Merry Christmas Everyone

Thinking back to the start of 2009, I remember feeling a bit anxious about what the year might hold for us (me and my family). I looked back to 4 January and found I had written "I have to admit to a certain amount of trepidation when I look forward to the year ahead, not a feeling I usually experience".

For my son in Australia it has been his "annus horribilus". He has had health and sight problems, was out of work for a while which, in turn, obviously, caused financial concerns and his beloved dog died. On top of that, his wife has said that she no longer wants to stay in Australia, wishing to come back to UK to live and be near her family. I kept in close touch, either by telephone or via the web-cam but it was apparent that he was getting lower and lower in spirits. So what to do? Stay here and unpack, settle in and worry about how the family were doing, so far away, or go and see them.

We had had a difficult year for various reasons including the house sale and purchase of our new home and all that that entailed and I just wanted to be able to move in and get unpacked and prepare for Christmas. We had planned that in January 2010 we would travel to Australia and New Zealand, take our time over it and visit both families there. I didn't want to go to Australia before that but I am so pleased that we took the decision that we did. I left on 8 November and booked a flight for OH to follow me 2 weeks later. My son was very low and at times quite emotional when I arrived but we talked at some length over the first two weeks and I persuaded him to at least go and talk to his doctor about he was feeling. By the time OH arrived he was 100% in better spirits and we spent time together most evenings.

It was lovely to see our grandchildren of course, they are all beautiful. Our eldest grandson is 9 and a lovely natured boy, full of smiles. Our 6 year old grandaughter is more outgoing and very competative. The youngest, 15 month old Matthew is a real handful. Into everything and very outgoing and confident. Also full of smiles.

We enjoyed our time with them and left them preparing for Christmas in much better spirits than when we got there. We didn't do anything except listen and just "be there for them". The telephone is marvellous but there are times when it just won't do. I suppose we could have stayed for Christmas but we had already committed ourselves to family back here and anyway we really did want to get back to our new home.

I think it almost certain that they will be coming back to the UK and for good. Son is certainly viewing it from a more positive stance now although we feel that they would do better to stay put or, at the very least, come for a holiday before final decisions are made. Never thought I would actually say that, heartbroken as I was when they first went there.

I'm very lucky in that I have few health problems but back in September began experiencing dizzy spells and occasionally thought I might black out. A bit disconcerting so I booked to have my blood pressure checked, but through some sort of communication problem it didn't happen so I just went off to Australia thinking I would deal with it on my return. Had another dizzy spell and "black out" on the flight over and again a few days later so then I went to see a doctor. It seems that my BP is too high so had to begin taking the necessary medication and saw my own GP on my return. BP is coming down now and I feel fine again, no more dizziness or blackness!

So we are settling into our new home. We love it and are looking forward to our first Christmas here. The tree is decorated with "the shepherd" (made by my son at school when he was about 5 years old) stood beneath it, as usual - see below.





Our daughter and grandaughter are coming down from Sratford on Avon to be with us and on Christmas Day my mother and OH's aunt and uncle will join us. Other family members will pop in on "the day" and we will catch up with friends during the Christmas Season.

I am trying to get up to date with blogging friends and will do that over the next week or so. Having had our old computer "die" on us I am still trying to get to grips with a new system. I have only JUST worked out how to put photographs on my posts but it may be a while before I can show you the view from our windows or take part in any of the memes. I have managed a Christmas photo though.

Thank you so much to all of you who have left kind and supportive comments, if I haven't already been in to see you, I will do so in the near future.

In the meantime I would like to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and sincerely hope that 2010 will be a good year for you.

Well, we've been home a week now.


I have missed blogging and would have liked to get straight back into it but with Christmas just a week away and still having so much to do to settle into our new home (left undone due to my hasty departure for Australia), it has been a question of priorities. However, this evening I couldn't resist a peek and anyway felt it was time I made contact again. I really appreciate the kind and supportive comments made by my blogging friends after my last post.

I won't go into too much detail now, just wanted to say hello to you all and will update you in a few days, certainly before Christmas.

I expect most of you will be in the throes of preparing for the coming festivities but I'm looking forward to reading back a bit to see how you all are. I do hope that I will be in more regular contact once we get into 2010.

