Goodbye 2011

Hello all. With just about 45 minutes left of 2011 I must say that we will be very glad to say goodbye to what has been a year that's been memorable for all the wrong reasons. I hope that some of you have had a happier one, though most people we know seem to have also had a bad year one way or another.
So, time to dust off the sadnesses, difficulties and annoyances and usher in a fresh start that we can only hope will bring better things for us all. We'll be starting 2012 by going outside to view the fireworks (not ours!) and raising a small glass. I have always disliked New Year and usually find it rather depressing, but am looking forward to this one.
Hope everyone had a good Christmas - ours was quite strange with all the recent events and changes, but we had a lovely quiet time.
With all the recent sadness I did forget to tell you that there was a happy moment when we were moving....thanks to some positive thoughts sent my way, and despite my having previously searched in the exact same place, my Art Journal reappeared much to my absolute delight and relief! I will certainly have plenty to add to it now.
You'll have seen that we have knocked the Rant Blog on the head. I had so much to have a good moan about, but just never seemed to have time to sit and type it all out. Oh well, please feel free to have a grumble on here anyway if the urge strikes you!
Okay then, about half an hour before the clock strikes twelve, so I will sign off with good wishes to you all from both of us.

bowing out

Hi folks, just to let you know that the Lindsay's Rant blog is cancelled, due to ( of course ) no response.
It appears that everyone is trouble free and is immune from the everyday pressures that life throws at the rest of us !!! Best wishes David

PS from Lindsay.......and I'm the biggest culprit, with plenty to rant about but no effort to do so!!! Thanks Joanne, for your witty, and hopefully correct comment! Lindsay x

God Bless us every one

I'd like to say a big thank you for all the cards, comments, emails and calls since dad died - they were much appreciated. I'm sorry it's taken me a long time to post this, but, David and I have moved home and have only just got Broadband up and running.

Today would have been dad's birthday and the lead up to his favourite day of the year - Christmas day itself. Here's a picture of dad last year that shows just how much like a big kid he always was on Christmas morning. Heather and I took some flowers to dad's resting place outside the beautiful village Church today and we'll be thinking of him tomorrow. With everything that's happened I'm afraid that I just haven't had the chance, or spirit, to send Christmas cards this year, so apologies for that. I have received some lovely ones though and a wonderful one from our friend Joanne as well as this beautiful hanging ornament that she made with my favourite colours in mind - Heather got one too and you can see a picture on her blog. Here's a snap of Tara, mum and dad's cat, guarding the tree. We are her new mum and dad, though she and Thomas are not getting along very well....should I say Tara really, as she is very grumpy indeed! This post is something of a jumble but I did want to share a, not very good, picture of the roosting Starlings that have been flying in fascinating formation right over the house. Hard to take a decent shot of them, but there were thousands and the noise of their wings was astonishing. I feel very fortunate to have one of nature's great spectacles right on our doorstep. Well, this was just a quick sign in to show our appreciation for everyone's kind messages. I'll be having a new email address soon, so will post that on the blog of course. I'll also be posting new demonstration details for next year, so look out for those.
Meanwhile, we'd like to wish everyone a very happy, peaceful and contented Christmas and the hope that we all have a better year in 2012.