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Much of a muchness
Things that make you go 'hmm'…
All quiet on the Western front….
Posted by on December 3, 2009
For a change it’s all been quite quiet chez moi. Lots of web design and coding going on – I hadn’t realised that eCommerce was such a complicated thing, so that has been keeping me glued to my Mac day after day. Just as well as the weather has been dreadful – torrential rain and howling gales. It’s pouring again as I write this.
I did manage to escape to visit friends in Cardiff for the weekend last week. Needless to say it poured down and the trip back over the Severn Bridge was a nightmare but I did have a lovely time. We visited Cardiff Bay for a brisk walk (very brisk – it was freeeeeezing). I’d been there before – there are lots of shops and restaurants but I had never noticed that there is a Norwegian Church there. It’s a very pretty little building and outside there is a piece of Gaudi-esque sculpture which is a memorial to Captain Scott by Jonathan Williams. I thought this was a slightly odd place to site it, seeing as how Captain Scott was beaten to the South Pole by Roald Amundsen – a Norwegian explorer. The church has been now been deconsecrated and now has a tearoom and hosts craft fairs, weddings – and meetings of the Captain Scott Society (so they must have forgiven them!) It’s a small outpost of Norway, that is a taster for a planned trip to Oslo to attend RennyBA’s blog gathering in August next year, which should be fun and it will be great to actually meet some of the blogging friends I have made over the years.
I promised a two friends of mine that I would mention their new website, Chinti and Parker. It’s a gorgeous website selling ‘luxury basics which are produced ethically’. They sell women’s and baby clothes and I have to say it almost makes me wish I was a grandmother so I could treat my grandchild to an adorable hand knitted cashmere sweater. (I said almost, I’m not ready to be a granny just yet!)
It hasn’t escaped my ‘Bah humbug’ notice that Christmas is looming again. It’s December. Again. So soon. I am so disorganised and unenthusiastic about it. I have to confess at this point that the remains of last year’s tree are still at the bottom of my garden. I was going to burn it before the new one arrived in a week or so but it has been so wet I haven’t been able to. What a disaster. My garden fence was shredded by the wind too so I have ordered my new fence and a Christmas tree from Crocus. Let’s just hope the weather improves soon so I can do all the outdoor jobs which are piling up – install new fence, jet wash paving and decking (which is like a skating rink it is so mossy), repair leaking gutter, paint front door – you get the picture. If I can get a boy or two home maybe I can delegate….
Then there is Christmas shopping. The boys don’t seem to realise that when I say “if you don’t tell me what you want you won’t get anything’, that I mean it. It gets more difficult the older they get. I’m a great believer in Amazon Wishlists and add to mine in time for Christmas and birthdays. Trouble is no-one seems to ever read it so it just gets longer and longer until I give in and buy myself something off it. And don’t get me started on Christmas cards…
Thanks to Dave Walker for this. I love his cartoons, this is a link to his Christmas Advent calendar cartoons, every one a gem.
Much of a muchness 
Hahaha! LOVED the Christmas card chart. I can relate. Usually, I enjoy that people don’t reply because then I can cross them off my list and save a stamp next year. ;)
Your life quiet? I don’t believe it! And yes, that is a very wise thing to do: not give the boys anything if they don’t tell you what they want. Right now, we’re still at the not so good stage where they tell you a million things that they want and I laugh in their faces and go, “in your dreams, honey!”. Have I mentioned that I’m a mean mom?
The Oslo trip sounds amazing! Bet you’re excited already.
Those are darling things at your friends’ shop. :)
Oh, and you’re right: kimchi is like the Korean sauerkraut…very spicy, but same lactofermentation process.
I always leave writing cards until the very last minute in the hopes I won’t miss anyone who has sent me one. Trouble is I run the risk of noone getting one on time!
I’m feeling very lethargic at the moment. I think my body is shutting down and going into hibernation. The weather is so awful – it has bee windy and/or pouring with rain for weeks now :-(
Sorry your kimchi didn’t work out. It sounds delicious.
Yea, eBusiness or eCommerce is sometimes a bit of a challenge (I give lectures in that at the Business School of Management in Oslo you know :-)
I did not know about this memorial church, but there are a lot of small Norwegian churches at main ports around the world, since Norway was a very big ship nation.
