Rocking Your World 2021: Week 50

Only two more posts to go and Christmas will be over and done again. It rolls around so fast each year. Of course this week has been mostly about my decorations.  Last weekend I got my tree up. We downsized it last year as I am no longer up to climbing ladders etc. So now we have one that sits on out table, but I still manage to get most of my important ornaments on it. Each one evokes a memory, reminds me of someone special, or is something I have enjoyed making over the years. It is harder than the big one was to make look how I want it to, but I am happy with it now. The lights look mostly blue but they move through red, green and amber too, or all four together. I think the blue ones just photograph better.

I am pleased with my new Nativity set. I still have the tiny characters I made from a Woman's Weekly pattern around 50 years ago, but they really are looking a bit sad now, so last Christmas I bought part of this set, and during the year I have added to it, so I now have a nice elegant little group.

Amazingly the bauble wreath I made five years ago is still surviving. Every year the glue gun comes out and a few baubles have to be fixed back on. It is based on a plastic foam pool noodle and I did not expect it to have such a long life.  For the first few years it hung on the sitting room wall, but last year we risked it outside the front door, and that is where it is again this year.

Lidls came good as usual for poinsettias and I bought three to go in my pot stand in the front porch. They really brighten that corner up, and they are protected enough there to survive most weather.

Last week I showed you the angel I had cut on my Silhouette Cameo machine. While it was out I also made this layered strip. It is fun and adds a bit of colour to the wall as I am sure we will not be getting as many cards this year as we used to. It has glitter on the snow and pearl white curls on the fur trims, but they don't show well in the photos.

We have managed to get out once this week. Monday and Wednesday were bank holidays, the first being a secular celebration called Constitution day, and the second was a religious holiday - 'Immaculate Conception' which is in recognisation that Virgin Mary was born without sin. (Not a belief held by everyone, but an important day for Roman Catholics everywhere). They are always celebrated on 6th and 8th December and falling on Monday and Wednesday this year meant that many of the smaller shops and businesses also closed on Tuesday giving them a five day pre-Christmas break. But the big supermarkets etc were open on Tuesday so we went down to Mojacar and fortunately the main Post Office there was open, as Chris had some time-sensitive papers to post. I also posted my overseas cards, except for UK ones which are already gone. Then we went down to the huge ferriterria called Lopez to but an extension cable for my Christmas lights, and more glue sticks. (My glue gun seems to eat them!). It was such a beautiful day with 27º showing on our thermometers from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, so we stayed down there at our favourite café and had an al fresco lunch.

Walking back to the car I took this photo which I have titled "Why we choose to live in Spain". 

You would never think looking at it, that it is December. We were in short sleeves, and our jackets were left in the car. It has actually been lovely all week but right down in the lower single figures at night time, so there is lots of contrast, and we are glad enough of our lap blankets and the fire once darkenss falls. So how lucky are we to get both sunny days and cosy evenings.

On Wednesday Chris put up the new washing line for me so I was able to take advantage of the lower cost of electricity on Bank Holidays and also the sun and wind to dry my washing. So I got the sheets done as well as as everything else. 

Our sceened porch is fairly sheltered from the wind that can be chilly to sit in, so if we are sitting on his fav ourite chair,  Tolly has started staying in and finding a sunny spot in the house to doze in. He is much more friendly now and often follows me around. My old office chair is still in my craft room and he often lays on that but his body is so long now that he only just fits. But he looks so comfy there. He rolls over to let the sun warm his tummy, and his face looks so contented. After lunch my room is the sunniest in the house.

I took this photo from the garden this morning. You probably wonder why, but I love the pattern of branches against the blue. I will have to try and use it as a background for a card one day.

And finally one nice sunset. For once the clouds turned quite red and orange before the sky darkened so there are some lovely contrasts in it.

And with that it is time to link up with Annie for her Friday Smiles. I hope you all have something to smile about too.