Good evening bloggers. I hope you have all had a fabulous weekend despite the weather. 
Is this the biggest basket you have ever seen?!! This was delivered on Friday and the box was so huge I could barely get it in the door! It is
so enormous that Bodie looks like a puppy again, and we could all fit
in with him - the girls have, much to his disgruntlement. 
He now has
the best bed in the house and loves it. He is so torn now between lying
in the kitchen in his bed or stretching out by the fire. The other plus
side is that Andy is now coming round to my way of thinking about a
kitchen extension, which I have been on about for several years.
Basically it will be a glorified kennel because the basket will still
take up most of it, but it will be a huge improvement.
I am managing to relax a bit more this week. I don't have any fairs for a week or two, and my sister has all my stock as she has done a huge party up in Newcastle for me, so I am putting the business aside for a week or two as next Saturday I am off on holiday for a week. Bad timing as I have turned down 5 fairs for that week, but worth it! We are going to a place near Grantham in Lincolnshire with my parents for the week. We go every year to the same place, and we have the most amazing time. It is a cabin in the grounds of Belton Woods hotel, with its own jacuzzi and sauna, and use of the hotel facilities. We go for walks, do a bit of shopping and mainly float around and play board games in the evenings. It is heaven, and it was my Dad's 60th birthday present to himself a few years ago - but we all benefit (unlike his other birthday presents - dodgy music and sports biographies!). The only sad part is that my sister can't come with us this year as she is going into hospital on the Tuesday for an operation on her leg. We'll miss her heaps (who else is going to entertain the girls ;-) ).
The girls have been kept quiet all weekend too by the box the basket came in, which takes up the whole room, but has been used as a kennel, a house and a hospital. We've hardly seen them. I can't get in there to shut Grace's drawers or make the bed so it looks like a bomb has gone off and that is their shelter!
Thanks to the box I have been able to get on with some stuff I've been meaning to do for ages. I made our Christmas cake, which has been in the oven for nearly 4 hours and has made the house smell amazing. 
I have hung some new mirrors that I got from the Croquet Club bric a brac sale a few weeks ago, and I have re-covered the blind in our bedroom with some of the fabric I thrifted ages ago. Our bedroom is looking much better, and I am working through my list of things to make for the house - which is enormous. I have got so much furniture to paint too, and I hate doing it so much, so I've been putting it off.
I had a fabulous day on Thursday shopping in Oxford with my good friend Stacey. We go somewhere further afield every year and do some Christmas shopping, have lunch and several coffees. It was good fun, and I love Oxford so much. We went to the Nosebag for lunch, which is a fab place we go to every time we hit Oxford - I would recommend it. Stacey bought loads of things, but I was very restrained. I don't do much Christmas shopping until December because I always find things I'd rather buy if I start too early. I got some good ideas though, and am formulating a plan for next week. The shops are great in Grantham and I am planning a trip to Newark too, and also to Decorative Country Living, but mainly for inspiration. Next door to the place we stay is a garden centre that has a house in the grounds that is done up as a shop. The kitchen sells kitchen things, the bathroom toiletries etc, and it is so great just to wander round. I will try to sneak some photos if I can, but I'm not sure how people feel about taking photos in shops.
I am off to do some ironing and read some magazines by the fire. I bought Romantic Home in Borders in Oxford which has got some great pictures in, and I got my copy of Marie Claire Idees through the other day which has some good ideas in too. I feel a gin and tonic coming on too while I am reading, while I wait for Andy to serve dinner and fix the washing machine! It's a tough life....
Cathy XX