December 2014

Southampton

The newly re-upholstered cushions fit very well and now everything matches.  The covers have really helped to prevent wear and tear on the original covers, which are underneath.

Mick dismantled and re-assembled the Boom Vang with the new parts purchased.

Mick cleaned the boat.

Went to the Tang’s Chinese for Mick’s special day.

Published both blogs.

Walked into Southampton.  The usual market stalls have been replaced by Christmas Market stalls, all very festive and thankfully the ‘Curry Man’ had a stall too, to maintain Samosa supplies

4th December – Thursday – W.I. Photoshoot

Today is the reason Mick cleaned the boat on his birthday.

My local W.I. had nominated me to the W.I. Life Magazine, which is sent free to the W.I.’s 200,000+ members every month, as they were looking for people with interesting stories.  Lucy from the W.I. office came to Southampton with a makeup artist and photographer.

While I was having my makeup done in the Marina Loos, Michael was being a stand-in model to prepare the shots.  The previous and next days were sunny but typically the shoot day was quite overcast, but not raining.  Mick had to make some small modifications to the boat to make sure the canopy supports struts were not obscuring the shots.

Taking the photos took about 45 minutes then we had a good chat to Lucy about our trip.

The article will be in the W.I. Life magazine anytime from April onwards.

It was a lovely experience being professionally made up and photographed.  It will be interesting and a little bit strange seeing it in print.

5th December – Romsey

While talking to a lady in a fabric shop, she mentioned a very good shop for quilting in Romsey.  At the time we did not have access to a car so I parked the idea of going.  Now that we have the car with us it is nice to explore a bit further, so off we went to Romsey which is about 10 miles from Southampton.  It turned out to be a pretty town with lots of nice shops and an excellent bakery.

While i was browsing in the fabric shop Mick found a leaflet advertising a Lantern procession in the evening.  As it was late afternoon we decided to stick around and see what it was all about.  We did some food shopping to pass the time until the due start time at 5.15pm.  Markets stalls appeared in the streets selling lots of lovely hot things to eat.

The local school children had made lanterns, and there was at least 300 children parading their creations.  Some were quite small, and lit up using small LED torches inside.  But as you can see below some were really big.  There was a very clever set of old fashioned sweets including a huge Drumstick lolly.

I love stumbling on un-expected events.

7th December – Sunday – Gosport

Went to Gosport to meet Graham and Pauline for Sunday lunch on the Lightship.

8th December – Monday

Removed our front sail and managed to roll it up, using the full length of the Men’s changing rooms.

9th December – Tuesday - Hythe

Drove to Beaulieu for a walk around before going to Hythe.  It really is a pretty place.  We also went to Calshott Beach which is nearby.  During the summer we kept passing a very impressive line of perfect beach huts and wondered where they were.  It was a cold and windy day, but even so the view from the beach huts across the Solent was beautiful. 

We were in Hythe to see Robert and Penny who we met several times during the summer.  We had a really lovely few hours chatting about our travels and plans for 2015. 

10th December – Wednesday

Drove to Graham and Pauline’s house for our night out at Blanc’s Bistro in Farnham.  We have an annual Christmas Do for Graham’s one-man business as he does not get a works Christmas Do otherwise.

11th December – Thursday – Winchester

We went to Winchester Christmas market with Graham and Pauline.  It is billed as the largest in Europe but the people writing this have obviously not been to Manchester.   It could qualify as the prettiest or the hardest to find.  Only a sign in the Cathedral Grounds showed where the market was, which once found, was in the courtyard of the Cathedral Grounds and very picturesque against the background of the Cathedral itself.  Thank goodness I had looked on the internet first to find out where it was.

We had an excellent lunch in the Cathedral cafe and then Pauline and I went shopping while Mick, Graham and several other husbands sampled the ale in the sixteenth century pub next to the Cathedral.

12th December – Plymouth

150 miles to Plymouth from Southampton to visit Mark Johnson on his Yacht ‘Gem’.  Drinks first in Chandlers bar at the Marina with Mark’s Girlfriend Jacqui.  We then went to a Cantonese restaurant called Hakka.  Also there were Mark’s friends Alan, Lynn and Stewart.  We had met Alan and Stewart before when we went to Guernsey on Mark’s boat a few years ago.

13th December – Plymouth

Walked to Plymouth Hoe.  Found an amazing Antiques Centre in an old Port Building, which even had a full sized ‘Cyberman’.

