Thursday 1 January 2015

Welcome 2015!

Good morning and Happy New Year!  A whole New Year spread before us - hopefully we can all make the most of it and grab every new opportunity that comes our way.

Yesterday was a lovely day.  First there was some happy pootling about with some crochet in the morning (yes, I was the first to get up again, I love that quiet time before the household wakes up).  I had quite a lot of scraps of yarn left after completing my challenge blanket (which will have it's own post soon) so I am making a lap blanket for me - this is my progress so far...


I will make it as large as I can with the yarn I have left.  The rows are completely random in order as I am going with the smallest scraps to the largest left over to make the most of every bit of yarn.  But I am quite happy with the colour scheme so far.

Then my 3rd eldest son woke up and helped in the kitchen to make some veggie sausage rolls...


I had some puff pastry and home made mincemeat left so had a go at making pinwheel pastries...


These little treats didn't hang around for long because the rest of the brood were woken up by the cooking smells!

Then DH suggested a little trip out to the Peak District in Derbyshire - neither of us had been out of the house since Sunday so we thought we needed a change of scene.  In-between days are the best, enjoying being at home and just having time to "be", but eventually even the best of loungers can start to feel slight cabin fever looming on the horizon!  We love driving up to Derbyshire, sometimes if we just want to get out for a couple of hours we just drive up to Bakewell and back, the route is so scenic and there is always something different to see.  This time, being the festive season, the little villages were all dressed up for Christmas.  We ended up at the Peak Village retail outlet in Rowsley.  This is based on the site of an old railway station, with the old buildings preserved as shops.  The courtyard looked so pretty with all the lights...


I love how the old stations were heated with real fires, just look at those chimneys...


The snow was still laying thickly on the ground as you can see, but on the way home the temperature started to rise and rain started to fall.  This morning all the snow has melted away.

Once back home, DH cooked tea (he is an amazing cook!!) whilst I finished working on a little heart for my bestest friend Sue...


I wrote "2015" on the larger of the two buttons in permanent ink...


We always go to Sue's house on New Year's Eve to see in the New Year with her and her family, and I like to make her a New Year gift in the shape of a scented heart as a little "thank you". 

As usual, we had a lovely time, catching up with the gossip news, talking about plans for trips in the new year, nibbling on delicious treats.  When the clock struck twelve, DH cracked opened the alcohol-free bubbly.


Then we watched the firework display from London on the TV, as ever these were amazing...


image courtesy of BBC News

I would love to go to this display one year, it looks so spectacular.

Later today we are going to visit my Darling Mum to have a New Year's Day meal with her, DH and I will prepare it as she is still fairly frail after all her recent illness, but thankfully improving.

Happy New Year!

Helenxx

10 comments:

  1. Happy New Year - I would love to go to London for the NYE celebrations too. One day ......
    Wishing you well for the year ahead. x

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  2. The cooking looks yummy
    Julie xxxxxx

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  3. Hi Helen!
    What lovely photos, the pastries look delicious!!! <3
    Sounds like a great way to spend the day!
    Have a wonderful 2015!!!
    Ingridxx
    http://myfunkycrochet.blogspot.be

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  4. Happy New Year dear Helen, it sounds like you have rung in the New Year in a perfect way. Bet wishes for 2015,
    Meredith

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  5. What a great way to celebrate and I loved going on the drive with you! Did you find anything fun in the shops? I'm glad your mum is improving. Have a fantabulous 2015! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  6. I love waking up early. Especially during the winter where the days just aren't long enough. Of course, I like waking up early during Winter Break and weekends, but not necessarily during the work week. :) Looks like you had a lovely last day of the old year. Sending healing wishes for your mom and blessings for the year ahead. Tammy

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  7. Thank you for sharing your day with us Helen. We had a very quiet New Years Eve, staying in and going to bed early. I did get up and watch the fireworks outside our bedroom window at midnight. Today we're relaxing and watching movies while I crochet. I hope you enjoyed the dinner with your Mom and that she'll soon be feeling very well.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  8. Someone in Portland was setting off fireworks last night although we could not see them, but I had happy times with family and friends bringing in the new year, too, Helen, and I'm glad you did as well. Today I enjoyed watching on TV the Rose Bowl parade of flower decorated floats, marching bands and prancing horses and then watching our Oregon Ducks college team win the Rose Bowl football game. May you and yours have a most happy 2015! xx

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  9. The tree and all the deco rations are stunning.
    Happy New Yera to you my dear friend.

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