The Monster has gone!

 This large piece of drift wood arrived here last April and was named Lizzie.. quite a fuss was made of it with people coming to actually view it.

Children and some adults  too climbed all over it and false bits added to make it look like a monster. Each high tide there were messages on Face Book asking was Lizzie still there and it survived till now, close on 9 months. The storm over the weekend with very high tides saw its end. Lifted by the crashing waves it ended up further along the coast, nearer the pier without its strutting legs and a badly bashed about.. Lizzie is no more!

Shame?  But where did it come from? And when did such a great tree first fall.. a mystery, it will be missed.

Chrisxx 

My Tiny Happy Things

 My Tiny Happy Things,

A beam of sunlight through a window.

My first cup of tea in the morning.

Warm toes in fluffy socks.

The smell of bedding that had been dried in the air.

My husband's hand on my back guiding me along.

His little kiss with his greeting 'Morning love' each day.

When I read those first few lines of a book and I know I'm going to love it.

A morning walking in the fresh sea air.

That first bud that opens on my favourite yellow rose.

A cosy evening at home with the curtains drawn against the winter rain.

These are mine, my tiny happy things.

Chrisxx

What are yours?

An Australian Outback Crime Mystery

 Have you ever read a book twice by mistake, I have and it was this book. It was a kindle so I could have returned it, but I couldn't remember the ending, so kept it. But when I got to the ending I realised why I couldn't remember it. It was an all revealing ending in just the last  few pages and the real reason why Jenny Williams really went to the Australian outback, as a police officer wasn't solved, so a 'no' ending for me. But you might feel differently to me.

Jenny went to Cooper Pedy initially to find out what happened to her aunt and cousin who disappeared 9 years ago.. However a body found in one of the disused Opal mines became her main investigation. She had a few things to get over first, she was a young woman in a man's world and a boss who didn't want to face the real truth.. and there was the dry hot conditions, and the inconvenience of her belongings not arriving with her. So the writing was good, because I could feel the sweat running between my breasts and the red dust that covered everything. She was constantly in the laundry  room washing the few clothes she had!

I did like the character Jenny, her grim determination to get answers and how she stood up to her boss. Will she find what happened to her aunt and cousin, well there are 9 books in this Opel Fields series so plenty of books to find out.!

I think this first book was to set up the characters and the next one will move further with Police Officer Jenny Williams delving into the mystery of the disappearance of her aunt and cousin. I might buy the next one because this book one kept me interested twice!

Chrisxx

Very interesting and feasible?

 Christmas is the perfect time to pause and really think about the shepherds in the Nativity story. I mean, have you ever wondered why God chose them to be the first to hear about Jesus' birth? They weren’t religious leaders or powerful politicians. They were guys out in the fields doing what many considered a lowly job.

 by RABBI JASON SOBEL

But here’s what absolutely amazes me: These weren’t just any shepherds. According to Jewish tradition, the shepherds near Bethlehem were raising lambs specifically for temple sacrifice in Jerusalem. These were Levitical shepherds — men from priestly families whose job was to ensure the Passover lambs remained perfect and without blemish for worship in God's house.

 

When the angels appeared to them that night, announcing the birth of a Savior “wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12), these shepherds would have immediately understood something we often miss. They knew exactly what to look for because this scene was familiar to them.

 

You see, when lambs were born in those fields, the shepherds would wrap them in strips of cloth to protect them from getting cut on rocky cave floors. They'd place the sheep in mangers to keep them safe. The swaddling cloth wasn’t just for warmth but also to prevent any blemishes that would disqualify the lambs from being acceptable sacrifices.

 

So when these shepherds found baby Jesus wrapped in similar cloth and lying in a manger, they would have recognized the profound symbolism. Here was the Lamb of God, born in the same manner as the sacrificial lambs they tended. This wasn’t coincidence; this was God’s story unfolding exactly as He planned.

 

And there’s even more hope woven in: The swaddling cloth Jesus was wrapped in likely came from old priestly garments, the same fabric used to make wicks for the temple menorah. Jesus was not only identified as the Lamb of God but also the Light of the World from His very first moments on earth.

 

I find such comfort in knowing that God chose ordinary people doing their everyday work to be the first witnesses of His greatest gift. These shepherds weren't perfect, and neither are we. But God saw them as worthy to receive and share the Good News.

 

The hope we find in the shepherds’ story is this: God meets us right where we are, in our ordinary moments, with His extraordinary love. Just as He chose shepherds tending their flocks, He chooses us in whatever field we find ourselves working. He has a covenant of friendship with us, sealed by the sacrifice of His Son, the Lamb who became our great High Priest.

No Red Ones!

 I am happy but disappointed.. happy because my eyes are the same. My Macular Degeneration condition has not made any progress neither have the cataracts first diagnosed in 2005. So that is all good, but I so wanted  glasses and I would have bought some, but there weren't any red rimmed ones! 

She showed me pink ones, but to me they're old ladies glasses! And some were like Me-maw's from young Sheldon's grand mother's and Dh and I burst out laughing when we saw them!

It was tipping with rain when we came out of the opticians so I donned my plastic hood, I might look an old lady in it, but I'm not getting my hair wet when I've paid to have it styled!

