8am. Waking up with this little chap is always a delight, unless he's trying to dig his claws into my scalp so I'll get up and feed him. He's so cute, I just want to pick him up and bury my face in his fur.


9am. New book underway. Page 18, Sunday 20 March 2005 had me giggling so much I woke the cat. He wasn’t amused.


10am. Still reading. It was a very easy read. I really needed to get up soon, I was going out and I still needed to eat, shower, and decide what to wear... but I figured a few more pages wouldn't hurt.


11am. I was wondering if it would be possible to eat toast in the shower? Because I didn’t just read a few more pages did I? No, I read several chapters and was running late. And why won’t toast toast quicker!?

Noon. Driving to Felixstowe to meet my Mum.


1pm. Vitamin Sea, deep breaths. I had a few spare minutes to see the sea before I met Mum.

2pm / 3pm. Charity shop rummaging with Mum, I forgot about #PhotoAnHour altogether. I was very restrained and didn't buy anything for myself but I did find a few brand new soft toys that will be perfect for tombola prizes. We're having another craft sale in February and always have a tombola too, people seem to love them.


4pm. Adulting. Asda. Yawn.


5pm. I’d got my hands on my Mum’s embroidery silks for a project. I couldn't decide whether to get started, read more, finish a knitting project that was very close to being finished, or have another cuppa. I had a cuppa and pondered it a while.


6pm. The embroidery silks won the battle of What To Do? This is on it's way to becoming a keyring.

The evening consisted of supper and watching several episodes of The Americans boxset with Andy.


I ended the day how it began, in bed with my book, I couldn't put it down. I stayed up late to finish it, 1am is way past my usual bedtime... last time I was up this late was on the the last Photo An Hour.

Thanks to Jane and Louisa for hosting #PhotoAnHour. 

The final Photo An Hour for 2018 was December 15th. The day had three distinct parts, a relaxed morning, an energetic afternoon, and a late night dressed up in my finest charity shop finds.
8am Enjoying tea and toast in bed with my current read December, kindly lent to me by Sophie to complete my year long reading challenge. I haven't finished it yet, and time is running out!

At 9am I was enjoying a bath.

10am A lazy morning of pottering, doing this and that, I discovered Socks enjoying a sunspot behind the dining room curtains. I left him undisturbed to enjoy the warmth.

11am Boring adulting stuff.

 12pm Waiting for Andy to come home for lunch.

1pm Andy and I went to the wood to gather more firewood, and lit a fire to warm us while we worked. We're clearing fallen branches and trees, a very satisfying job.

2pm It was a cold day but physical work and a bonfire kept us warm. I have to admit I lost several minutes mesmerised by the flames, whilst Andy worked on.

4pm I was home from the wood, Andy had returned for another load but I lit the fire and sat drinking a cuppa with two furry companions.

5pm I was in the shower.

By 6pm I was ready for a night out out. I was off to The Orwell Hotel in Felixstowe to see The Ladybirds Christmas Drag Spectacular!

At 7pm I'd picked up my sister-in-law and we were on our way to the venue.

8pm Waiting patiently for food to arrive (service was a little on the slow side).

9pm The main course was over (and sadly wasn't worth the wait) and I was beginning to feel that it was time for bed...

10pm I don't normally drink coffee but I needed this, I had no idea that the meal would take so long, and the entertainment would start so late. Luckily they started soon after this.

 11pm. Spice Girls Tribute from The Ladybirds, this is Miss Crystal giving Ginger Spice some welly.

At midnight The Ladybirds (l-r - Special K, Miss Crystal, and Leona) performed their final act of the evening, a rousing rendition of The Pogues Fairytale of New York. I sang along, and I sang it loud as it's my favourite Christmas song. I have to admit to being secretly pleased that this was the end of the evening and I could make my way home to my bed. The Ladybirds were very entertaining, but it was way past my bedtime.

The final photo, as I arrived home after dropping my sister in law at her door, shortly before I dropped into bed.

Thanks to Jane and Louisa for hosting #PhotoAnHour. 

Oh my goodness, what a week!

I always leave things to the last minute and end up rushing around like a crazy person with to-do lists coming out of my ears. I enjoy the chaos but have found it somewhat tiring this year. Still, it nearly all done.
This week has been quite sociable. It started with lunch at the Lavenham Swan with Andy, a belated anniversary meal, back the the scene of the crime. It was absolutely lovely. The smell of the place as we walk in the door takes us right back to our wedding day. I feel like this is our hotel, it's such a special place.

I had a G&T before eating, forgetting that I hadn't had time for breakfast. I was rather giggly by the time my food arrived - which didn't help productivity that afternoon. But it was a welcome distraction and so lovely to spend time with Andy, and the food was delicious, as always. Although, being a traditional sort of fellow, Andy really didn't know what to make of the beetroot ice cream that was served with his chocolate mousse :)


I nipped to Felixstowe with Mum to collect the pottery I'd painted from Crafty Coffee. Again I hadn't had time for breakfast and was hoping for a cheese scone (they are so good) but they didn't have any, so we walked to the other end of the high street to our favourite wool shop / cafe, The Wool Baa, and had one there. It's worth a visit if you're ever in Felixstowe, The Wool Baa is lovely, especially if you're a fan of wool. If you're there on Monday evening or Thursday morning they have 'Knit and Natter' so you can take your knitting and get sociable.

I enjoyed lunch with some of my best friends at The Cookhouse Restaurant at The Suffolk Food Hall. I ate too much (fish and chips and a chocolate and salted caramel sundae), and was then served fish and chips by my Dad for supper. I was so full I had trouble driving home!

I had a haircut - just a trim, coffee with my sister in law, wrapped some presents, gave up on the idea of writing Christmas cards, braved some last minute shopping (but I've realised I need to do a little more), put marizpan on the cake (and some in my stomach), started to clean the house ready for guests on Christmas Eve, attacked the laundry so I don't have to do any next week, and I managed some work in between all of this.

Yesterday Andy came home with a second Christmas tree so that needs decorating, I need to ice the cake, make a Malteser Cheesecake, finish a website design, finish the housework, find the big table cloth, stop Andy from eating all the snacks purchased for our guests, and remember where I put the gin.

And tomorrow we're celebrating our youngest nephew's birthday with go karting and pizza.

I do enjoy Christmas, but I'm looking forward to Boxing Day when I can put my feet up. In the days that follow we'll do as we please, we'll make it up as we go along, which sounds pretty perfect to me.

I hope you all have a lovely, lovely Christmas, however you choose to celebrate.

xx