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Monday 2 January 2012

Happy New Year - New me? Know me?!

Well, this Christmas and New Year holiday has been a bold, relatively quiet and muchly daft one...

We've had no snow to speak of - Just a few short flurries which didn't do any damage - Do you remember, we've been snowed in for the past three years until cabin fever set in and I threatened to eat the chair legs!

We've been mainly ferrying a somnambulent and nocturnal teen (he turns 20 in February *gasp*), as he segued from one social appointment to another, returning every other day to refuel and snore the rafters loose (or was that me?!)...   It was like having to take a toddler off to playdates again!   This meant we could go nowhere special...


We spent part of some evenings in the pub, catching up with gossip - Who's put whose windows in, driven their car into a ditch, run off with whose wife, that kind of thing - Toasting our tootsies by the fire - Drinking our spoils from the Annual Leek Club Bottle Draw - (I won back the ghastly bottle of white wine I had in fact donated!) - while trying to avoid the fall-out from the septuagenarian landlord and landlady, who are my sort-of substitute parent figures, but who are also at each other's throats over her plans to semi-retire, finally and long-deservedly...   This situation will be resolved in one way or another, I'd guess.   I hope it's happily.

A lost earring of mine - Silver, with a tiny heart that dangles - resurfaced.   My friend had only recently gifted them to me for my birthday.   Phew!   I am hopeless with earrings, but I do still love them.

Meanwhile, I watched some of the films I had been longing to retreat into, and became a part of my sofa.   I even squeezed in Hitchcock's Rear Window, with my favourite, Jimmy Stewart!


We stoked the stove, burning coal on it for the very first time and occasionally feeding it fragrant logs.

We tickled the rats and, at the same time, learned something about neuroscience from scientists LINK.

Sadly, Grizz broke up with his lovely girlfriend (owner of said rats).   We think that means we've got custody...   We don't know why they broke up and can't find out...   I know it's not our business, but we are sad about it...


In other news, with my 'gin-goggles' on on New Year's Eve, I bought a beautiful handbag in local designer, Karina Hesketh's, sale.   I've lusted after it for months at full price, and then I take it as an omen that if no-one else has bought it in her sale, it and I are meant to be...   Karina's going to be designing some more soon.   Oh dear.   Mind you, I do only buy one-ish of her uniquely designed and beautifully hand-made bags a year, so I can't be described as anything like obsessed.   No...

This is a metallic pink leather brogue bag with a cross-body strap, integrated with a vintage (Fifties'?) scarf depicting the Dolomites in Italy.   This is a bag that called my name, like a Siren ensconced beside the River Coquet!

And, we learned on New Year's Day (but not from Bono) that my eighty-plus year old father-in-law had run himself over with his own car...   Three weeks ago.   And my helpful sister-in-law only saw fit to inform us on New Year's Day...

I rail against my socially apathetic in-laws, out-laws, I do!

I don't know what I can do about them?   Obviously nothing...   'You can't teach old dogs', etc!

Meanwhile, I build bridges, forge friendships, make amends...

Happy New Year, mes amis, bold and beautiful as you are...

I wish you all that you could ever wish for yourselves...

For myself, all I require is some peace and some certainty.

Meanwhile, your love and comments are enough!

Merci mille for you and them.   Mwah!   Well, the mistletoe's still up above the doorway, so I'd suggest a kiss is in order!


26 comments:

Eddie Bluelights said...

Happy New Year ~ Eddie x

GB said...

I miss country pubs because we don't have them on Lewis nor in New Zealand.

I'm glad you like the handbag. I have to confess that pink isn't my colour. Come to think of it I don't carry a handbag anyway.

Gigi said...

Happy, happy New Year! And I wish nothing but the best for you and yours in the coming days.

Cynthia L. H. said...

Whew! VERY busy! I do hope that 2012 holds wonderful things in store for you. ;^) (Maybe a secluded tropical island vacation -- and you can tote along your very fun, pink bag.)

;^D

Miss C

Canadian Chickadee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JeannetteLS said...

I had only just started following your blog when I took a break from it all to paint and to completely overindulge in my holiday preparations. I loose earrings constantly as well, but there is an up side to that. I can always use another pair--there is no such thing as having too many pairs.

I love your humor. And yes, your out-laws seem like quite a treat. Happiest of new years to you, too.

Expat mum said...

Ran himself over with his own car! Oh dear. So we're all having in-law troubles then? Must be something in the water.
Happy New Year. x

Expat mum said...

PS. Love the edgy look to the blog!

Vix said...

Happy New Year!
Annual Leek Club,? That sounds an interesting kind of society!
The F-I-L news sounds awful but at least you get custody of the rats, we've had no snow and that bag is utterly amazing. Onwards and upwards... xxxxxxxxxxx

Sueann said...

Love that bag!!!!!! Fabulous! I had a calm and fun-filled holiday with family and friends. On New Years' Eve....went out to a lovely steak house and had a couple of Martinis!! Saw a couple of movies during the holiday as well! Good times!!
Sounds like you had a wonderful celebration as well.
Happy 2012
Hugs
SueAnn

Jewels said...

I have 1 of each pair of earrings I ever owned. Why is it that we never lose both?

Anonymous said...

My best "New Year Read" I loved it, love the handbag too.

SP

libby said...

Sounds like you have had a great cosy time.....how funny to win back your own plonk!....hope 2012 is all you wish for.

madlady said...

Love the bag but love your blog even more! Hope all your dreams come true in 2012.

Margie

Jan said...

Mwah Fhina ! lovely to see you. Lets hope the New Year brings us all good things and interesting days. I'm still in gainful employment which is a bonus and relatively healthy.

Librarian said...

I like pink, and the 50s, so I like the handbag! As for going to the pub - I am looking forward to resuming my own pub-going next Monday. The Irish pub in my home town is practically my 2nd residence, even though I don't drink anything but ginger ale when I am there.

fanny said...

Hello - are you in Paris - how lovely! Happy New Year xx

Lulu LaBonne said...

Are you in Paris - I'm soooo envious.

Yummy bag I have a friend who uses those scarves for cushions - good too!

Anonymous said...

It seems to have been a fast moving Christmas, lots to do, people to see, and yours sounds just the same!

All the best for 2012.
CJ x

Rosaria Williams said...

Happy New Year, Fhina,and may you always find a one-of-a-kind bag to cheer your days!

nigelfletcher said...

Hi, love your blog and wish I knew a pub like that here!

Scriptor Senex said...

A bit late but better late then never - Happy New Year, Fhina. Have a good one.

P.S. glad you found your earring and that'll teach you to donate better prizes in future!

Anonymous said...

Bonne Année!

J Cosmo Newbery said...

Rat tickling? A new Olympic sport?

Suldog said...

Not to be indelicate, but... How in HELL do you run yourself over with your own car?!?

The only thing I can think of is he thought he put the car in park, got out, but hadn't, so it rolled over part of him. Was that it?

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Hello Fhina:
We have discovered you via Tempestuous Pete and how thrilled we are to have found you [not that you were lost, of course, just hiding in that labyrinth called the Blogosphere].

Your New Year has obviously started with a bang and a splash of pink. That is certainly a handbag to be noticed with. We can only wonder if you are currently sporting it on your arm in Gay Paris?

Whatever, we hope that you are having a joyous time and look forward to reading more of your exploits as the year progresses.

Something I wrote earlier...

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