Christmas 2009!

Here's a little taste of my Christmas this year!

All looks very traditional and jolly doesn't it?

Well, maybe aside from the pic of Wills in his new slipper?

If I'm honest though I will be glad to get back to normal and put this all behind me.

Not that I haven't had a lovely stay with Grannywen and Papajohn, and they have given Harry, Wills and I some lovely gifts, but I have actually felt quite alone this Christmas and didn't quite drink enough wine to get through it all without a tear shed here and there,

quietly,

on my own!!

Having survived a very soggy drive down on Weds night, Christmas Eve was spent in a flurry of activity trying to buy some cat litter!!!? The ratties festive retreat required some specialist litter so as not to upset their delicate little noses, but within 5 mins of them settling in to the comfy new slipper that Granny provided them with, they were asleep and couldn't have cared less!!

I was somewhat dismayed to find that even before lunch on Christmas Eve the local garden centre had removed Christmas in a wasteland of broken decs and spilled glitter. The whole festive display was being dismantled and packaged up for 'The Sale', which made it all seem really rather sad!

We hadn't even had Christmas yet???

Somehow though it just seemed to confirm the backdrop for my own lack of festive spirit this year.

Christmas day was the usual morning potter about, followed by lunch, the Queen and then pressies! I had a lovely new professional tripod having broken my smaller one earlier this year and some crafty stuff, and the boys had snuggle tunnels and treats galore!! We were very lucky! It was all very lovely, just my little family, (who I love dearly) but just a bit too quiet for me!

Boxing Day was rescued slightly by an evening visit to a work chum who was also in the area visiting with her family. Family fortunes games and frivolity ensued and it was a very merry evening, but again just highlighted my loneliness on the way back afterwards!

Today I have spent more precious craft tokens on the ratties - and have bought them a new mini sized cage which will be both a travelling carriage and a weekender! They don't realise how lucky they are and how much I have had to consider when purchasing just the right thing for them, but I couldn't put them through the torture of the travelling cardboard box again. Spoilt little ratties!!!

Am off back to the city tomorrow as am due back to work on Tuesday. As much as I don't relish the next ten days at work at least I will be too busy to feel anything other than really really tired!!

The night before Christmas!

Just a very quick post to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Sarah, Harry n Wills

xxx

Have I been a good girl this year?

I must have, because my pressie was a trip here yesterday to see my favourite Big cats............in the snow!!!!!

It helped that they only live six miles down the road from my doggy chums family (who didn't know they were there). How cool is that????

So a little gang of us spent a very happy couple of hours in the sunshine and snow, clicking away and having the most fabulous time. It was quite amusing to see that the Tigers slip and slide on the ice just as much as we do, but they didn't seem too bothered by it.

So, two more sleeps and the big day is here! I feel full of cold and have to go and start/finish my shopping today otherwise no pressies for Grannywen and PapaJohn?? Then I have to clean the ratties, pack all their toys and set off down to Dorset! Am tired just thinking about it! Hopefully my journey won't be too bad, unlike the trip to Kent on Monday night which took about four hours!! As you can see from the pics though - well worth it!

Right better go, will squeeze in one more post before Christmas as have a special festive LO to share.

xxx

It's beginning to feel...................

Ok Ok, how could I not start to feel a bit festive having spent the weekend with this lot??

Firstly, Foxy in the garden on saturday. There wasn't any snow here but it was quite frosty and he looked quite chilly sat on his own in the middle of the lawn??

Then I travelled off to Kent for some snuggly animal fun. I went on the train in the end as the roads were still too bad and I didn't want to get stranded. After a fabulous snowy walk in the forest I found these creatures at the bottom of the garden - literally!

Real Christmas card pics aren't they - I was so pleased with them. I love the fat little robin.

Back home to the city and I was meant to travel off to visit some close family friends for lunch today. Sadly I have a really really sore throat and feel quite rubbish so have postponed the trip til the New Year as I didn't want to give my germs as a pressie. Am gonna stay in the warm til later this evening then its off again to Kent as I have a surprise tomorrow and I want to be well enough to enjoy it!!

Will let you know what it is tomorrow!

xxx

Yippee!!!

After a 16 hour shift yesterday (which was on top of a hangover from our office do the previous night) I am now on my hols!!!

No more work til the 29th!!

Hurrah!

NOT that I feel Christmassy yet in any shape or form even with all the lovely snow around!

In fact, if I'm honest the snow is annoying me somewhat. I have a lot of travelling to do over the next few days, in various different directions and all this weather is causing me concern that I will

a) not be able to get where I need to go

b) not be able to get back

c) be in the wrong place when I get snowed in (although none of the places I am going would be all that bad if I were to get stuck there, but need to be somewhere special for Christmas!!)

So, I guess I am still a bit bah humbug but in a very cheerful sort of way, but still

the weather means I have no signal on my tv!

Foxy is curled up asleep in the back garden but nowhere that I can get a good photo of him from the window!!

Harry and Wills have created utter carnage in their cage shredding up all their boxes and have bullied the igloo down onto the poop deck - I think I had better get them a new one, they are too big now to both fit into it anyway!

