Saturday 31 December 2011

Christmas/ New Year 2011/2012

Hello Friends,
I know from reading all your lovely blogs that most  of you have had lovely Christmas celebrations and I am  sure you realised that I was not looking forward to Christmas  with my usual passion, however we had a very pleasant weekend.  Beth and Max came over Christmas Eve and we all went out for supper which was lovely.   Christmas day started for me around 5.30am !!  could not sleep so decided that I was as well up and getting on with preparing the turkey that our local butcher had kindly delivered at lunch time on SSaturday. As I stood there rubbing the  garlic butter under it's skin etc. I had a sudden thought that it was actually the first time....ever....that I had done a turkey !!  well Mum had always done it, and for the last 35 years at least Sarah and John had done all the Christmas dinner preps !!  anyway I soon had it basted to perfection....I hoped !!........Mary came over at her usual time and we were soon on our way up to the early morning Christmas service, It is always such a lovely service to be able to greet our friends etc on such a special morning. It is a short service as our minister Rachel has to go to one of her other churches shortly after being out at Box.. Nice we were back home Peter came along and we allowed ourselves to open a few presents which is always exciting....the bulk of them we left till after dinner..........this was a real change for me as it must have been the first Christmas ever that I had not opened our presents around midnight..ever since I was a child Mum and Dad had got me up and allowed me to open gifts and go back to bed with a fav.  probably knowing that then I would sleep long into the morning !!!     Anyway lunch turned out to be very good and enjoyed by the three of us.  We had Melon to start then the Turkey with roast potato and roast parsnips (that Peter had done) sprouts, carrots, and swede and beetroot, then we had the usual Christmas Pud. with double cream/single cream and brandy butter....mmmmmmmm 
Once things had been cleared away we got down to the serious business of opening all the exciting parcels..Mary and I are so very lucky and have such kind loving friends. Our gifts are to numerous to mention but I have to say that my gift from Mary has been a real winner...it was a lovely  "kindle! reading "book" I just love it already,  Thankfully Peter is good at getting all our "teccy" things working for us and before long I was able to start having books downloaded....he also got Mary's new mobile from me all set up for her.                   The days between Christmas and New Year I always think of as funny days it is difficult to settle at anything.    I have been over a few times to see Margaret my sister who has been quite poorly over this period....and now we have only a few hours left of 2011.  Mary is sitting knitting and the TV is on in the corner we are watching the surfers and life guards on Bondi Beach in Australia.  I will not be staying up this year as has been done most times,....I expect we will have a few wee drinks before Mary goes over home though....  And so dear friends I just have to say a very BIG thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the support that you have given me during what has been a very difficult year. What better words can I leave you with than the words said by our late King George V1's

I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, 'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.' And he replied, 'Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be better than light, and safer than a known way.'"

God Bless you all and remember to take every opportunity to LOVE EVERYBODY each and every day throughout 2012

13 comments:

  1. What a blessing your dear friends Peter and Mary are ! It must be wonderful having those two to celebrate special days with and also the not so special days. Glad your Christmas turkey was a good one. I had to chuckle when I saw it was the first you'd done. Over the years I've done so many but now we've moved the Christmas feast to one or the other of my children's homes and they get the honors of doing the turkey. I don't do one at all anymore. Well we change with the changing times ,but I do agree that one thing never changes and that as you say is Love One Another...Happy New Year to you and your friends too!

