Friday 3 January 2014

Happy New Year to you too

Well here we are in 2014 and here I sit tapping away on my red laptop! That was a surprise Christmas gift, that sentence could have so easily have read "here I am waiting to use my new door handles" or "here I am waiting to use my new microwave" or even " here I am waiting to jump from  plane" - all gifts I've received in the past!

But a laptop it is and I'm over the moon. I can blog from anywhere in the house, not just my tiny, chilly, paper strewn office tucked out of the way. It also makes it slightly more comfortable to type from the squishy sofa, not least because my rear end is.at present one almighty bruise!! When we exchanged gifts with my sister in law I was the lucky recipient of perfume,  the builder however received a selection of Beano comics and some football programmes from the 1970's . Yes a little bit random but he  is very hard to buy for and they were spread all over the floor and read from cover to cover for the rest of the afternoon! Therein lies the problem; spread all over the floor, shiny magazines..... I leapt up to answer the phone (leapt  may be an exaggeration given the amount of food I've stuffed in) and proceeded to skid across the floor and bump down on the ground and leg of the sofa. I'd like to say gracefully landed but sadly in was very definitely an earth shaking moment!
And now most of my rear end is lovely shade of dark purple, as was readily pointed out more than once I'm lucky not to break a hip given my age!!! Yes I did hit them!
(Luckily for you I have no photo!)
Who knew they could be so dangerous?!
How did you spend your New Years Eve? Or as the native Norfolk-ians say "Old Years Night"
Many moons ago we used to host a party with much celebrating and wine and chatting and wine and nibbles and wine......., however since we became parents the difficulties of babysitters, taxis and overriding tiredness seemed to have put paid to anything other than nodding off on the sofa and shuffling off to bed at 5 past midnight! But as the children are older we accepted a party invitation this year and off we trotted dressed in sparkles (not The Builder) to see in 2014 with friends. It was a lovely evening despite the 45 minute drive to get there, we played some silly games and watched the fireworks both in London (On the TV) and in their village.
Building the tallest tower using only spaghetti and jelly babies!
More difficult for the children as they ate most of the jelly babies!
It reminded me we must be more social in future!
We left Number 1 son at home with 3 mates and some beer, there appears to be more empty bottles than the amount of full ones we left for them???
They did manage to remain the polite young men their parents had taught them to be though, they made me smile as they staggered to the door the following day; 6' tall 17/18 year old boys; very unsteady and with bloodshot eyes, all saying "thank you for having me" and "I've had a lovely time, thank you Mrs Cricket". Ahh bless them!
Between Christmas and New Year we got together with some old friends for a family evening, we always used to spend an evening with them sans kids where the booze flowed and the conversation always became risqué - however that was a few years ago and  this time we all had our children with us and we shared some games and some memories. Despite feeling very middle aged it was a lovely evening, I do love my friends. Charades with teenagers was funny in a different way, who knew a shrug of the shoulders and a curled lip could signify so much?
I don't make resolutions as a rule expect from the usual, I will lose a stone in weight and start taking regular exercise, but this year I feel I need to go back to basics in the kitchen. I always thought I was a fairly competent cook, I've enjoyed cooking for friends over the years and as you may except have prepared many a cricket tea but I seem to have lost it just lately! I need to pull myself into line and stop over or undercooking everything I touch - there's nothing complicated about it I just need to pay a little more attention to what I'm doing and stop being distracted (although I can see a little red laptop-shaped distraction looming large!) This Christmas I managed to over cook the turkey, over cook the pudding (Nigella's steamed chocolate pud) despite a hand written note in the cookery book from last Christmas reminding me not to overcook it! I've overcooked a joint of beef and under cooked a joint of pork!
It really is laziness, I need to weigh and time everything and go back to basics - I vaguely remember telling myself this last year though so it my be all forgotten before January is done.
I have loved looking around blogland and catching up on past posts, partly because I have more time to do so right now. I know time will be short again soon, cricket practice started again this evening and everyone will be back to school and work on Monday or Tuesday (I really must look up which day they start school/college!) - it's going to be hard to get up and at 'em!
So Happy New Year to everyone, I'm overwhelmed by the fact that I actually have "followers" but it has been so nice to get to know you all.
I hope 2014 brings you the best of everything.
xx

23 comments:

  1. Happy New Year! So glad you had a good one! and I can relate to all of your resolutions!!!

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  2. Yippee for your new laptop and many warm blogging sessions ahead for you! (I have ben the recipient of the Birthday Multi-chop in my time, you know that gadget which chops your veggies by hand? He only did it once!!)
    Have been avoiding all news of The Ashes - it only used to be once every now and again, now it s 5 times a year - how do you bear it?
    Anyway, bottoms up - arnica is very helpful! Lxxx

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    1. Oh gosh Lynne there's been non stop cricket on the TV, followed by one or two phone calls from friends in Australia!! Gets right on my nerves!