Best Laid Plans

Our moving-in day went pretty well and we are fairly straight although there are still a few packing boxes to be gone through. My plan was to get all that done at a reasonably leisurely pace and then begin preparing for our first Christmas here.

However, combined with the stresses of the move etc we have had a cry for help from family in Australia so later today I will be heading for Heathrow Airport to catch a flight bound for Adelaide. OH has a few commitments over the next couple of weeks but will be joining me and we will fly home together, arriving back in UK on 10 December. So I will be back in touch again sometime after that.

I will be attempting to show some pictures of the view from our windows but amongst all the upheaval our computer decided enough was enough and "died" on us. I have been trying to get to grips with new one but have not yet worked out how to deal with photos for the blog and now I haven't time! Such is life - sigh!

We're finally moving in!

In early May, about the 7th, we accepted an offer on our house, which had been for sale for about 15 months. We were given to understand that a completion date of 19 June was expected. Rather quick we thought but it's fine - we can do that! Time went on. It soon became obvious that it was not going to happen that quickly and then we were told that the first couple in our very small "chain" needed 4 weeks from exchange of contracts to completion as they were in rented accommodation and were required to give that amount of notice. A completion date of 10 September was suggested. We thought - that's fine, that will give us time to order a new kitchen and find some temporary accommodation whilst the renovations and decorations were carried out on our new home.

On 22 August we exchanged contracts, the completion date still being 10 September. We ordered our new kitchen the next day. "Delivery will be 4 to 6 weeks" the man said! OK, well that was a little longer than we had anticipated but if it comes in 4 weeks it won't be so bad. Our kitchen fitter man was on holiday but was due back on 21 September and there was plenty to be getting on with until then. We contacted the plumber to arrange all the necessary (he had been on "stand-by" from the start) and chose our new bathroom fixtures and fittings.

We had a little trouble finding some temporary accommodation. Relatives and friends had said "come and stay with us". Fortunately, we thanked them but declined their very kind offer! We live by the sea, a holiday destination. By 10 September, we thought, the children will be back to school and there will be plenty of holiday homes to choose from. Not so. Once the school holidays are over our more mature citizens take advantage of the "offers" that are made to take a late holiday. However, because OH has a lot to do with tourism in this area we were offered the use of a luxury caravan on one of the local holiday parks - "for as long as you need it, no charge". Fantastic!

We had a week's holiday on the Isle of Wight with our daughter and grand-daughter, arriving back home on 5 September. The weather had not been brilliant but on about 7 September the sun came out and stayed out. The weather was hot and sunny when we moved out of our house on 10 September and I was pleased that the new owners would have the chance to enjoy their new home and garden in such conditions (they were so excited about coming to live there). Also, for us in a caravan, it was a bonus, like being on holiday again!

The work began on our new home, stripping out the old kitchen and bathroom, removing the old heaters, replacing doors etc. The painting and decoration began. The kitchen finally arrived after nearly 8 weeks and as I have aleady posted our kitchen fitter had taken himself off to another job and although we had told him it was due to be delivered on 15 October and he had marked it in his diary, he was not able to begin the job until 21 October.

Our furniture was stored for us by the removal firm and we had to give them 5 days' notice when we wanted it returned. We rang giving them about 10 days' notice. "Could you bring our furniture on 2 November please"? "Sorry" came the reply "first available date is 5 November"! So today is the day!

We have been so lucky in having a real "Indian Summer" here, the weather has been fabulous. "You wait until the day we move in" I said to OH, "it will blow an absolute hooley". I was right! The rain has been torrential although as I write it is dry. Oh, did I mention that we have moved into a first floor apartment on the sea front. Wonderful views and an ever changing scene and we are thrilled with it, but there is absolutely no protection from the elements. Of course the removal men could drive round to the back but then they would have to negotiate two flights of stairs! Oh well, I'll just keep the tea and biscuits coming to help them keep their strength up.

Wish us luck!

A post from the past (or how I got my name)

During this period when I have little time to spare for blogging I thought I would re-run one or two of my older posts. I began back in July 2008 and my second post explained how I got the name "Strawberry Jam Anne". So for those of you who haven't already read it, here it is again.


