Happy New Year 2010

Indeed Happy New Decade .. out of the noughties into 2010/11/12/13 etc ... what are they to be called ?? Will 2010/11/12 be 'the pre teenies' and the rest 'the teenies'?

The past 10 years have gone by so quickly. It only seems like yesterday that Teen (when she was nowhere near a Teen) and I celebrated the birth of the Millennium in a friend's Mums cottage in a remote part of Wales with some very dear friends and we watched the New Year coming in across the World.

Do you remember the panic that the press would have us believe that all computers would crash etc ... seems so farcical now ... actually it seemed farcical then lol.

So what has happened in my life these past 10 years? I won't dwell on the very sad stuff that has happened as that is not me ... so I have......

~ watched my Teen grow into a gorgeous teenager

~ changed my career (that is a bit like the curates egg!!)

~ got divorced

~ bought a car from brand new on the day of a new registration release (ahh that new car smell)

~ got some wrinkles and grey hairs ... tsk!

~ bought a King Charles spaniel

~ had to do a hard thing and have one of my cats put to sleep

~ travelled across France, Germany and Spain on a train

~ bought a share in a hotel in Germany (any takers to take this off my hands would be

welcomed)

~ had my first photography exhibition

~ loved and lost (but better to have loved than to have never loved at all!)

~ gained far too many pounds (part of the change of career.. sat behind a desk all day)

~ hit my 40s

~ found and met new cousins through doing my family tree

~ found and met new friends through blogging

~ had oodles of fun

~ laughed a lot

~ loved every minute of it

So here is to the next 10 years and beyond (Blimey at the next decade I will be looking at retirement ... shudder!! ;-) )

Happy New Year ... and Health, Wealth and much Happiness

....Cheers everyone

28th December

Ahhh Christmas Day has passed us by in a flash of the eye after weeks (in stores months) of preparation.

My family and I had a good one. I cooked for the family over at Mums instead of here ...which was a challenge to the patience at times to say the least.. (like I washed the prawns left them in the sieve to drain and they went missing... Mum had put them in the fridge... and if I was told once the roasties had to be crispy ("as that is how everyone likes them") I was told a 1000 times... and 'are they Maris Pipers as they make the best roast potatoes? What kind are they?" " They are organic local potatoes Mum".... "mm you should have let me buy Maris Pipers "... arghhhhh!!)

The meal was lovely the meat was succulent and thank goodness the roasties were crisp and tasty to perfection (2 years doing A'level cookery obviously paid off lol)

Father Christmas was very kind to us all, we were obviously on his 'nice' list... Teen got a Ninendo DSi plus a zillion other gifts and money. Teen (bless her) had arranged with Santa that I should have some extra nice treats .. she had saved some money she had got for passing her exams along with pocket money her grandparents had given her and she bought me ....

Some slippers from the Disney Store

The battle is on now for which slippers to wear... you see DP & LoTG saw these and thought of me whilst on holiday in Surfugal..... [thank you x]

Teen also got me Take That's Circus CD...

For the full version of a fabulous song click here

And the final pressie that she asked for me was a 'Zen Attitude' kit.

We had seen this on the Manchester Christmas market and I know just how much this cost her (oops Santa)...

It is all about relaxation and muscle soothing ... I am sure I have seen some of these over at Gimcrack... lol

Last but my no means least .. it is my Cuz CKX's Birthday today ... yes the cuz responsible for all the Advent fun over the last month..

Happy Birthday Cuz xxx

Merry Christmas

image found here

Well it is here.. C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S.... yipeeeeee :-D

I just want to wish you all the very best for Christmas ... here's hoping you are on Father Christmas's 'nice' list

Have fun... eat ... drink and be very merry ( I expect I will be )

Mwah xoxo

Christmas Eve

Last sleep and in the morning Father Christmas will have been....

It is also the last day of advent and my bestest mates 50th Birthday ... Happy birthday 'J'.

For those of you who have followed my blog over the past 2 1/2 years you will have seen 'J's name mentioned a lot. We met up at Saturday Morning Art class in 1974. I was doing dress design .. one of the girls there was Bill Tidy's daughter (I actually bought two Punch annuals from 1973 & 74 from a second hand book shop a few weeks ago and it is full of Bill's cartoons... once I get my scanner to work I will pop a few up)

The course was good, but all we could hear as we went down the corridors was loud laughter coming from the pottery room.... it sounded like they were having so much fun and so I swapped over to do pottery... and that is where 'J' and I hooked up. We hit it off from day one and we discovered we lived on the same road too. We have been best friends all these years and we have never stopped laughing.

