Merry Christmas!
I hope your Christmas is going well. What with one pre-Christmas cancer op for one relative, a pre-Christmas decease and another major family drama which I'm not going into here because it wouldn't be fair on those affected, ours looked like putting Eastenders to shame, though everything calmed down and was lovely by the day itself. I confess to being quite relieved that Mr Robot and I had the day to ourselves and the kittens, though.
The kittens have had a wonderful Christmas to date: they've had a tree to play in, and their bauble-snatching technique has developed nicely. Well, Pippin's has. Ziggy uses his usual combination of brute force and ignorance to batter at baubles till they drop off the tree; Pippin is rather brighter and has worked out she needs to go for the bit of string at the top of the bauble and give it a good hard yank, so most of the time she gets them and then Ziggy helps her play with them. We gave them a bit of chicken for their Christmas dinner, which they seemed to enjoy.
Some people aren't into the whole present thing, but we definitely are. My big present was a pair of diamond and emerald earrings from Mr Robot - he said he'd always wanted to buy me precious stones and he thought the green would go well with my hair. And who am I to argue with that? If it was good enough for Liz Taylor, it's good enough for me... He also got me a 1940s Hostess Dress from House of Foxy, which was extra welcome as I'd planned to wear a new-to-me early-60s shirt dress on Christmas Day but then I tore two buttons off it diving to stop Ziggy (it would be Ziggy) eating a polystyrene packing peanut. I don't even know where he found said packing peanut as nothing came wrapped in them. He does seem to have a taste for packaging. Other cats sit in boxes, he chews them.
I was very spoiled, getting everything from the Cath Kidston Robots duvet cover I'd hoped for to a flying 'bat' robot (from my dad and stepmum), and several cookbooks covering things as diverse as dim sum and patisserie. I got some lovely vintage things too, as you can see here: Forties Fashion and Vintage Knits from my mum and her partner, the porcelain rose set from Gisela (brilliantly, the earrings are on posts, not clips, so I won't have my usual fear of accidentally dropping and breaking one), and a monster of a diamante brooch from my Vintage Secret Santa (thanks for organising it, Jessica). I'm tempted to find a way to wear it in an updo.
I hope your Christmas is going well, with fab food and pressies and no unexpected family dramas. I'm going to go and read one of my new Bryant and May mystery books, which I am enjoying immensely. Feliz navidad, nadolig llawen and so on!
I was thinking about you over the holiday. We very nearly had a family drama, but instead let the phone ring without answering it! No one's in ill health, so we suspected it was just for some passive-aggressive holiday fun that we opted-out of.
ReplyDeleteMr. Robot is right-that glorious hair of yours needs diamonds and emeralds. Happy Christmas to you, and I hope the New Year brings you nothing but wonderful things.
A family member walked out on their family a couple of days before Christmas. They contacted the police to say they were safe, but they don't want to talk to anyone. So, no idea where they are or why they went. I'm kind of hoping said relative is having a mental health problem, because if this is being done with a clear head, it's truly crappy of them.
DeleteSometimes it can be a challenge to remain cheerful when family are a concern, but love can usually pull it out of us. Enjoy your holidays xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you! I find the cats are very good mood-boosters; it's hard to be glum when a furry face is peeping out of a Christmas tree at you.
DeleteMim,
ReplyDeleteMy heart warms up to posts like this. This is one of those "all is well. after all", truthful and honest posts. written from your heart - and, in my opinion, that is what makes a good writer (yeah, you work for a newspaper - that kind of sum it up there) :)
Emerald earring and your red hair - I say one thing to Mr. Robot: you've done well, sir!! (make sure to let him know that I admire his delicate style and gift-giving potential). :)
The kittens seem to be doing great.
I remember, at the first few days, those timid looks in their eyes and the scared posture while they were still absolutely stunned by everything in your (their!) household. Now, if I may notice: you've done a great job at domesticating them.
Hooray for you..
..
Now, let's sit back and wait for MY Christmas to come.. oh, just some 10 more days...
M.
(I'm glad card reached you in time. The funny thing is: it get to England faster than it does in the town some 60 kilometers away from mine - go, figure)
Nearly time for your Christmas!
DeleteThe kittens are more or less fine now. They still don't like loud noises, and they can be funny around strangers, but they like us. And food. If I'm in the kitchen, or we're eating, they are guaranteed to show up and stare at us. I tried to put collars on them the other day, though, and they did NOT like it. We had to remove them in the end as they were fighting them so hard, they got the collars over their mouths!
I have that 40's fashion book too, it's really good :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the set arrived in one piece! I was convinced it would get broken, oh ye of little faith in the post office......
I plan to wear the set to a wedding, along with my House of Foxy dress, in just over a week's time. It's going to look super!
DeleteBelated Christmas wishes from me. You did well on the pressie front and those earrings sound like a very special present indeed. Glad to read that you had books too - I love getting them as presents, although this year I only had one: about Guy Martin and motorbikes!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the ongoing celebrations!
Thank you! My husband knows I like sparkly things, and I have really enjoyed the books too.
Delete(Are you a biker? That surprises me!)
It sounds like you and the kittens were thoroughly spoilt. The earrings sound gorgeous, what a lovely chap you've got there, definitely a keeper!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the family woes. Being orphans has advantages.
No washing up here, we ate at the curry house! xxxx
SO MUCH WASHING UP. It's our own fault for liking cooking so much. We have a tiny kitchen so there's absolutely no room for a dishwasher, and it all gets done by hand. Eventually.
DeleteThe kittens even got a hampurr from a couple of furry friends, so they did very well indeed. Though given their usual behaviour, Father Christmas should have brought them coal...
Sweet Mim, I'm really sorry that you and your family have been going through such a stressful, challenging time. My thoughts and heart are with you all.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your VSS gift here. That brooch is so glamorously gorgeous and would definitely rock as part of an updo. Tres chic!
Wishing you a serene, lovely New Year's,
♥ Jessica
Ah, we/they will all get through. I just wish the drama had been better spaced-out!
DeleteEmeralds! How lovely! My engagement ring is emerald and diamond :) and a new dress too! What a fab husband you have there xxx
ReplyDeleteHe's a good 'un. Though he did also buy me a block of marmite fudge, which strikes me as just plain wrong.
DeleteHappy New Year. Your kittens sound like such fun! Some lovely presents you have there!
ReplyDeleteThey can be too much fun sometimes... we're taking the Christmas tree down today because they have caused enough mayhem in it for the past four weeks.
Delete