It was Jacqui’s works Christmas Party, so Mick, Mark and I first went to a local pub ‘The Fareham’.  A very small fisherman’s pub with very friendly locals.  Then to the ‘Thai in the Park’ a Thai restaurant over the ‘Park’ pub.  Very good food.

14th December – Sunday

09.45 start to make the 275 mile journey home in the little mini, which was once again full to bursting as we had to take pillows, sleeping bags, sailing gear (just in case) and overnight bags, plus the things we were taking home from the boat.  Sarah Millican was on Desert Islands Disks so that passed some time.

15th December – Monday

8 loads of washing and during the first one the washer broke!  Found an excellent man on the internet called ‘Domestic Appliances of Colne’ who with his wife very efficiently delivered a replacement washer and removed our old one at 4.00pm on the same day.  Excellent Service.  We don’t buy new white goods and got an 8kg, 1400 spin-speed reconditioned washer for £140 delivered.  And we had a choice of 4.

Went to a Christmas Do tonight with Annette, Julian, Ronnie and Maureen, the highlight of which is always the ‘Blackburn with Darwen Brass Band’ who play a medley of Carols and Christmas songs which really starts Christmas off in a lovely manner.

16th December to 24th December

Made Chilli Pickle to give as prezzies.

Liz came around and then we went to her’s for lace-making equipment to get me started.  Lovely afternoon.

Made James Martin’s Sticky Toffee Pudding with Prunes (instead of the usual Dates).   Made it in two loaf tins and had to sample it with the sauce too.  Half into Freezer for Christmas Day.

Visited work and took a few Jars of Pickle.

Made Cucumber Pickle for the first time.  Cucumbers, Onions and lots of spices, turned out well, more prezzies.

Finished off two two-tone teddy bears.  Made a pink Bow Tie for one of them.

Made 8 draft excluders.

Made Butterfly Pictures.

Went to dinner at Paul and Maria’s.  Lovely evening with the whole family.

Made ‘Scandi’ fabric table mat.

Went to Pam’s for tea with Mark and Karl.  Lively discussion.

25th December 2014

Fab Christmas Dinner at Annette and Julian’s.  I made Mackerel Pate, they made great Christmas dinner and we finished ourselves off with my Sticky Toffee Pudding and sauce (which should be illegal on health grounds).  Home late stuffed and happy.

26th December – Boxing Day

Family outing to Alex and Katie’s for family get together with Annette and Julian.  They do the best secret Santa (up to £20 and you are allocated someone different each year) and great Curry and Chilli.  I got a Pie Making machine!  ‘I ate all the pies’ or I soon will.  Mick got a sailing book.  

27th December – Saturday

Jackie, Murray, Chloe and Webster visiting and staying at Annette’s.  We all went to Immanuel Fabrics at Burnley and then to the Dil Raj for Dinner.  Excellent Day.

28th December – Sunday

Breakfast at Annette’s for Jackie and Murray’s departure.

Home via the YMCA shop in Clitheroe to pick up a lidded box I saw yesterday, but could not fit in the car. Project for New Year.

Read the Sunday Papers.

To Steve and Elaine’s for Dinner and overnight stay.  Elaine makes the best Jambalaya (Chicken, Prawns and Chorizo in Rice).

29th December – Monday

Made a Satchel out of old Vinyl, partial success.

Out to the Duke of York at Grindleton with Allen and Dorit.  Really lovely evening and a good catch-up.

30th December – Tuesday

Finished Satchel, now I need to find some leather.

Went to Karon’s to look at her Craft Room, it’s huge.  Good chin-wag.

31st December – Wednesday

Had my first go at Lace-making.

Watched our sailing Videos from the summer, ahhh.

To Annette’s for Lancashire Hotpot.  New Years Eve at Low Moor Club.  ‘Freebird’ were playing.

The club on our street is walk-able for everyone, so it gets pretty busy at New Year.  Had a good dance and a catch-up with neighbours old and new.  Excellent evening/morning.

What a year this has been.  We have done more, seen more and accomplished more than we ever thought possible.  We have lost too many good friends, but made new ones also.  We have been blessed with the weather (mostly) and are looking forward to 2015 with open hearts and minds.

To see some of the things I made visit www.handmadebyannmarie.blogspot.co.uk