So 'J' I hope you have a great Birthday and I am so looking forward to us meeting up in January ... :-)

Take a break today from dashing about doing the Chrissy stuff... make yourself a cuppa coffee and take a look at these 2 You Tube clips.....here and here. Us humans can be pretty remarkable at times.....

Oh I am so loving this game... just got to level ten (CKX is at level 25!!) whilst finishing off my coffee.... the idea is to fine the key ... there is a puzzle to solve as you go along aswell as a bit old 'ping pong' ... (btw I thought the game had not loaded .... just click on the penguin.....).. I so wish I had more time today to have some more goes :-)

This made me chuckle... I know how pathetic lol

Q: What did the Kings of Leon say to Santa when he came down their chimney?
A: Your sacks is on fire!

22nd December

I managed to catch up with Annie Mouse and CKX today in Liverpool. It was touch and go whether we would make the 30 odd mile trip ... it was blowing a blizzard when I got up at 8.. then it cleared up. Took the dog for a hike and the snow started again.. it was so bad the dog wanted to come home.

As you will know 70s is not for giving up so I scraped the snow and ice off the car, warmed it up [whilst Teen delivered Christmas cards to the neighbours] ... and off we went. We got 300 meters from home and I thought this is stupid.. (as I couldn't see a thing out of the car except snow)... so we turned around .. parked up the car and headed for the train.

We had a great day despite the battering hailstones that decided to turn the roads into skating rinks.

Liverpool has been invaded by Penguins this Christmas ... just like the Superlambanana and the Cow Parade in Manchester

Oh and I managed to get in the act with one of then

So day 22 of Advent!!

I am sooo loving this site ... make your own Bayeux tapestry... oodles of fun

now this You Tube Clip is about about 'poor Orphan Fanny'..... Oh those days before PC and using animals to perform .....

Some cracker humour

Q: What does Bob Geldof sing in bed?
A: Duvet Know It's Christmas!

Q: Which fruit does the Royal Family eat at 3pm each Christmas day?

A: The Queen's peach!

Love this as I was awaiting questions but it was not as simple as that .... take a look see

19th December

You maybe wondering why I picked this photo for day 19 of Advent??

Well I put in the number 19 into the search engine on images and this came up.....it was number 19 on this web page ..... I love it as it has such great character (there are some fabulous photos on the link ... go take a peek!!

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I finished work yesterday and don't go back to 'Stressville' until the 5th January .. I can't tell you how great I feel about that [those of you that follow me on FB will know I am in the mood for dancing.

Today has been spent writing the last of the Christmas cards and wrapping presents. Blimey that latter takes up some time.... Teen came and helped out when she returned from visiting her paternal grand parents popping on the bows and curling ribbons. Anyway oit is almost all done on that front .. just a couple of light UK pressies to buy and post!

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Okay what have I/we missed on the advent since last I posted??

This first bit is dedicated to Daddy Pee Pee

I know this nail art form will especially appeal to him.... click here

He got a new game for Christmas but as he is so old he will love this blast from the past .. old Atari games .

And a he is of a certain age I think this may be a useful web site ... when to go for a pee during a film ......

Other things I have loved about the last 5 days of advent are these ....

A football made out of aid packages sent to 3rd world countries. I am in awe at the ingenuity of this and how footy crosses the globe... well done :-)

I love this game but I am bloody rubbish at it as I am with mot computer games ... do give it a go it will make you smile and groan at the same time

This is so a boyz game but some how with my 'sometimes' logical brain I did actually like this working out the velocity etc....

You so have to check out these photos of animals (some are disturbing nd I hope they were rescued and have lovely life now) .... the comments on the photos are quite interesting too ..

This game is lovely... and as CKX says 'may contain kittens'

some Cracker jokes

A Yorkshire man takes his cat to the vet:

Yorkshire man: "Ah've come to see thee abaht me cat."
Vet: "Is it a tom?"
Yorkshire man: "Nay lad, I've browt it wi' me."

Q: What does Cliff Richard do when he lands in jail during a game of Monopoly?
A: Miss a go and whine

15th December

Image found here

Tomorrow is thankfully my last 'there and back to London in a day' for 2009. The next time I do the trip will be a social one on the 2nd Jan to hook up with my cuz who is visiting from Oz. I do love London but I may as well be in any city in any part of the world, as I get off the train... go to an office.. have a meeting all day ... then get back on a train home.....