"Ladies who Lunch (occasionally)"

Today I had lunch with two of my closest friends (emotionally, not geographically). We are all 60 something and have known each other for more than 30 years. We have, over time, had many lunches, suppers, days out etc, laughed a lot and lent shoulders and cried on many and varied occasions. I believe today was the first time we have all been together socially for at least 2 years. I have seen them both separately and two of us visited our mutual friend when she was in hospital for several weeks last summer. In spite of the infrequent meetings, we find, as with all good friendships, that we just pick up where we left off. Just natter away and catch up on family and mutual friends' news.

I waved cheerio to OH and went off to pick up friend D who lives just down the road and drove the 10 miles to the next town to collect friend H and then on to our chosen venue. And 3 hours later did it all in reverse and came back home to OH. All very simple but extremely pleasant and enjoyable. We should do it more often.

Before I retired I worked with a "girl" (she is 20 years my junior) who has also become a very close friend, we have said on many occasions that we are more like sisters. We have known each other for 26 years and we too have had our share of laughter and tears. At work it was mostly laughter and she was probably the reason why I didn't retire sooner. She was the first person I told of my decision to finish work and I wept with her on my last day. I didn't have to promise to "keep in touch" with her, (nor with any of my close ex-colleagues as we had such fun together - a great privilege for me) we both knew that we would, and now, about once a fortnight, I contact her and we "do lunch". It is only for 45 minutes as that is her lunch break but it gives us some time to share some laughs once again. Once in a while I join the "pay day Friday curry night" which has been going for the last 4 or 5 years, though sometimes now it falls on a Wednesday or Thursday!

Another friend - also an ex-colleague - I have known for 20 years and when I first got to know her, she worked part time as she had two small daughters. She is a lovely girl with a beautiful face and smile and in all the time I have known her I have never heard her say a harsh word about anyone. She also is a friend with whom I have laughed lots and shed tears.

About 15 years ago, at a time when my mother happened to be staying with us, one Tuesday when I arrived home from work my mother told me that "a very strange thing happened today"! She had been sitting quietly after lunch when she heard the front door bell. On the door step she was confronted by two small girls who asked for me. "I'm afraid she's still at work" said my mother, "can I help you"? "Please have you got any strawberry jam" enquired the girls and my mother, very perplexed, went immediately to look. Unfortunately the cupboard was bare of any jam that day, strawberry or otherwise, she returned to report the same to them and off they went.

"I've no idea who they were" said Mum, "but they did ask for you". Well I didn't exactly have a sleepless night over it as I had an inkling as to who this pair might be. On arriving at work next day all was revealed. My friend (with the two daughters) came in laughing and between us we relived the events of the previous afternoon. She had been making a sponge cake and suddenly realised that she had no jam for it. She dispatched her girls off to the local shop to buy some but as it was a Tuesday afternoon it was early closing. The elder of the girls remembered that I lived just up the road and knew that I made cakes so decided I was the next best bet. Sadly they were unlucky at mine but their mummy saved the day and drove to the supermarket, so all ended well. Ever since then, when my friend has mentioned the name "Anne" the girls ask "do you mean Strawberry Jam Anne"? (my friend has a sister Anne). I love it and decided on it for my blog name.

The two little girls are now grown up of course, one has a law degree and the other is a qualified midwife and they are both as lovely as their mother. Last year when the eldest graduated I sent a text via my friend saying "congratulations, well done, with love from Strawberry Jam Anne", which made them laugh and cry!


I first posted this on 19 July 2008.

Is Patience a Virtue?

All is quiet here! I'm all alone as OH has gone off for a few days on the golf course. Most of the work on our new home is now done and I am sitting here, patiently awaiting delivery of our new kitchen, promised for today. Our kitchen fitter has said it will take him a week to complete but when I rang yesterday he informed me that he is not too sure when he can start as the job he is on is taking longer than anticipated! He has had at least 2 weeks' notice of the delivery date so I am none too pleased and I shall be having words with him later! We were hoping to be moving in here in about 10 days' time but it looks as though that will have to be put back again.

However, on a more positive side, I have finally found time to visit a few blogs and find out what has been going on over the past weeks.

So please keep watching this space. I will, hopefully, be giving more regular updates from now on!

Just Popping in

Just a very quick post to say hello.

