2011 What a year!

This has been probably the most memorable year ever for me. It wont just be remembered for the cancer either. Some positive things can happen from negative experiences. I reckon I have experienced more in this year than any other. I am not going to lie though its been exhausting! Would I do so much again? Maybe not!

Lets start with the positives.

Hubby came home to live for a year.

We had our dream holiday to "San Francisco" (a week before diagnosis as I was expecting the worse)

We started a new business restoring Vintage Caravans

My eldest joined the Army, her dream job

My eldest passed her driving test and bought her own car

I ran my first 10km race

Hubby donated stem cells for "Anthony Nolan"

We had two brilliant short breaks in London

My youngest passed all her GCSE's even with all the crap going on around her

Started to embrace the whole vintage era

Had my first theatre experience

Learnt to sew using a sewing machine

Started my blog and made some fab new friends

Acquired a rather big workshop with tons of potential

I finally booked my first Skiing holiday which is only a few weeks away

I learnt to stop being so uptight, life is too short to worry about everything

Went to my first festival and loved it!

Oh yeah nearly forgot came through the cancer treatment

Not so good things!

Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Lost one of our dogs

Had two vehicles written of neither of which was our fault

Trying to run a business with a serious illness, not easy!

Do you know what, I can hardly think of anything bad that has happened. Looking at the list there are far more positives and it actually has been quite a fab year. Due to taking a bit of a back seat with work I spent more time with friends and loved it. 

If I have learnt anything this year it will be to have more fun, learn something new at every opportunity and not take life so seriously.

I am looking forward to next year and what it will bring.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

My Vintage Christmas

I feel like I am beginning to find my Christmas spirit. I have found this lovely Vintage Xmas music which I have downloaded. I really do recommend it if you love Vintage, there is no comparison to the modern Xmas songs

This week has been very eventful for family and friends. My new baby nephew was born yesterday although it was nearly 2 months too soon. Sadly he is spending his first Xmas in hospital but he is fine otherwise. One of my best friends got engaged, congratulation Su and Paul. Finally another friend got her hubby home from Afghanistan today just in time for Xmas. 

I have watched two Xmas movies with a few more planned before the big day.

I have quite a busy week with work and social gatherings. Thankfully Xmas Eve is free to chill. 

This is a vintage cake carrier from the 1950's. Its from America and has taken ages to arrive. It took so long the seller actually gave me my money back. It was in a bit of a state, it needed a really good scrub. Its perfect for my homemade Xmas cake which I did not make but a lovely lady in Grimsby did, thanks Barbara.

We visited some special friends this weekend and my friend Jayne gave me a gift from my Fave shop ever. The Vintage shop in Shrewsbury is full of authentic items its so cool. She bought me these 4 authentic "Babycham glasses". They are so cute I love them. I know I am off alcohol due to my medication but I am going to make an exception just for these glasses.

Have a Happy Christmas everyone, hope its a special one.

December blues

For months I have been saying How much I am looking forward to this Christmas and New Year. I really wanted to put this year behind me. December so far has been a really tough month. There is so much pressure for us all to be happy at this time of year and forget all the bad things. How exactly are you supposed to do that? I really want to have a fab Xmas for the sake of my girls. Its incredible but in the space of one week it has been brought to my attention that three young ladies with Breast Cancer have secondary Breast Cancer or recurrence. How crap is that? You try your hardest to escape from this Breast Cancer bubble but there are constant reminders everywhere pulling you back in. 

I know this is not like me to write like this. My intention is not to dampen everyone else's holiday spirit, I just wanted to be honest about how I am feeling. I am on new medication too which does not seem to be agreeing with me. I have spent the weekend on the sofa. I lie my hubby did take me to a cafe for lunch yesterday where I just played with my food as I do not seem to have an appetite. 

I think I have been a bit to optimistic really about this year. Maybe now I have got it off my chest my mood will improve. 

Its Christmas time.

We returned to London for 3 days last week for Darren to carry out the stem cell retrieval. Everything went really well and the quality produced was of a really high standard. The recipient will have had the transplant by now so fingers crossed.

London was great again but I was happy to come home after 3 days. I do love to visit towns and city's but I love coming home to the peace and quiet. My hubby wanted to visit the Natural History Museum and I was quite happy to go along with him. The first hour was great but after 3 hours I was losing the will to live. For me it was information overload. I know hubby could off spent several more hours there but he left to keep me happy. I know that sounds mean of me but its just not my thing.

The decorations are up, I just love this time of year. This is my small tree I have in my hallway which has only vintage baubles on. There are fairy lights coming out of every plug socket, not looking forward to my electric bill next month. 

I have been very crafty today and made homemade crackers (the pulling kind not the biscuit). I had a little help from my cat Guinness who is actually more of a hindrance but he was to cute to move. He managed to throw most of the stuff on the floor which my dog thought would be a good idea to eat.

I have been spoiling myself again, I could not resist these two cute items. I know they will not be every ones taste but I love them.