I was hoping to be able on this last trip to take in a bit of shopping.. I so love Harrods and Liberty's at Christmas (oo just thought a reminder to self.. go to Harvey Nicks this week before I finish for Xmas, their mini mince pies are gorgeous)

The photo exhibition I was showing in came to an end yesterday... my how quick did that 4 weeks go?? I have no idea if I sold any of them (I think the answer is probably not) as my mate 'J' is sunning herself in Hawaii just now and a friend of hers is taking our work down for us...

However, as I have been wandering about Manchester I keep bumping into one of my photo subjects (it was 3 times yesterday!). So when I collect my work I think I will give him his print... btw he plays a great tune on that fiddle

Ok day 15 of advent

Love this website ... if Star Wars characters were on Facebook... but not liking this one that was on day 14 though .. those poor poochies ... if I was a poodle they would have been savaged to death by now.....

You have to watch this clip ... particularly the last one ... how lucky were these guys?? It reminded me of the keystone Cops lol :-)

Today's game..... I know I can do it but bloody well can't..... I blame the 'Hello Kitty' mouse we have on this computer .. but I will carry on trying .. it is good fun.....

I say I say I say

Q: What do you call a cow with two legs?

A: Eileen.

I have had cars in the past that I so wanted to let people know how rubbish they are .. so can really identify with this picture ... :-)

13th December

oops I missed the days in between ... I had a hugely busy week last week. One day in London, 2 very long days in the office, my Christmas meal with work (we went to the Ox and it was one of the best ever meals I have had in many a long time.. highly recommenced).. then I was cast off onto internetless world.... aka My Mums house.

I spent Friday and Saturday cleaning outside windows, cleaning inside, putting up decorations and taking Mum shopping and having coffee and Cranberry and Pecan Pie in a cafe .. scrumptious :-)

Thankfully today I have managed with the brilliant help of Teen to get our decorations done for the Festive season..... unfortunately I do feel like my back is about to 'go'... whether it was the high heels on Thursday or the stuff I had done at Mums (she has been told by the consultant that she should not lift anything heavy, so that was one of my jobs!) who knows.. anyway I am fingers crossed that a week in the office my right it (any one who has a dodgy disc will know what I speak of!!)

The Main Tree

The Angel Tree

Oh this is how the studio is looking in the conservatory now it is finished... a great place to work

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So Advent day 13

The pick of the last few days are these gems.. the first is 'Awkward Family Photos'.

I would love you spend some time trawling this site.. I spent almost an hour going back in the archives and laughing way out loud.. a brilliant idea .. in fact I think I have photos that I coukld add on there ;-)

Secondly is this fab website 'men who look like old lesbians' .. I tell you if you are a bloke you should hope you don't end up on here lol

The You Tube clip could have come from the 70s but scarily it may not have been back in the day from some of our European cousins

The game today is this .. I have got up to 580 ....where as at the time of delivery of the game from CKX he had got 488.. so I am well chuffed.. [health warning it is addictive ]

And the joke for today is....

I phoned the local builders today, I said to them 'Can I have a skip outside my house?'

He said, 'I'm not stopping you!'

8th December (oops missed the 7th)

I am so excited as I have only 8 working days until I finish for the Christmas holidays.... 2 of which will be spent in London, 1 day is my Xmas do and 1 day is time off in lieu for all the hours I have put in ... so really I have only 4 days in the office ... fantastic :-)

As you may know my house is letting the side down on the street as we have not embraced the Christmas lights yet (saying that where I live had a massive power cut tonight.. I put it down to the power surge of all the reindeers and Santas on roof tops).. nor have I written a Christmas card yet. I have had only one card to date and that was from the Royal Mail wishing me all the best for the season... so I don't feel that bad!!...

Today's advent calendar .. it is full of 'cute'

How cute is this ... awwww I wonder if these cute tigers don't think the chimpanzee is lunch as the grow up?

I wish I had thought about this when Teen was a baby.. saying that I do have some video footage of her shouting at the TV, when we linked the video camera up, of her shouting 'I don't want to see the baby' which was actually her! I think I wouldn't be Mrs Popular if I You Tubed that... ;-)

Now today's game ... CKX said in his e mail 'cute game.. or is it? May or may not contain Spiders '

Ah hem.... ...*shudder*

I am prefering to throw snowballs at Gary ... click here

6th December

Day 6

I have been to my Mums today and got her decorations out of the loft .. which is more than I have done on mine. I plan to get them up before she comes out of hospital following her op next week. The plan is to have the house looking a bit festive and raise her spirits.