We are not living in our new home yet as it needs a fair bit of renovation and decoration and we are a bit of a building site at the moment. We have had broadband connection for about a week now but it's very difficult trying to concentrate on anything with so much noise and dust around so I'm just checking emails and managing to get a quick peek at Blogland from time to time.

The good news is that our present, temporary, accommodation is ours for as long as we need it but the bad news is that our new kitchen, promised for next week, will not be delivered for a further 2 weeks so it looks as though we won't actually be moving in until towards the end of October! However, that will be the final part before our carpets are laid and we are really looking forward to living here.

I am going to atttempt to look in on my blogging friends as I am now beginning to miss you all.

ABC Wednesday - H

I have a few photos to show you from my Holiday last week on the Isle of Wight.

Having our 5 year old grand-daughter with us we spent some time at the beach. This is High tide at Hope Beach.




Here is a row of beach Huts.



and this is the Hut we Hired for the day.



One day we went to a farmhouse for a cream tea which was once voted one of the ten best in the country. It was delicious and whilst we were there I spotted these bales of Hay.



I am now in the throes of moving House so you can imagine how Hectic life is. I will be out of touch for a few days. Once back I will be visiting all my blog world friends again.

For more takes on the letter H - please click here.

ABC Wednesday - the letter G

I have had to schedule this post as I am away on holiday for a week.


Goldfinch



These photographs were taken in the spring.



Isn't he/she beautiful!

Also, today is my youngest grandson's 1st birthday - Happy birthday Matthew. I haven't seen him since he was about a month old as he lives in Australia but apparently he is a real live wire. He has been walking for a couple of months, loves everyone and is full of fun.


To see other takes on the letter G please click here.

Past and Present

Yesterday was my lovely daughter's 40th birthday. She lives in Stratford on Avon and we went to see her last Sunday as we knew we wouldn't be seeing her on her big day. She was spending the day with friends as well as going out in the evening, so she was definitely celebrating. Later today she will arrive with her little girl and on Saturday morning we are all off to the Isle of Wight for a week's holiday. However, on Sunday we wanted to visit and take her birthday present and birthday cake.

During the course of sorting out various boxes with our imminent move in mind, I came across a suitcase full of memorabilia of my son's and daughter's young and baby days. You know the sort of thing - baby shoes, first teddy, Cub and Brownie uniforms, school reports etc. Knowing that my daughter's 40th birthday was looming I decided to pack up most of her "bits and pieces" and put them into a "keepsake" box to give to her on her birthday. I wrapped them all separately, placed a large plain piece of paper over them and stuck a label on reading "PAST". I then wrapped up her birthday present (a lovely Radley handbag) and stuck a label on that reading "PRESENT" and put that in as well. I then wrapped the whole box up in gift wrap and left with her on Sunday to be opened on Wednesday morning. She was very intrigued, as was our grand-daughter who asked what her mummy's present was.

"Whisper to me, I won't tell her" she said

"Promise you won't tell" I replied and I hesitated because you know what 5 year olds are like!

"I promise I won't tell" says she.

And so we left them on Sunday and when we rang her on Wednesday to wish her a happy birthday she had already opened the box and was very thrilled with what she found inside - all of it! The conversation went something like this:

Daughter - "I can't believe you have kept all these things all this time, but then I can believe it because I am doing the same thing. I love my bag - it's gorgeous. I put it to one side while I looked through the box".

Me - "Did Imogen tell you what it was"?

Daughter - "she said "aren't you going to open your present - it's a handbag" "!

So, bless her, she had kept it a secret for 3 days and had also kept secret what she had bought (with daddy) - she did well I think.

Among my keepsakes I also found a letter my daughter had written to Father Christmas one year, so I put it into a separate envelope and wrote on the outside "Now that you are 40 we think you are old enough to know about this - but DO NOT let Imogen see it". When we spoke on the phone she had not yet opened it but about half an hour later she rang me - "do you mean he's not real" she whispered down the phone. It made us both laugh. She had wondered what on earth was in the envelope and had taken the first quiet opportunity to open it. She said and she was going to show her friends when they came later in the day - "I suppose they're old enough to take it" she said!

For her birthday cake I made a gift bag with a "Jimmy Choo" label on it and made a sugar shoe to place beside it. Again, she was very pleased with it!

