Happy New Year!

Well, thank goodness that's over, not Christmas or New Year but the breaking of the New Year's resolution.

Sometimes they seem to go on forever which is why this year I thought I'd try a totally new approach.  I would make a resolution that no matter how much I wanted to stick to it I knew there was just never ever going to be the slightest chance that would ever happen.

So here I am doing my blog knowing full well that this time next week, when I have set my goal to be writing something weekly, I will undoubtedly be doing something else and my blog will go by the wayside.

So to save all the hassle and disappointment in myself I will now officially quit before I start, that way I am one jump ahead of the field!  I haven't failed because I haven't started, I haven't stressed out about it because there's nothing to stress out about and if I hadn't said anything no-one would have been any the wiser.

Now, had I started writing every week at the same time, you would have thought "Ah, so that was his New Years resolution!" and when I didn't write something one week you would have nodded your head knowingly, raised an eyebrow, tutted slightly and thought " Hmmm, no will power that one".

He's been!

Christmas was a wonderful time for us, Coco is now at an age where she is beginning to understand things more and more each day.

She had a lovely time Christmas morning, it took almost three hours for her to open her presents.

It's not that there were so many of them she just took her time closely examining each one having a play with it and then moving on to the next one.

Santa left a small stocking on her bed with a chocolate, an orange and two small gifts for her to open when she woke up.

The chocolate didn't make it to our room!

Christmas Eve was quite surreal, Uncle Robin, Auntie Angela and Sarah called in on there way home and we played a game or two.  That's not surreal I hear you say.  Let me explain.

Auntie Julie in New Zealand also joined in the game whilst cooking her Christmas lunch, twelve hours (or so) ahead of us. Isn't that just a little bit weird? Santa had been to their house but was still on his way to us, so we saw Zac and Caign opening their presents that he [Santa] had left that night.

A little odd to see Ruud in his shorts on Christmas day whilst we were stoking up the woodburner and contemplating putting on another vest!

Not too much, just enough.

All in all we had a quiet Christmas, if that's possible with Little Nanny Mero being around.

After previous Christmas's we thought it best not to let Little Nanny Mero give out the presents this year.  She certainly keeps them coming at you thick and fast.

We have also learnt from past experience to check all the wrapping paper that she very thoughtfully gathers up and puts in bin bags, for presents and bits of presents.

Despite all that, it just wouldn't be Christmas without her here with us.

Luke and Kirsty weren't home this year so it was just Nanny Southwellski, Coco, Little Nanny Mero and me.

Kirsty got a new job the week before Christmas and had to leave us, we know how hard it was for her to make that choice and we are very proud of her.

Luke was involved in diplomatic work with Bulgaria, the country not the womble, by spending Christmas in Aberystwyth chasing a Bulgarian bar maid.  It seems, however, that she went home for the festive period and so he had Christmas with her house mates AND he had to do the dishes as well. Never mind Percivalness, we love you too.

We had a lovely time, although it was tinged with sadness that Mr Bumble and Lou weren't with us in being, but they were definitely here in spirit.

Coco lent a hand with the preparations and of course the consumption of the Christmas fayre.

We had Goose for our lunch, after the obligatory smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with Bucks Fizz in the morning.  The goose was a gift from very dear friends, Leigh and Jane over at Wideham Farm.  Dressing it was another new experience, Nanny Southwellski and Auntie Angela plucked it before I set too with my new knives.

Our lunch was accompanied by 'Grandpa Southwellski's Pear Plonk' an amusing little wine which brings a glow to your cheeks, a tingle to your lips and goes extremely well with goose.  As it says on the label 'just the right amount of pears and plonker!', ain't that the truth.

We made a trip to the coast on New Years Eve, no reason really other than to try and blow away the cobwebs and get rid of the cold bugs we've been harbouring for what seems like an eternity.

I

Sunny setting Hunny!

A sperm whale was washed up on the beach over the Christmas period.  I found it quite sad that there were so many people making a special trip to see the remains of this amazing creature.

It is quite sickening now to hear that some of these 'people' had been cutting bits off to sell on eBay.  Get a life people!

Pond lined, where's Charlie Dimmock?

Anyway, what's been happening here at the Garden. 

Well lots actually, certainly since I last wrote.  We have a beautiful new garden with pond, stream, flower beds, bog garden, lawns and new decks and summerhouse (although this is a work in progress as I only got the walls up before the gales arrived).

Consequently the veggie garden has been left to its own devices and is looking rather sad at the moment.  But plans are being made and seeds being ordered!

New deck over the pond

The new veggie beds are turned over and will be re-rotovated this coming weekend weather permitting.  The poly tunnel is in a heap by the fence at the moment and will remain so until the weekend as we are forecast some more strong winds on Thursday.

Your heart has to go out to the families of the two people killed today by the storm force winds.

Friends of ours, Baz, Heather and Lily had the end wall of their house collapse today, fortunately they are safe and well and we are grateful for that.

So happy New Year everyone and may it be everything you want and everything you deserve.