For the 6th day of advent I am so loving the images CKX has found from Time magazine . Loving the American Civil War images and the 1900s..... great stuff.

The game today is about clicking on the last circle in the sequence ... CKX got 17 I am up to 15 .. so in my book I ain't doing that badly.... Click here for the game.

Now folk think my pouch is pampered but now way she is pampered as much as this one !! Blimey!!

& the awful joke for today is ....

Man: Doctor, Doctor, I keep dreaming about my eyes changing colour!

Doctor: Don't worry - It's just a pigment of your imagination.

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Gutted tonight as my fav from X Factor ( Danyl) has been booted out in the semi finals ... He is such a great singer..

5th December

It is the 5th of December and loads of my neighbours have lit up their houses already.. mine looks like Scrooges house in all the illuminations ... due to lots of things I won't be able to put any decorations up until I finish work for the festivities on the 18th.. I am thinking I should just do this in the mean time

So here we are on day 5 of Advent.

I have a Twitter account [70steen] but I didn't know that Big Ben had one too .... BONG .. maybe I should follow but BB is not much of an interactive conversationalist??

Love this You Tube clip ... big squirrel trying to teach 'ickle squirrel to climb... [click here]

Not sure about today's game as I am rubbish at quickie clicking on the mouse .. tried it a few times and got way eliminated by aliens ....

Yes there really is a Lion in that side car..

and finally the joke ............

Q: How do find Will Smith when he's lost in the snow?
A: You look for the fresh prints.

I like that one lol :-)

4th December

day 4 and it is Friday thank goodness ... I am working on a new project that is full on so I yearn for the weekend even more than I have ever done previously. I don't think that the powers that be have actually taken on board the fact I am a free creative spirit and I don't do filling in of forms and project data plus the fact I do always deliver what is required (like today I did what I was asked to do then out of the blue a new template arrived in the format that 'someone' had decided it should be in...although this was not spelt out at the initial request pahhhh}.. mmm some education needed there from me I think ?? After a month on the project I am already 30 odd hours up on my normal hours too .. pahhh again!!

Hey ho only 14 days until I shut up shop for my Christmas break....

For the advent to day I will start with this.... do you know your cheese from your font... it is a huge guessing game unless you are a 'cheesey font'. I got 65% which was more guess than knowledge

As a Norvern gal I am loving these ferrets .. annoying as they are ;-)

Now after the week I have had I NEED NEED NEED this in workplace ... drum away .. I love it .. VBUM is great in any combo ....

2 not so cute images.. firstly Tiger Woods Christmas card

and secondly a time when Health and Safety just didn't exist!!!

And finally.......... a joke I don't understand

"Carlsberg don't do Alzheimer's. Just exceedingly good cakes."

3rd December

Day 3 of Advent and I have been Christmas shopping with Teen in Manchester this afternoon... the weather was rubbish [freezing cold, wet and windy]. The plus side was that I managed to grab a Gluwein at the Christmas Market in St Anns Square. It is fabulous ... I must take my camera down there soon.

image from http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/shops/markets.html

Ok for today's calendar

This makes a change from 'stone cladding'... as it is 'cork cladding'... yes a house that is clad in cork.. not any old cork but wine corks. I bet it is way warm in there [note to self .... maybe I should keep the corks from the occasional wine bottles that still have them. It seems to be screw top or plastic corkage these days]

Now this DID impress me. I am pretty good at drawing circles free hand but this chap certainly is The Master . I think I may practise this weekend and I could be world champion!!!!!

I love the 'Drench' game and I am thinking this may take over from 'Drench.... the one today is easy and odd at the same time. I got up to level 10 [CKX at the time of posting was up to level 15].... just do as it says in the instructions.

I am loving this dog .... my dog before the current dog would have certainly had a go at the toothpaste tube ... he ate soap so this would have been a real treat for him

and the rib tickler today is .....

Q: What do you call a Mexican who has just

recovered from Swine Flu?

A: Manuel.

2nd December

Day 2 ... is it Christmas yet??