Obviously this is not me, I \bought 8 of these and yes they flatten my hair, but a brush through and my hair is fine,

    Chrisxx

Us on a Monday!

We have an on line Welsh lesson on Monday mornings at 9:30 so we're up, showered and breakfasted ready, but its hard.. I've got used to taking my time. 

It was a different tutor,  because our usual one wasn't able to do it. And wow, the new one was hot off the mark. But it was excellent, we loved it and I learnt something I've been struggling to understand for a while.

When she asked us where we lived, of course we both said Porthcawl,  we're in different rooms, she asked Dh did he knew me,  and all the students laughed! 

In the afternoon we did some house work; here's Dh cleaning under the sink,,, perhaps we've got too much cleaning stuff?

I did what I call my Tiara job.. the loo and bathroom. Called my Tiara job, because I don't think any of the Royals clean the toilet, do you think they might?

Chrisxx

A Favourite Son?

 There is such a lot of talk about Andrew and Sarah, you hardly know who believe, Was Andrew the late Queens favourite son, was he as wild as people make him out to be?  Known as 'Randy Andy' in his younger days, then tangled up in the Epstein scandal? His ex wife Sarah has some stories to live down to too.

Stripped of their Royal titles and have been asked (? told) to vacate their comfortable home, the Royal Lodge in Windsor park, what will become of them?

 The King will continue to support his brother Andrew, but what of Sarah? Although they were divorced they shared the same home, although it is reported they lived separately. She doesn't have the financial back ground like Andrew, and her latest children's book is not to be distributed but pulped. 

There's rumours she will write 'a tell all book' telling some secrets of the Royals? If this rumour is looked at seriously by the Royals, I'm sure they will make sure she has money to keep her quiet?

I think this is all sad for the Royal Family, but it does show us the 'common' people, that they too have to face the consequences of their actions! 

At least its taken the heat off Megan wife of Harry, she can't do right for doing wrong.. 

Its a tough life being a Royal, rather them than me.. every wrong move, clothes, hair, action is as though they're under a microscope!

I'll let the press say what they like, but they'd better keep their hands off our beautiful Catherine, Princess of Wales!!

Chrisxx 

You only get one!

 Be too much,

Be extra,

Live large,

Smile big,

Laugh hard.

Celebrate your d*nm self.

Open your heart,

Express your emotions,

Use your words,

Giggle,

Dance,

Soak in the sun,

Splash in the waves,

Breath deep and love your life..

You only get one.

Chrisxx

My town.

 Our town isn't known for its Christmas lights, but the shops always look good.. not quite dressed for Christmas yet. but still pretty. This is the flower shop with the lovely seasonal flowers and plants on view.

I was a Saturday girl in their other shop many, many  years ago!

I love this shop and buy a lot of plants from them. People have the opinion that they are expensive, but they are top quality plants and I've never had a failure from there. In this display there is a small artificial snowdrop plant that has silver sparkles on it and I want it!! It will look super in our front pots in all the greenery!

The Maple shops are lovely, here is the Children's shop, Love those little dolls displayed as though in windows. Maple is a firm and there are 6 shops all different. We like the kitchen shop too.

Bliss a gift shop and very nice too. and looking spectacular.

Even the charity shops look good!!

A lot of people here think town is not so good, but it is and there are some superb shops here. Someone started talking to me in one of the cafes a little while ago.( Well I might have said Hello to her first!' ) And she had bags full of things bought here and couldn't find enough good things to say, how nice our little town was. She was complaining that Swansea had lost a lot of shops and certainly didn't have gift shops there,  as we have here... anyway we love it and it fulfils our needs.. and altho I'm not a big advocate of Aldi, it suits me for walking on wet days!!

Chrisxx

Aches and pains, but it was worth it!

 I do have a lot of pots of spring bulbs,  but having seen Monty's  on Gardener's  World, and all his ready planted,  I wanted more! So a few evening ago with nothing of interest on TV, I looked for some bulbs I fancied.. 

I know some people don't like Grape Hyacinths but I love them and these white ones are so pretty..

I fancied these yellow crocus in my shallow bowl shaped pot..we have an assortment of colours planted in our front lawn, but they've all come up purple!

And who could resist these pale bell shaped narcissi, called 'White Petticoat Daffodils,' and so pretty and delicate/

Yesterday the sun shone, so after lunch we togged up to garden with the bulbs to plant first. As we stepped out of our French doors there was a light 'miserling' of rain! It's not heavy we thought. so we carried on. We work together rather than we do different tasks, because we get more done that way. The bulbs were done in no time and all topped with grit..

We cut down the single dahlias stalks and top dressed with spent tomato compost. I pruned the grape vine; we had the last bunches a few weeks ago. We had left 2 more bunches, as they get sweeter, but for the first time ever a big bird (magpie?) had eaten them! And then Dh cut down spent plants in the flower bed parallel to the bungalow wall and we were done...  but we were a bit soggy and my aches and pains were awful. I won't do that again. The other two flower beds will be done on a dry day!

The white patio is a bit muddy but a good rainfall or a couple of buckets of water will sort it! But we're very happy we've made a start to get our garden winter ready.

Chrisxx