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  2. God Bless you and yours Sybil,this New Years Eve.I have enjoyed every minute of your blog when I have been able to read it,this year.Thankyou for the beautiful Christmas card which you sent me and may I say sorry I havn't been in touch, due to my illness leading up to Christmas.What a tine I had.I am so happy you have had such a wondeful time over the Festive Season and may 2012 bring you everything you wish yourself.What a brilliant photo on your header.It is so lovely and colourful and makes me smile, which is what I love to do as you well know.Goodnight and Godbless Dear Friend,I have put a short message out on F.Book earlier and enjoy whatever the evening brings you.Stay safe and know you are loved lots.Love Kath Motherhen xxx

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  3. Happy New Year Sybs...I hope it's a lovely one for you x

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  4. HAPPY NEW YEAR DEAR SYBIL.thankyou for being my friend. tc love mort xxx

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  5. Found you from Maggie's site Grandmayellowhair and enjoyed reading your blog.
    Maggie has been a online friend of mine for a while now and I always enjoy her so I knew she has talked about Sybil and I finally found you.
    Did not realize you lived in England. That Maggie knows everyone.
    I am glad I found you. I do not have a blog yet but through emails Maggie has been trying to convince me to start one. I may do it this year
    Happy New Year
    Tam

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  6. My sweet Sybil
    It should be the New Year already in your part of the world. I meant to get by here right at midnight but I think I missed it by almost an hour. My brother called and well you know how I chatter endlessly.
    This is a nice post to end the year. I am glad you enjoyed your Christmas. I had to laugh that it was your first experience with the Turkey. My Christi will be saying that one of these days herself.
    You know I value your friendship and I wish only the best for you this coming year. I do hope I meet you in 2012 and we can laugh together.
    Happy New Year to one of the sweetest ladies I have had the privilege of getting to know
    Love
    Maggie

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  7. Love your new Header Sybil! What wonderful smiles you and Mary have! I know that 2011 was a very difficult year for you and I have carried you in prayer through it. Am still carrying you on into 2012. I wish for you a happy and Blessed year this year, filled with lots of love and goodness. Congrats on cooking the Christmas turkey! Well done you! Mayhap this will be the year we finally meet in person??? One can but hope! Love and hugs! xxoo

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  8. Happy 2012, Sybil. Hope it will be a happy and joyful one as you remember those that have gone ahead in '11.

    Guido x

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  9. Dear Sybil,
    A happy and healthy new year, with lots of joyous celebration! I got a kindle last year and it has become a wonderful addition to my reading. I do a lot of traveling on the bus and subway and I always have something I want to read. There are lots of very good books that are free and love seeing what is new on the Amazon site.

    Thank you for your friendship, much valued!

    Lots of love at the new year and all through the year,

    Buttercup

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  10. Good morning Syb
    I am up early today so wanted to come by say hello.
    Hope your having a wonderful day and staying warm.
    It is suppose to be maybe in the 50's or 60's today which I will take for sure. lol
    Could not sleep this morning because I am showing my house at 9:30 to a lady who called last night to see it. Hope she likes the house and wants it but even more I hope I like her and want her to live there.
    Let me know how you are doing and what you are up too. I think of you often
    Love
    Maggie

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  11. HI Sybil. I enjoyed reading your New Year's post. You gals have so much fun! Look at that blog topper and I want to join that pic! lol

    Sounds like the turkey turned out great. I would have realized long before Christmas morn that it was my first turkey! lol.

    Glad you had someone to hook up your techie gifts. I'm thinking you probably got a really good gift. My Mom got a Nook and she loves it. She doesn't even read much but she is playing games on it and on Facebook on it.

    You have a wonderful 2012. I'll be back to check on you all soon. Much love to you from the US.

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  12. Hello dear Sybil,
    I am glad that you have good friends like Peter and Mary. I was thinking of you at Christmas time and hoping you would be OK. I am glad that you had a nice time and a great dinner with sweet friends.

    I hope that you got the card I sent. I was not sure of the address but read it the best I could from the sweet gift package you sent me when I was in the hospital. That was so kind of you. Your friendship means a lot to me. You make my heart smile. Happy New Year... surely 2012 will be better for both of us. Hugs, Lura

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  13. sybil, you could write about reading a newspaper and i would read it, and would find something typically sybil in it. loved your story, and i really love the charging elephant at the top of the journal. wonder how on earth you got a picture of ME on YOUR journal, lol. have a truly blessed day my friend.....hugs.

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