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  3. Thanks for stopping by in my own space, Jay.
    I know what you mean about going back to basics in the kitchen! As an experienced cook I often neglect the basics, in particular the timings. Nothing more unpleasant to eat soggy green beans with undercooked fish, or eat a staggered meal....
    Coincidentally I also have bruises on my backside and back : I fell victim to the old but really not very funny party trick: my teenager pulled the chair away when I tried to sit down. He is still feeling guilty (he better!).
    Love the party games you have been playing, particularly the spaghetti structures game. x

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    1. Oh no not the chair trick, poor you! Thanks for visiting my blog Christina.

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  4. Happy new year and I hope your bruises heal soon - and stay away from dangerous editions of Beano!
    Xx

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  5. Who knew that the Beano could be quite so dangerous. Hope the bruises disappear soon. Happy New Year:)

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  6. Happy New Year Jay ... Ouch! Poor you, but sounds like you managed to pack a lot of fun in too! Lovely new post, thanks for sharing, and was lovely of you to pop into Thriftwood, you're always welcome!


    Love Claire xxx

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  7. Happy New Year! Enjoy your new red laptop (red = my favourite colour!). Love the spaghetti and jelly baby challenge - will have to steal that for school! x

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  8. Hope your bruise heals soon. Ouch.

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  9. Happy New Year. Glad you didn't break anything slipping over. Could have been a lot worse! xx

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  10. Ouch to the bruises, that does sound very painful.
    I love the game idea with jelly babies and spaghetti, may have to pinch that one for future use!
    Happy new year to you all.
    Lisa x

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  11. Yeah for a new computer, my is becoming seriously outdated and cranky so I see a new one in my future.
    Your New Years sounds like it was fun, we stayed home, drank a bit and watched a movie.
    Sorry about your bruised parts, I'm so clumsy that I'm usually a technicolor treat.

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  12. Hope your "backside" is better soon! Too funny,Jay!

    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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  13. Happy New Year Jay. What an excellent idea those football programmes were, I'll have to remember that next time. I do hope your bruises go away soon, how embarrassing for you. I do love a new "toy" and yours sounds great. My own office room upstairs is also very chilly and I avoid it like the plague during the winter and so glad I have a laptop. In fact I hardly ever use the PC any more. Thank you for your kind comment on my last post about me being me, it meant a lot. Happy New Year
    Patricia x

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  14. What a lovely post. You do make me smile. So glad you have your new red friend. I'm in the kitchen with mine which is also propped up on my knees when I'm on the sofa.

    My mum used to say an iron is not a suitable present ! Dad always gave her a silk scarf or charm for her bracelet.

    Had to smile about the boys as Joe's 18th is looming. He wants beer, pizza, mates.
    New yrs eve was spent with friends we had drifted from - Chinese take away, games & wine with kids - lovely.

    Sorry about your bruises !

    Happy New Year Mrs Cricket !

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  15. Happy New Year! So glad to have made your acquaintance through blog land in 2013.
    I'm sorry to hear about your bruised derrière, but the story did make me laugh! I do hope you're on the mend.
    Your Xmas & New Year sound a lot of fun, and that spaghetti/jelly baby tower game looks excellent.

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  16. PS. What did you decide to do re the parachute jump? Or did I miss the post where you jumped out of a plane?!?

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    1. You didn't miss a post Justine; I've decided to pass the jump on to number 1 son for his 18th birthday in March- I'll blog about that! I just decided at 40 mumble mumble something years of age I don't have to do things which terrify me and which I really don't want to do, I'm allowed to say no.

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  17. Happy New year,I 'm sorry you started the new year with parts of you nearly matching the laptop! Hope you are fully recovered now.
    Sarah x

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  18. Poor you, I hope you're fully recovered now. My friend's little boy broke his leg slipping on a book on the floor, so I'm glad it wasn't worse for you.

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  19. Congratulations on your new lovely lap top. Can positively feel you beaming from your typewritten words! And a very Happy New Year to you and yours Jay. Your celebrations sound super :)

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