf links and clubhouse, hillside cemetery (at Yonge Street and Mill Street) and St. John's Anglican Church served the community, one largely made up of Scottish, Irish and English immigrants."

Today's Christmas song:

I must be getting old............

I had to go to the hospital on Saturday morning to have a bone scan on my hand, as when I had the nerve testing done on Thursday of last week, they didn't find any trapped nerves, which is good.  So Dr. T. suggested I get a bone scan.  I made the appointment and arrived at the hospital bright and early on the Saturday morning.

I checked in with the receptionist and she looks at the form and sees that Dr. T. gave me the referral.  She says, isn't he gorgeous, and some other gushing things about him.  I reply, yes he's very nice, but can't say much because my husband is sitting there.  She nods at that and we finish the registration.

I am then called through to start the test and the nurse looks at my paperwork and sees that Dr. T. is my doctor and again starts gushing about him.  I reply, yes he's a sweetheart.  Now here's the getting old thing.  I haven't a clue what the doctor looked like, seriously.  I was more concerned about what was wrong with my hands than what he looked like!!!!!  While I was having my first test done I was wracking my brain trying to remember the bloody doctor!!!!  Oh well must be very happy with the husband I have!!!

Anyhow, due to it being  quiet on Saturday, I not only got my hands scanned, I had a full body scan, my hips rescanned and my feet rescanned.  I go to see the hand surgeon on January 3rd to talk to her about what the test results show.  

My prescription changed on my glasses, I have gone from a 1.5 to a 1.75.  Got my new lenses and can't see a bloody thing!!!!  I guess I'll just have to suffer it until my eyes get used to the new lenses, so please forgive any typos, everything is blurred...........or am I just getting old?????

If anyone needs a stuffing or bread sauce recipe here is a link to the one I posted: http://thatbritishwoman.blogspot.ca/2008/12/bread-sauce-and-old-fashioned-stuffing.html

Today a traditional Christmas song:

More photos from last week's" Ladies who Lunch" outing

(THIS POST WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THURSDAY, BUT I POSTED IT TODAY BY ACCIDENT!!)

Bet you thought I had forgotton about them!!!  Just had other things to post about, but finally found a slot.

Jane and I called in at a store called Kiki LaRuse.  With a name like that is sounds a bit kinky to me, how about you?  It wasn't though and the lady was super nice in there.

I thought this was a lamp at first, but couldn't see the lightbulb.  Turns out to be a piece of art.  Nice but useless don't you think?

The samll lamp on the wood block was not part of the original piece.

I LOVED the fabric combinations of these pouches and thought of you Carla.

Some more art work, love the bottom picture:

I adore poppies, so this picture caught my eye as well.

The store features local and Canadian artists, all things are hand made and the store is in Orillia.  They do not have a web site, but do have an email if anyone wants it?

Today's Christmas song is just lovely:

A recipe and my knitting

Another cookie recipe I decided to try on Tuesday:

Butter and Jam Thumbprints

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose/plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped from pod, or 1/8 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 raspberry, cherry or strawberry jam

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 oF.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.

In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined.  Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just incorporated.

Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls.  Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Press thumbprint into the centre of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep.  Fill each indentation with 3/4 teaspoon jam.

Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes.  For even colour, rotate the pans from top to bottom about halfway through baking.  

Makes 24 to 30 cookies 

***TIP: I made the dough the day before and kept it in the fridge.  Took it out of fridge about an hour before I needed it and cut the dough up into 30 pieces, then rolled them into balls.

I mentioned last week I was knitting a scarf.  Well this is how much I have done so far.  Must say any idiot can do it, as even I have managed to do this.  Have to say though I am struggling to keep tabs on my seven stitches!!!!  Managed to drop some, lose some and find some.  Goodness knows what I would be like with more stitches!!!

The good thing about this, its very forgiving!!!

Today's Christmas song: