Christmas tree blues

 

Seeing all the beautiful Christmas decorations and trees on display in blogland reminds me I have to get cracking and get on with decorating my home too.

This year I will be putting out very few Christmas decorations mostly my Christmas tree front door decoration and a few other bits because I won't be staying at home this Christmas I shall be Christmas House sitting at my SIL's villa. 

I shall not have a Christmas tree of my own this year. 

We retired our 32 year old Christmas tree (seems so callous to say I threw it out after all it has been a Christmas fixture in my home for so long...that is daft isn't it...but!) last year and thought we were going to buy a new one this year but then I thought I might as well take advantage of my SIL's beautiful big tree that they always put up each year. After all I am going to enjoy it more than my SIL’s family as I am going to be staying there Christmas Day included🎄. My SIL, my nieces and nephews and their children my great nieces and nephews are all going away for a short trip over Christmas and it isn't good to leave the houses empty particularly over the Christmas season even though there are Security guards patrolling the complex! We will alternate between homes of course and Sr P will stay at our place and I will stay at my SIL's with my daughter and grand-daughter. 

We will be there for several days keeping an eye on the place and caring for Torka their Spanish mastiff who is far too big to come to our apartment.

Spanish Mastiff...Google image

Torka isn't quite as big as this mastiff in the photo above. Torka's head comes to the top of my legs but she is still a big girl. I am not sure how old she is but she isn't young. She is though a gentle giant at least with the family members, I haven't seen her in action when a stranger rings the doorbell at the gate as yet. My SIL usually has to lock her in her kennel before she opens the gate. She is always happy to see any family members and rushes down to the gate to meet us. Sr P has to stand in front of me though as Torka gallops... yes... gallop is the appropriate word to describe it, she ain’t a dainty lady by far ! I am certainly not afraid of dogs far from it as I have always had cats and dogs as pets but Torka does get rather over enthusiastic about greeting people and is inclined to jump up. I am no squirt by any means but she nearly knocked me over once. I think she is gorgeous! As I said a gentle giant because she is very loving as well and very obedient.  She is also bilingual as I speak to her in English and she does sit when I tell her to and will come to me when I call her and looks at me and leans on my leg (pretty heavy lean by the way) when I chat to her.   

OK!  I can guess what you are thinking it isn't a question of which language you use but the sound of your voice ...of course 😀

Torka

Crochet 

I haven't much to show you this time as I am just finishing off a pair of fingerless gloves to send to my sister in the UK . My next project will be another baby blanket. I really must start very soon.  This time it is for my niece who lives in Queensland, Australia, her baby is due next March. This is a very special baby ... a surprise babe!  My niece has had to undergo several operations over the years and it was understood that she could not have children of her own but ,lo and behold, Mother Nature will have her way! What a wonderful surprise for them after all that she has been through she is now expecting a little girl. They are of course ecstatic and I am so happy for them.

As they are animal lovers (horses, ducks, dogs, cats, parrots etc) I thought the following pattern from Repeat Crafter Me would be nice for the blanket.

It won't be in these colours though as my niece has sent me a photo of her nursery and I'll be following the colour scheme they have used there. The nursery is also full of soft toys, all animals, so I think this blanket will fit in very well.

REPLIES to comments on my previous post completed 🖋

Happy Blogging

Amanda :-)