We are looking forward to seeing them later and then it will be all systems go to get ourselves organised for Saturday morning.

So, I will be away from blogging for just over a week and will try to catch up a bit on our return from Isle of Wight. With so much to do at the moment I will have little time to devote to blogging but I will try to keep in touch.

Anne x

ABC Wednesday - the letter F

F is for

a Flock of sheep in a field



a Friendly Frog



and some ferns with their foliage of


feathery


fronds



For more ABC Wednesday images - please click here

Busy, Busy

We have had a very busy weekend.

On Friday afternoon, at 3.15 pm precisely, we got the call we had been waiting for. Contracts had just been exchanged on the sale of our house and the purchase of our new home! Finally! At long last! It seems to have taken forever to get to this stage. We put the house up for sale on 8 March 2008 and finally received an acceptable offer on 6 May 2009. We are now set to complete the transaction on 10 September.

Now it is "all systems go". We are off on holiday this coming Saturday, for one week, so for now it's busy, busy, busy. I will do my best to keep up with the blogging world and give more details as we go along.

ABC Wednesday - The Letter E

E is for Echidna




Apparently their young are called "puggles" - how sweet!

I took this photograph at Cleland Park in South Australia but I was fortunate enough one evening, on a walk with my son in Kuitpo Forest to see one in the wild. My son had heard a noise and motioned to me to stay quiet but to follow him and there it was, trundling along through the undergrowth, oblivious of our presence. We left him to it. more details about echidnas here,

I always feel privileged when I see animals in their natural habitat and was thrilled, though slightly irritated with myself as it was one of the few occasions that I hadn't bothered to carry my camera!

For more letter E subjects - click here.

The Tale of a Cat - Fluff

I have loved cats for as long as I can remember. Many people prefer dogs. I like dogs and particularly admire working dogs but it is cats that give me a glow of pleasure when I see them and make me smile. I love their grace and agility, their own special way of communication, their purr. Watching a cat washing its face, with particular attention to its ears, is wonderful and so relaxing. They can be predictable and unpredictable, give an air of superiority one minute then overwhelmingly curious about the slightest movement the next. Sometimes playful and loving, other times haughty but always, seemingly, all-knowing!

Cats were a part of my life for quite a number of years, sadly no more. All wonderful characters, they brought me and my family a lot of affection, fun and amusement.

One of my first books when I was a small child of about 1 or 2, was "Curly Kitten". I still have it. Such a pretty little book with some sweet verses about the day to day adventures of a kitten. I wonder if that is where my love of cats stems from.









I have seen some of my cats grow from tiny kitten, all curiosity and playfulness, to elderly and arthritic geriatrics. Some have lived with me for only a relatively short while, others a full life but all have been loving, each in its own special way, and, at times I believe, we have needed and helped each other. All have been very much loved and I wept tears of farewell for all of them. Here I will tell some of their stories - beginning with Fluff.

FLUFF

Fluff the cat was the first pet I remember; unfortunately I don't remember a lot. I was probably 5 or 6 years old when he came to live with us. White with ginger patches, a long haired Tom cat who must have detested his name. Perhaps it was because of his name that he was a bruiser - a bit like "A boy named Sue"! He was very affectionate with us though, my Mum and Dad and me. I used to like to sit on the floor with my books open in front of me and he would come to sit on my books. I still wonder why cats like to do that!

Being a "real" Tom he had his lady friends and one day came home with a young kitten in tow. According to my parents the youngster must have been his offspring because it was the image of him. Had he brought the kitten to meet us? - it is a lovely thought - we only ever saw it that one time.

Although Fluff was very loving to us he did not much like visitors to the house and one evening when a friend came to call, rushed to the door and stood there growling so that our friend decided to wait on the doorstep and would not venture inside.

When I was about 12 years old we moved house and went to live in another village about 10 miles away. We kept Fluff in, hoping that he would soon settle but one day he managed to escape and we never saw him again. There was farm land all around us and we liked to think, indeed we hoped, that he spent the rest of his days somewhere on a farm, hunting and keeping lady cats company. We searched and searched the area and asked our former neighbour to keep an eye out for him just in case he tried to return to our old house, but sadly we had seen the last of him. Dear Fluff, we still think of you fondly.

