31 December 2021

29 December 2021

Buster

Dec 2010 -  Dec 2020

Dear sweet, gentle Buster. I've thought about him every day.

23 December 2021

Christmas


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However you're spending the Christmas season I hope you will be happy and healthy.

🎄 Be warm and well 🎄 
Polly x

20 December 2021

My Great Mince Pie Survey

Hello dear reader, yes here I am again conducting my mince pie survey
for market research, and because I love mince pies!!

Marks & Spencer classic all butter £1.90 for 6
no alcohol or extras but a tasty pie

Marks & Spencer vegetarian all butter shortcrust pastry, deep filled with vine fruits,
cranberries, clementine and Cognac. £2.50 for 6. Delicious served
warm with a dollop of cream, and accompanied by a glass of mulled cider.

Marks & Spencer 9 mini pie selection. 3 topped with fruit and nut topping, 3 filled with vine fruits, cranberries, clementines and cognac and 3 filled with rich sticky toffee sauce and vine fruits, topped with a Viennese biscuit. These little beauties are gorgeous. This year's favourite.

Mr Kipling deep filled mince pies. £1.50 for 6. A basic price for a basic pie.
Just ok, a bit doughy, I didn't have a second one.

Morrison's the Best all butter pastry with brandy and cider infused mince meat
and a warming blend of spices. £2 for 6.
Not bad but I tasted more pastry rather than alcohol and spices.

Aldi all butter infused with brandy and cognac. Very tasty with nice firm pastry.

 Be warm and well  
Polly x

15 December 2021

A Good Read

The Silence of The Sea by Yrsa Sigurdardsttir

An abandoned yacht, a missing family, a chilling crime. 'Mummy dead, daddy dead, Adda dead, Bygga dead.' The child sighed and clutched her grandmother's leg. 'All dead.'

Waiting on the dock at Reykjavik harbour is an elderly couple with a small child, they are waiting for the rest of their family - their son, daughter in law and twin granddaughters. Their son was working for an insurance company detailed to ensure the safe arrival of a yacht. He thought it would be a nice treat for his wife and twin children to join him.


The luxury yacht, repossessed from its crooked wealthy owner arrives and crashes into the harbour. There is nobody on board, the vessel is empty. What has happened to the crew, and to the family who were on board when it left Lisbon?

The police investigate but are baffled and unable to provide answers. The elderly couple are looking after their youngest granddaughter and are worried about her future. They hire Thora Gudmundsor to investigate the disappearance, and to collect on the large life insurance policy, the money to be put aside for the child. They hope that because Thora isn't police she will have easier access to information.

Thora is soon drawn into the mystery. What should she make of the rumours saying that the vessel was cursed, especially given that when she boarded the yacht she thought she saw one of the missing twins? Where is Karitas, the glamorous young wife of the yacht's former owner? And is the body that washed up further along the shore connected to the yacht?

A well written, very absorbing story, alternately narrated by Thora as she investigates, and the story of those that started out on the yacht. Clues abound, discoveries made and eventually the truth is revealed.

∼ Happy Reading ∼ 

Polly x

9 December 2021

Christmas Tree Festival

A neighbouring village has hosted a Christmas tree festival in their church for a number of years now. They didn't have one last year but it was back again this year, and very well attended. As well as all the lovely imaginative entries they also had a raffle (didn't win this one) and refreshments - tea and cake.
Join me as we wander around and marvel at all the lovely trees.

Cat - tas- tro - tree. Cats in all manner of poses.
Made out of pipe cleaners, wool and felt. One of my favourites.
That note at the bottom says "Can you spot the intruder?" 
I think it was this mouse

How adorable is this tiny Mad Hatter Tea Party tree. Another favourite
It looked better than the photo, the lighting was difficult
also I think my phone camera has seen better days

The Land of Sweets

The Tree of Sisterhood celebrating some inspirational British women

All Things Bright And Beautiful

The Wheatsheaf, another favourite
clever use of beer mats and corks

A Clangers Christmas by the bell ringers

Pom Pom tree

This was lovely
The village church needs a new roof, work has begun

the builders are making good progress


My WI group's entry, The Lockdown tree, photographs showing what we did during lockdown

 arts and crafts, gardening, dog walking, dolls house work, quilting, dressmaking,
reading, baking and drinking gin! not all of us, I don't like gin!

Starry Night


Upcycled tree

 decorated with ring pulls, plastic bottles, buttons and a host of other recyclables.
A cheery snowman made with bottle tops

This Father Christmas was another favourite

Embroidered Scrap Fabric tree

A Christmas Carol by the garden and allotment society

Faces by the Portrait Group. I've done some sitting for them,
one of the photos is a painting of me that one of the ladies did. 


Beaver Tree by the Beaver Scouts

how cute are these little beavers

Another small and beautiful one. The Knowman snows your library


How gorgeous is this, it was my overall favourite.
Barrow Farm Riding school for the disabled

Forest Tree was really lovely, much better than the photo shows


This was part of the church decoration.


It was so good to have the tree festival back, and to see it so well attended.

∼ Be warm and well ∼ 
Polly x

6 December 2021

I Won 1st Prize!!

When I wrote about the Christmas market I went to on Saturday I hadn't had a telephone call from the Cathedral people so I assumed I hadn't won anything in the raffle. Then yesterday midday I received a call telling me I had won first prize!


Six bottles of wine!! How good is that. I'm not a serious wine drinker, I enjoy an occasional glass of red when I go out for a meal, or at home, I also like rosé, and the only white wine I drink regularly is Asti Spumante.


I'm sure I will like the reds and the rose, and my son-in-law will enjoy the white ones. If not I will donate some of them to our forthcoming Burns Night celebration in the village hall next year.

Bottoms up 🍷

∼ Be warm and well ∼ 
Polly x

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