This one was kind of special though: About Scott and Amundsen and the south pole. So when you come to join us at the Oslo Blog gathering, you may dig into that story at the Holmenkollen Ski Museum.
I’m really glad you have decided to join us in August next year and it will be great to meet you and other bloggers all around the world. Some of them you know, some will be new to you. However, we all share the same interest in meeting and sharing.
I do hope all your readers and blog friends understand that they are welcome too. The booking will be opened in a week or so at the official Program site.
I know Christmas is closer and closer and I have something to get ready before that too you know. The comfort is that whatever you do (or not manage to get done); the Christmas will appear anyway :lol:
I don’t send Christmas card, but Christmas letter. However, they are written in Norwegian – that’s why you haven’t got any :-)
I’m looking forward to it. I shall write about it and see if I can get a few more of MY blogging friends to come too – it would be such fun to meet up.
I’m sure Christmas is coming around sooner and sooner every year!
Just sayin’ hello Diane.
Just keep bugging those boys everyday. They’ll give you an answer eventually :)
Paul
Yes, funny that!
I love the kiddie photos you have been posting, such adorable children :-)
The Amazon ‘wishlist’ is the best thing since sliced bread ……. I hate giving people stuff they don’t really want and receiving crap is annoying and depressing ………. I might join you in a ‘bah humbug’
[Oooooo – wouldn’t Bar Humbug be a great name for a meeting place for grumpy ol’ men and women!]
I know, it is a great idea but only if you can get people to actually read it! I am about to start the dropping hints like bricks method of getting what you want for Christmas…worked for my birthday :-)
Count me in to be a founder member of Bar Humbug!
Felicitations for the season young Diane – late I know …….. sorrrrrrrry …….
Very happy seasonal greetings to you too, dear DP and Lo, TG
Have a great New Year
Do you know I had temporarily forgotten about the actual thing about writing cards for Xmas .. as I have become so internet focused .. [although bought my cards in the January sales]..
Love the website of Chinti and Parker . the products are exquisite… but a bit out of my price range I fear .
The Christmas Markets are up and at it in Manchester .. you can’t help but be festive :-)
I haven’t even bought my cards yet. I must buy them soon so they can sit in a drawer until the last minute…..
The Chinti and Parker things are gorgeous but I’m consoling myself that the fashion is too young for me and I don’t have anyone to buy baby clothes for….not strictly true but it’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it :-)
Now if they had a wishlist maybe…….
Great Post, I just love your drawing it’s very funny. Unlike you, I try to guess what my relatives want for Christmas, I never asked them what they want. It makes them more surprised that they get what they want.
I’ve tried guessing. It always worked when my boys lived at home with me but once they moved out, I have no idea what they have already so it is much more difficult. I always think boys are much more difficult to buy for anyway :-)
Perfect flowchart of the logic of Christmas cards. You should submit this to graphjam.com! We didn’t send out any cards. So we’re following the logic on the right. Happy Holidays!
It is a brilliant flowchart – and one I would have drawn had I thought of it! Dave Walker has lots of cartoons that he allows people to use on their blogs. They are all hilarious :-)
I’ve been trying to think of a plausible reason for not sending cards but failed (and sad to say I do like receiving them!) The Royal Mail was threatening to go on strike and I cheered but they have settled the dispute so having no excuse, I finally caved in and bought some yesterday. Just have to write them now…..
Loved the Dave Walker flow chart. I have discovered (after more than twenty years of not sending Xmas cards) that some people feel obliged to send cards anyway!
I admit that I now send ecards: emails with a special Christmas picture. No, not of me and husband and cat — usually Beeston, the intrepid exploring bear that you met when we had coffee.
I’d attach this year’s here but I’m not sure how to do it!
Sorry about the weather: here it’s just cold — really cold. Frankly I’ll take the -50 C. (including windchill) over howling gales and torrential rain at almost freezing temperatures. I lived in a Maritime climate once (two years in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) and have never been so bone-chillingly cold in my entire life!
Wishing you a very happy Christmas and no grandchildren too soon. (I think you would make a smashing granny!)
Cheers :}
Late reply but here’s hoping you and yours have had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I finally got the cards sent but after a panic when I lost my address book – wretched thing.
Weather has improved slightly here, now just constantly grey and freezing but not as cold as your weather fortunately. I am a bit of a hothouse flower and next year I plan to be in the sun for Christmas!
I love this!
Thank you!