Wednesday, 4 December 2019

December 4th and The Christmas Mantel

I couldn't put my Christmas tree up at the weekend as it would have been in the way of the TV man but after singing 8 Christmas carols (sore throat followed) at a coffee, cake and carols event at Cotton Chapel on Saturday I felt festive enough to put autumn back in the cupboard and find Christmas for the mantel shelf.



The wooden Christmas cats and mini snow globe are new-to-me for 2019 and I've put 4 things in a bag for  the next charity shop visit to make up for acquiring more 'stuff'. I think the snow globe, with a jolly snowman inside is quite old as it's not lost any liquid like modern globes seem to do and it has something in it that looks like snow rather than glitter - which is what they put in snow globes nowadays.
I've also put my Christmas cup and saucer in the charity shop bag, it came from a charity shop years ago and I've faithfully used it every December since, but the darn thing is so heavy and so big that it loses heat quickly, so someone with bigger arm muscles can enjoy it now!

 My Christmas started with the carols and cake last Saturday, continued with more carols, Christmassy demonstrations and party food at WI on Monday evening and this weekend the Surrey family will be here, so I've made a start with writing cards and wrapping gifts so they can take them home with them as they won't be staying here again this year.
 Some people love wrapping presents........I don't, they never look very good when I've finished but as the paper usually gets ripped off anyway I've given up worrying and I don't add fancy bows or twiddley bits any more either. Sellotape and a name tag - usually made from last years Christmas cards - that will do.

More New TV news...............Sorted out how to get BBC iplayer yesterday so I'm able to catch up on University Challenge and Only Connect on a better (than lap top) screen. Why the Beeb insist on always putting both programmes  on Mondays when I'm at WI every other week I don't know!
I'm ever so pleased with the bigger and clearer picture, the family will get quite a surprise when they see it - "Fancy Mum getting up to date!".

Back Tomorrow
Sue

35 comments:

  1. Well done, good for you. It's amazing how much TV has come on recently, isn't it?
    I love your Christmas Mantel - especially those wooden cate. Beth wpould love something like that. I suppose you found them in a car boot sale? :-)
    xx

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    1. The cats were from the PDSA charity shop and might have been new although there was only one so I;m not sure

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  2. My mantel will have Christmas on it a bit closer to Christmas. The same cup and saucer as yours will be joining the miniature trees, which I add to every year. Love 'em!

    Enjoy your time with Rachel.

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    1. My cup has gone off to a charity shop - it was too big!

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  3. Your mantel looks lovely, the cats are very cute.

    Having access to iplayer is such a good thing, we tend to save a few things up and enjoy a tv night where we catch up on everything in one go.

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    1. iplayer on the TV doesn't seem as simple to negotiate as iplayer on lap top....or maybe there's a shortcut that I don't know about

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  4. iPlayer on the telly to watch University Challenge on catch-up not on a laptop? Now you are tempting me!

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    1. Much bigger an clearer but otherwise the same except for ......see above

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  5. Your mantel loved pretty, my grandson went to Kew Gardens on Friday and brought me a lovely ornament of the Palm House, it will be very special to for it was his first job and I use to take me to the gardens when he was small, now he is a tree surgeon.
    Pleased your Tv is sorted. The weather looks as thou it is going to be nice.
    Hszel c uk

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  6. The BBC read your blog, take account of your weekly activities and note down which programmes you like, and schedule those programmes for when you are out. They do it for me as well. They think it will make us watch other things - to promote diversity.

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    1. Oh that explains it.........Auntie is watching!!

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  7. I love to see everyone's mantel and yours is so gorgeous. It changes a room straight away. I keep thinking we should get a new TV and as I have read about your new one it has sparked more thoughts in my mind on the subject but then we watch very little, it still works perfectly well and it is only eight years old, still looks as new as the day we took it out of the box (apart from a little dust)so I feel I cannot justify getting rid just to update. I don't think anyone wants old TV's these days so it would probably end up in landfill. People keep mentioning catch up to me - I am presuming they mean the service and not us catching up with the world!! Such a dilemma these days.

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    1. My biggest reason was because the old one was small and the room here is much bigger and the TV was only good for half the room!

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  8. Your mantle looks lovely with all the Christmassy bits. I don't like wrapping presents either so made some cloth bags a few years back. They work a treat. I do have some Christmas fabric to make a few more (replace the ones that are getting kind of tattered) but I don't plan on making them until next year.

    God bless.

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    1. I would get just as cross and be just as useless with sewing!

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  9. The mantel looks lovely. Is that a stained glass Mary and Joseph in the centre? It's gorgeous.I find wrapping presents laborious but I absolutely love adding the frilly bits like ribbon and bows. Bet you're looking forward to seeing the family this weekend aren't you. xx

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    1. Yes looking forward to family all being together again - they grow so quickly and I just love to see the 3 cousins together

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  10. you're right, snow globes tend to be glittery rather than snowy nowadays. I love your mantel, looks very pretty.
    In my window dressing days I could spend the best part of a week wrapping empty boxes to look like fancy presents for the window. Probably explains why I prefer to give cash now, no wrapping needed!

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    1. Wrapping empty boxes sounds like a very boring job!

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  11. Your mantle is beautiful and I love the cats. I am so happy you got the new TV - you deserve it!

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    1. I'm not sure about deserving - just spending the kids inheritance!

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  12. Love to see the twinkly light on your mantle, makes it look very festive.

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  13. Oh! no! Yet more coffee and cake. The coffee is OK, but the cake? Roderick

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  14. It sounds like you are definitely in the holly jolly mood! That is a wonderful mantle. I smiled when I read about putting things in the charity pile to make up for acquisitions. I try to do that too -- sometimes with better success than others!

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    1. I ended up taking quite a lot of Christmassy things that hadn't been used for years to the charity shop and in time for them to be sold straight away for this Christmas

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  15. Your mantle is lovely, Sue. I especially like the cats and the stained glass Mary & Joseph. Must admit I do like wrapping Christmas presents, as long as I don't have to rush. I normally wrap at my ironing board. I get the right height then & no backache :)

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    1. I always seem to end up tearing the paper on corners or getting too much paper to fold. - I'm just hopeless

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  16. Always love decorating our mantle for Christmas. Have yet to do it though. Had a household problem today, which put it back.

    🎄😊🎄

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    1. It's nice to have somewhere to display my pretty things

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  17. I love the little cottage Sue. Lovely mantel ... I do wish I had one. :) Lynne

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    1. The cottage is one of the few things I kept that belonged to my Late Mum and Dad

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