Christmas shenanigans

Happy Christmas everyone, hope you have had a fabulous time.
We spent a few blissful days in Pickering prior to Christmas not returning home until Christmas Eve which was very relaxing, although the run up to our departure was slightly stressful to say the least!
Presents were wrapped and delivered, the food shop done and dusted apart from the turkey but as there are a couple of butchers and farm shops nearby we were confident we could pick one up on our travels but for a while we did feel like we were playing turkey roulette! as it turned out there was no need to panic as the butcher had a couple left and agreed to save us one until Christmas eve.

Regular readers will know that Pickering has to be one of my favourite places and we head up there every Christmas staying at The White Swan, dogs are allowed so even Brucie gets in on the act.

First stop on Saturday morning was Reeds, my favourite shop in Pickering, it's the paper/gift shop and upstairs is the most wonderful little room full of gorgeousness, if you fancy taking a peek for yourself check out Annes blog where you will find a link to her lovely shop.
Although I have never been during the war weekend, I know it transforms into the most fabulous tea room (hopefully I will get to see it in 'real life' next year). I usually get my war weekend fix from Hen's blog.

The NYMR is always a hive of activity at this time of year as Father Christmas takes time out from his busy schedule to hop on the steam train to meet the Children. Little H used to love this (as did we) but sadly he feels he is a little too grown up to visit Father Christmas now he's twelve.
It didn't stop us taking a stroll down to the station before popping into the model railway shop across the road.

We tootled over the moors on Sunday to Whitby which I have to say was strangely quiet. I just managed to whip out my phone in time to take this.

It was somewhat surreal to say the least to see Father Christmas speeding through Whitby on his sleigh on which was probably the most quietest of days.

After a bracing walk on Sandsend beach we headed back into town to Humble pie for the most delicious pie and mash I have ever tasted and it's only a couple of doors away from Trudie's shop, Dotty about vintage so double the pleasure!


Before we knew it Christmas Eve came around and it was time to collect our turkey and fruit and veg and pack up and head for home... always a sad time as I never feel ready to leave but it was a great feeling knowing we could take our time as everything was organised at home....I had even set the table before we left.

We took a slight detour and drove through the Howardian Hills and past Castle Howard.

It was really lovely to spend quality time together for a few days on the run up to the big day without the frantic dashing around and also to take some time out from cooking. We watched some great T.V, Merlin and Mr. Stink being our favourites and played board games in the Bothy.

So the big day arrived and all I can say is I must have been a very good girl this year as Father Christmas left me some beautiful prezzies in my stocking...love you Mr. H ; )

X

Teacups and Teacakes

After what can only be described as The week from Hell, it was lovely to get home on Friday and finally kick off my converse and plonk my backside on the sofa with a cuppa and this very nice publication.

Some lovely ideas that I'm itching to try...as soon as Iv'e finished at least one of the other 101 projects I already have on the go!

Brucie was booked in at the groomers this morning but in between dropping him off and collecting him I managed to squeeze in a quick mooch around at the local table top sale where I picked up not one but two sets of lovely china, and what I think is a hat pin holder. (pictures to follow)

Then a more more relaxed stroll around Elsecar Antique Centre where these caught my eye and subsequently ended up in the boot of the car along with the china.........

Before finally risking life and limb at a local jumble sale where I bagged a tupperware bowl and a plastic sugar shaker (again pictures coming I promise!)

The rest of the day was spent doing the less enjoyable tasks i.e laundry,cleaning,ironing school uniform blah blah blah.
However tomorrow is another day and a little jaunt to North Yorkshire is on the cards.....exactly what I need to blow away the cobwebs....now which to choose milk or plain

enjoy the rest of your weekend
: )

Didn't we have a luvverley time

Okay so we didn't manage to get Stone Roses tickets (gutted was the only way to describe how we felt) but not to be disheartened we decided to have a tootle up to North Yorkshire - Whitby to be precise, one of our most favourite places ever.
A whistle stop tour to Levisham to eat our picnic was made even more enjoyable when not one, but two steam trains rolled into to the station.

Levisham is a small but perfectly formed station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway between Goathland and Pickering and it's where the Santa special makes it's stop every year. Sadly little H is far too old for this now but we did this every Christmas up until a couple of years ago when we decided it was time to call it a day when we realised he was the oldest child on the train!

I will never tire of these views

Back to today and we had a beach day in mind but as the weather was being it's usual unpredictable self we had to mix things up a bit and being as I had heard about a fabulous new vintagey place here it seemed like the perfect opportunity to go and have a peek.

OH MY.... I was in heaven, such a beautiful shop packed floor to ceiling (I'm not kidding) with vintage gorgeousness and the owner Trudie was such a lovely friendly gal who even allowed Bruce (our dog) in for a browse!

We got to chatting as you do, but the more we chatted the more the boys started to get restless so in the end I came away empty handed but never fear I WILL be back in the very near future.

We had a great day and between the heavy but short lived downpours the sun shone gloriously. Ice creams were devoured by the whale bones while watching a spitfire fly past to mark armed forces day, and by 4 o'clock we were on Sandsend beach dipping our toes in the icy cold water.

A day here is never enough for us, in fact a week is not enough and we are always sad to say goodbye, especially when the sun is still shining.

Fish and chips on the way home finished the day of perfectly.

What is it about the sea air that makes you soooooo sleepy? despite my very best efforts to keep my eyes open I failed miserably and dropped off before we even reached York, however when I opened my eyes I was greeted with this magnificent sight.

I can honestly say I have never seen a more beautiful rainbow, the colours were so vivid.

It was straight off to bed as we were all cream crackered and Sunday meant an early start, as Sunday as we all know is car boot day

more about that in the next intstallment



hope you all had a great weekend
: )