More from Maria - leaving Britain

Today was our last day of being happy and carefree tourists around London Town as tomorrow we make our way to Dover to then sail onto the Fjords of Norway but you will never guess what happened today?  Yep!  The sun came out and the skies turned blue!  Miracle of Miracles.  John and I had to come back to the hotel to change into something cooler because we had planned to walk to Harrods through Hyde Park and knew that the hike was going to take about 45 minutes.  This morning when we got up was only 9 Celsius.  That is something that I have noticed when watching the weather forecast ... it comes in two parts .. temperatures for the morning and then separate temperatures for the afternoon.

We covered a lot of territory today and one of the loveliest highlights was being able to walk along the side of the river Thames for miles and miles.  We took stacks of photos of the Tower Bridge and also walked under and over London Bridge.  We saw Westminster Abbey, Albert Hall, Cleopatra's Needle, walked down Bond, Oxford and Fleet Streets.  Harrods has to be seen to be believed, it is stunningly beautiful and I have never, ever seen so many luxurious items at the same time and under the one roof.  My better half sort of asked/said you are not intending to be there for two hours are you, and my response was "well I certainly want to do more than sniff the air and turn around to go out again" but basically that's what happened which suited me just fine in the end because my champagne tastes would have ruined anything left of my beer budget.  And with six weeks still to go on this amazing holiday I was glad to get away from such terrible temptations!

Tomorrow London will be doing what London always does so well and that is put on it's pomp, pageantry and ceremony to celebrate the Queen's Birthday.  All week we have been watching the city changing not only with road closures and frustrated drivers, but immense colour being introduced through flags and flowers.  I saw a tree being covered with real and large purple flowers, it was so amazing I took a photograph which I will show you when I get back home.

Just before leaving I want to mention to you that the photograph of me was taken by a perfect stranger, a gorgeous looking guy dressed in an equally gorgeous red jumper who just came up to me and offered to take my picture with the tower bridge in the background (it didn't work out).  Just goes to show you how friendly the locals are and naturally it did wonders for my ego!!
Maria

Christmas Lights

This white display was created by one woman on her own. She even clambered onto the roof by using her wheelie bin as a ladder to put the lights up there! She was telling us that no one in the hardware store was able to advise her on how to anchor the lights to the tiles so she worked out a method herself.

Although very simple and not a winner in the Christmas lights competition, I liked the way this house was picked out with lights - it created a sort of light painting!

These two pictures are of the overall winner of the lights competition. It really was amazing how much had been created, snowmen, reindeer, ten drummers drumming on the garage roof and lots of little animated Christmas toys in the garage display too. It certainly deserved to win.

These are just a few pictures of the lights that decorated some of the homes on the Gold Coast for Christmas. I took lots of pictures but will only share a few!

AJ

More handmade decorations

Many years ago I used to play with clay. I was a reasonably successful potter but I would amuse myself - and everyone else - by modelling with clay.
In a moment of madness I decided to make a Nativity scene. Every "famous" artist has painted the Nativity and since I was hoping that one day I too would be famous (!!!) I too created my version. I think I went a bit overboard with the sheep though! I enjoyed pushing the clay through a garlic press to make the shaggy wool so the shepherds ended up with a very large flock! I did enjoy creating the camel for one of the wise men. In fact it is the best piece in the collection! The little figures were all covered with white glaze and fired to 1200 degrees.
For many years the Nativity scene has been stowed away in a suitcase but this year has been unwrapped and is on display in my lounge.
We have the reason for our celebrations on display alongside the pagan Christmas Tree with all its lights and decorations.
I have a crazy mixed up home!
Thats the way I like it!
AJ

Decorating for Christmas

My house guests were out for the day so I hastily stole a few moments to finish decorating my reindeer. I have a bit of a collection of Christmas confetti - the stuff you sprinkle over tables to make them look pretty - as well as pieces of felt and a few beads so with a glue gun and a bit of peace and quiet I applied the glue and glittery bits. (I managed to singe the tips of my fingers twice before I learned not to do it again!) After lunch I decorated the Christmas tree and set out the reindeer on a set of cupboards in the dining room.
A few weeks ago I had sent away for some fibre optic lights (Ebay) and after searching for AA batteries I set them amongst the reindeer for a rather fun look. I know this is a bit "over the top" but I am not going to string streamers around the house nor make a big fuss with other decorations so in the dining room "This is it"!
The little Santa with the sack is made of pottery and was made by me twenty years ago now! Boy it doesn't feel as if it was that long ago!
The sleigh I found in a store on sale one year after Christmas when all left over decorations are sold for half price. I like a bargain!
The funny stuffed reindeer were once used as gifts beside each plate one Christmas - some of the adults didn't take them home so I have four to play with! Some of them you can squeeze and they sing!
I have taken a photo of the decorations in the lounge and will share those with you another time.
AJ

Christmas is coming

While everyone else is out shopping or doing sensible things what does AJ do with her time? Paint reindeer of course!
For my family the decorating for the festive time is done two weeks before Christmas so the week leading up to that time of decorating HAS to be the preparation of those decorations! I had bought some papier mache small reindeer and they are a most uninteresting brown cardboard colour so I had to set too and change them. I used Ceiling white paint because it is water washable and I am not the cleanest of painters! I also wanted something that would dry reasonably quickly. I don't want the reindeer to be tacky at Christmas!!!! (sorry! wierd sense of humour!) Besides which, I need to stick all sorts of ribbons and sparkles on them so they look smart and special. So they need to be dry by tomorrow.
I did surprise my daughter in law when she rang me in the middle of the painting job and she wanted to talk to someone sensible - and proceeded to ask me what I was doing. Gulp! At least I made her laugh! I guess there are not too many people who admit to painting reindeer on a hot summer's day!

AJ