The little fella in my LO was a fave from my childhood, and reminds me very much of Wills. They both love to hide things away and Will's cleptomania is increasing daily - I never realised my handbag was such a treasure trove!!?

Toodlepip!

xxx

Brrrrrrr!

Oh my!

How chilly has it become now?

I'm even sure I saw a snowflake or two ??

I hope your week is going well?

I am enjoying reading about everyones decorations but sadly still am not feeling the festive love! Apart from a very pretty silvery and sparkly 'Joy' hung on the ratty place my decs are well and truly in their box, which is where they will stay this year!

The December kit arrived yesterday and it was like opening a surprise present unwrapping all its loveliness - mmm yummy stash, can't wait to get to use it - may even jump in the Zone this evening!!?

Here is a LO showing my doggy chums enjoying a very brisk (and soggy) walk at Camber Sands. Sadly no pics from the weekend just gone as there was too much damn rain. I did try to capture the deer at the bottom of the garden but they didn't want to play either and then it got too wet again. Will try again on Sunday as there is a lovely white stag just begging to grace a LO from the Dec GoGo kit!!

Wills and fat Harry are fine and have both sent their letter to Santa asking for some play tunnels and tubes. I've another ratty LO to share later this week!

Toodlepip

xxx

Baa Humbug - Me?

As promised, finally a photo of some scrapping!

It's made using the November Scrapagogo kit which I only started to tuck into yesterday. Before I know it - hopefully on Monday, the Dec kit will have arrived and I already have a plan for at least one LO with it.

Not long to go to the big day, but we are not really having Christmas in Clapham this year.

I can't be bothered to get the decs out cos a) we wont be here after next Friday and b) the ratty palace occupies the space where my little tree would go!!

Not that I'm being all baa humbug, (promise) I just still don't feel at all Christmassy yet. I even popped into the permanent Christmas shop near the court where I have been all week, I even managed to buy some new decs, but they are more likely destined for scrapping pages than anything else?

I am ashamed to say that I haven't made any cards this year despite some super ideas picked up from Helen over at Fiddlefart. I just haven't had the time or inclination. It's gonna be a few late shop bought ones I think, but if I don't get organised soon I will have missed the post anyway??

Better go, was planning to go shopping in Canterbury today but am running far too late to go now. Am off to collect my doggy chum snuggles instead!!

xxx

Too wriggly!!

Hello all, am alive and well and am pleased to say that I have finally made it back into the Zone!!!

Yep! I have finally scrapped something - well a couple of things actually, work and life finally allowed me some quality time to - ME!!!

This is not entirely true though I have to confess, I have had loads of ideas of what to scrap, but they have mainly been ideas that involve two small wriggly things that wont sit still long enough to have their pics taken!! Add to that the dark evenings and lack of light for photos and I have lots of stored ideas that will just have to wait for now. I have managed a couple of LO's using not so good pics taken on my Iphone and I have finally started and finished my entry for Nat's Scrapagogo CJ so all is not lost! And if I'm truthful I have had some me time - I have just spent it doing 'other' things!!

Will share the LO's soon, just need to photograph them in daylight!

Am off for some paw therapy again this weekend. Two large dogs, fresh air and a cold wet beach beckon.............bliss!!!

xxx

Confessions!

I received this award a few weeks ago from the lovely Lisa at the Craft Garden. I thought it was about time I said thank you and completed the task of supplying you with five random facts about me!!?

1. My kitchen work top is currently bowing under the weight of all the empty bottles of Blossom Hill that I have consumed recently.

2. I confess to having been out on a couple of dates which I really enjoyed!

3. I am quite happy being Bridget Jones again, even down to the BIG knickers. She and I were very close for years and it feels quite comfy putting her back on again!

4. I have been out and treated myself to some new clothes and some sassy new underwear!

5. I really don't care if you don't like what you read on my blog ( this is only aimed at one reader!). It is my blog and you really don't have any business reading it any more anyway!!!

and one for luck.............Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tensing aka Harry and Wills are the funniest pair of furries ever and I am so thankful that they are here, they have really helped me smile the last few weeks!! Even if they are a pair of mint stealing cleptomaniacs!!

Another blog award soon and maybe even some scrapping to share???

toodle pip!

xxx

Not very festive!!

Here in the House of Cheeky Ratties, things are not at all festive!!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas but just cant seem to get into the spirit of things this year. I haven't even thought about my cards let alone started making any!!?

I have very much enjoyed looking at everyones JYC pages and am very jealous that I haven't joined in, but there are only so many poses in tiny crimbo hats that Harry and Wills are prepared to endure!

(For that read - none!!! They rarely sit still for long enough!! Although if someone can send me some tiny hats I am prepared to try??)

The ratties are asleep at the moment and I am just watching foxy in the garden playing with my flower pots. I must remember to throw some more nuts out for the squiggles too - haven't done it for a while!

I still haven't scrapped anything and am running out of time to complete my Scrapagogo Cj - especially as it is my dreaded weekend working this weekend!! I have had to change my mobile number that I've had for about 15 years because of all the poop from BM and despite that lack of aggro I am still feeling quite low! I haven't started any Crimbo shopping, but at least don't have many people to buy for this year ? Oh hells bells - someone send me Gino Dacampo in a loin cloth to cheer me up??