Today's Flowers

A bee enjoying our bottlebrush!



and a butterfly on the buddleia




Thanks to the team of this lovely meme. To see more beautiful flowers from around the world - click here

Sky Watch Friday

Weston Super Mare has it's own "eye" for the summer - a big wheel - and last week OH and I decided to go on it and have a good look at the surrounding views. Fortunately we picked a lovely morning.




We had a "pod" to ourselves and our trip meant we went around, slowly, about 5 times. I took a few photos but as they had to be through the pod windows they are not very clear.

If you click on each picture you will get a little more detail.

This is the Welsh coast and you can see Flat Holm (the island with the lighthouse) in the Bristol Channel.



Next is Steep Holm, also in the Bristol Channel but a little further along. The word "Holm" is derived from a Scandinavian word meaning "island in an estuary".



In the next picture you may be able to make out a tourist camping area, with Brean Down to the right of it. A Victorian Fort was built on Brean Down around 1865 and is still there. I believe that Barnes Wallis' "bouncing bomb" was tested off there during World War II.



For more sky pictures from around the world - click here.

ABC Wednesday - the letter D

D is for -

Daisies in the grass



Ducklings in for a swim




Donkeys having a picnic lunch on the beach




Digitalis or foxgloves



Dragonfly



I haven't seen many dragonflies this year but last summer, looking at our garden pond one morning I discovered this dragonfly. I believe it had just broken from its larval casing. It was in the same position for several hours and later I found the discarded case in the pond. Apparently dragonfly nymphs live in the water for a long period of time, possibly years, feeding voraciously, eventually crawling out and the dragonfly emerges. (more facts here) If I have assumed this incorrectly then I apologise and would like to know more.




Grateful thanks to the ABC Wednesday team and for more "D" choices - please click here.

Today's Flowers

I have taken part in Today's Flowers before but not for a while. However this week it is their 1st anniversary so felt I should like to join in again. Thank you to the team for such a lovely meme.















To see other beautiful flower pictures - click here.

Secret World

Quite close to where we live there is an wildlife rescue centre called Secret World. They take in injured, orphaned and abandoned wild animals, relying on donations to keep it all running. Secret World, now a registered charity, has been operating for many years and it's founder Pauline Kidner does wonderful work, not only looking after the sick and injured animals, ensuring, as far as possible, that each patient is rehabilitated back to the wild but also giving talks and generally attempting to raise funds for the centre. Secret World has many supporters, locally and further afield, some from the world of show business, which helps to keep the centre's profile as high as possible.

I have recently discovered that Pauline keeps a blog of the animals in her care, with photographs of the many and varied creatures that pass through the centre, including badgers, baby deer, bats, hedgehogs, ducks etc. There are web-cams too which enable viewers to see what is happening in some of the pens.

I recommend you to have a look, it is delightful, though sometimes moving, and there are some wonderful photos and stories.

SkyWatch Friday

On Monday OH and I drove to Bristol intending to see the Banksy Exhibition at the Bristol Museum, which opened at 10 am. We found a parking space and as we approached the Museum a clock was striking 10. We knew there would be a queue as it is such a popular exhibition so we walked to find the end of the queue and we walked and walked, finally finding a notice which read "2 hours wait from here" and then walked some more! We reckoned that we would have to wait at least 2 1/2 hours so gave up there and then, resolving to go back in a couple of weeks, a little earlier in the day. I cannot stand for very long at all, 2 1/2 hours is out of the question.

I took this photo as we drove back over the Clifton Suspension Bridge.



This next one I downloaded from the internet (see more here) and you can read about the Bridge here.



and a little later I took this of a plane on its way to Bristol Airport, so not a completely wasted journey.



For more pictures of skies around the world, click here.

ABC Wednesday - The Letter C

I love cookery books and have over 40. Here are some of my favourites, well used and worn, these are the ones I usually look through first when I am searching for something new to try.



I also have quite a collection of books on cake decoration as that is another hobby of mine.




Below are some of the celebration cakes that I have been asked for over the years.

Christening cakes









Celebration Cakes for Couples (wedding cakes)



this was for a Christmas Wedding



And some Christmas cakes









These are my favourites to do as they are fun, I'm not usually under any pressure and they are either gifts for family and friends or a donation as a raffle prize.


To look at more "C" contributions - click here.