As you may or may not know .. I love knitting (or rather the concept of knitting). The Teen is becoming a knitter and weaver as she is doing Textiles at college. Obviously I am encouraging her as I want warm pullies for my dotage..... This website has hit the mark with me I would so love to do something like it .. so cool and so wacky.. Urban Knitters

Today's game is called Drench.. you have to 'drench' the screen to become one colour, starting top left. Once you get the hang of it it could be a bit addictive ,,,,

Not sure how cute this is as it could be a scene I witnessed in my garden recently (feathers and half eaten pigeon) .. but I like the composition :-)

and finally the joke for today

Q: What do hippy horses eat?

A: Hay, man

1st December

Image from http://blogs.zappos.com

Well it is here .... the 1st of December ... & what does that mean???

Yeah the advent calendar... courtesy of my cuz CKX.... who incidentally still has not been persuaded to blog.

There will be a mixture of cute pics, odd and interesting websites, games and 'jokes' (they make you titter and groan at the same time... just enjoy)

So off we go the first website is 'My Parents were Awesome'. Superb makes a change from 'My Parents were Embarrassing' lol

How many of these guitar riffs can you identify.... I got no where... I know some the tunes but don't ask me what they are called

Great Christmas idea that didn't get in the calendar .... Handerpants love 'em :-)

As those who have followed my blog ovr the last few years you will know I am completely r-u-b-b-i-s-h at the games CKX puts up for a challenge. This game I can't actually get into as there is a problem with Shockwave Flash tonight so the game won't load...... if you can get in let me know how it is and how rubbish will I be at it ... it is can you tell if the hand is a rightie or a leftie (I am so hoping there will be snowball throwing games lol )

aww how cutie is this piccie ???

& finally the joke ... a Christmas Cracker special

Knock knock
"Who's there?"
"Doorbell repairman.”

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As the month progresses I may or may not keep this up (you may be grateful if I don't lol) ... work is mad and mother is having an operation so that means lots of time in internet freezone... I will see how it all pans out

29th & 30th November

Tuesday 29 1977

Revised English Literature

Didn't do much.. (that is why I got a 'C' then??)

Phoned 'J'

Andy sat next to me in Maths

He asked me to go to the school disco with him

Bev is going with Brags

Friday 30 1979

Sam is coming up at 7.30 pm

Went to the flicks to see 2 films

Went to Follies (a night club) with my bro and g/f

Went for a walk along the prom = cold (how many 'went's can you get??)

Home at 1.30 am

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I am feeling very festive .. I have no idea why as I am a stalwart to not let Xmas come into any month except December !!

maybe it is because this weekend I have been sorting out the pressies I have bought along the way for folk ... maybe it is the 'loop' Xmas tunes in the shops or could it be that my Cuz (CKX) has sent me those items that will not be in the Christmas advent calendar??

so for your delight and expectation .. a few Xmas gift ideas ....

a slant on the old gift of slippers ... and edible too !!

These are my faves ..............how cool

and I actually like this idea that your ass winks at folk lol [crap video though]

21st & 22nd November

Wednesday 21 1979

1 Year since Sam joined the QS job

Went to Liverpool and bought a jewellery box for Mar for Christmas

Bought material for a skirt

Sam phoned at 11.00pm

He finished jury service.

1 fella got 3 years, 1 got 18 months and 1 got 3 months

He asked me to get engaged again!

Thursday 22nd 1979

College at 9

Bought a £5 gift voucher for Bros Girlfriend

Home at 4.00

Phoned Sam

he'd been home all day I don't know why (mm I know why he was skiving pretending he was still on jury duty !! )

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I have been Christmas shopping today in Liverpool some 30 years on. When I say Christmas shopping I must confess to buying some Estee Lauder perfume [apparently the smell of Sensuous has men smelling it first!! ooo la la ] and getting a complete makeup set for £44 worth £312.... result !!

I love visiting Liverpool it has transformed into a great place to hang out .... I do feel very lucky to live between two happening cities .. Manchester and Liverpool ....

Also today I have hung out with a mate of 30 odd years too .. so all in all a wonderful Saturday.

What struck me today was that Liverpool has got hold of a 'big wheel'.... I am used to seeing the one in Manchester and thought it was unique .. that was until I visited Sheffield... I wonder who has the franchise for these big beasts .. they must be doing a roaring trade, the queues where huge today in Liverpool [mmm why didn't I think of that??]

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The next two weeks of my life are completely hectic... I don't like hectic particularly when it is hectic because of work... but soon it will be December and the advent calendar that my cousin does every year will be here ... so by default I will be posting more regularly I hope!! ;-)