Ready to Relax!

Well that's it, everything's done, I'm ready for Christmas! I haven't posted in a little while, so here's a quick update...

We've had snow... ...that hasn't gone away! There's more forecast for tomorrow, so we might be in for a white Christmas!

The tree went up...

I turned 26... :( Despite the fact that I definitely get happier the older I get, for some reason I always feel sad and regretful around my birthday. I haven't achieved as much as I should in 26 years, and while I'm now a pretty happy person, I can't help feeling I could be happier if I could just be braver. A lot of wonderful opportunities have passed me by, it's quite right that I should regret them. The more I regret, the more pushed I'll feel the next time I have an opportunity I'd like to run away from, and that's a good thing.
That's pretty gloomy reading it back, but I think I'll let it stand. I'm always a little sad and reflective at this time of year, but I'm sure most people are! Thankfully though it's always mingled with the usual happy, snuggly sense of excitement that I hope I'll never lose. The day itself was good really - I got some lovely prezzies, and mum baked me a cake this year which was completely delish!

Borders has closed. That's the bookshop I was working in that went into administration. It was only a temporary job, but it was also one of my favourite shops. That's where I meet my friends for coffee, and it's the best place for having a good proper browse for new books. In just three weeks the place was transformed from a happy, calm, relaxing and lovely place to work and shop, into a frenzied, tacky, pound-shop of a place, that somehow managed to attract the very worst behaved people I've ever seen. Signs like 'Total Stock Liquidation', 'Everything Must Go' and 'Last Few Days' seem designed to make people oblivious to everything except getting a bargain, and being rude and impatient, even to the point where they will throw a book on the floor rather than go back and put it on the shelf, seems to some people like an acceptable way to behave.
Electronic Gift Cards (EGCs) have been a horrible nightmare, with us at the tills having to tell people that their card can only be redeemed if they spend double the amount of its value. It was bad for the customers to hear, but it was no easier for us to tell them. We've been shouted at, sworn at, one guy even threatened to smash in the front window, so I can absolutely say, without any hesitation, that I'm glad the place is finally closed and out of its misery. It's a shame, but every member of staff can do without that kind of stress.
On the bright side, at least none of us has to work over Christmas!


Grandad's ripple blanket was finished this morning, just in time! It ended up at 40x35in, which I think is big enough. I'm going to miss working on this, it was a nice simple pattern, with not too many fiddly colour changes (a good TV project!). It's become my nightly ritual - a bit of Kiefer watching on 24 and a bit of crochet! I'll probably make another one for myself before long. I'll need lots of lovely handmade things to go in this...


Yes indeedie! Isn't he beautiful? I've wanted a camper van for years, and last week I saw this in the paper and couldn't resist him at all! My mind is bursting with ideas for the interior (there's going to be a ton of work involved!), and I'm thinking green might be a good colour for the bodywork? Ooh I'm so excited! It's so cold out at the minute that I've hardly gotten near him, but oh when I do...! For the moment he's locked in ice, and the battery's gone flat...

Anyway, for now I'm ready to snuggle down and enjoy the holidays!
Merry Christmas!!!
Carrie xx