Sampler progress

Today I completed row 5 of my 11 row Ruby Anniversary sampler. 

I'm pleased because I only started this as we set off on our holiday on the 4th December. So I'm doing quite well because I had to finish Dragonscape Hanging while I was away. It is for DS for his birthday and I wanted to give it to him on Boxing Day as I won't see him on his birthday later this month.

 I can also show you Purple Rain felted Hanging number 3 which I gave to DD and her partner for Christmas. Purple Rain 2 is mine - I posted a photo of that before and number 4 is very similar and went to DSis and her husband for Christmas.

I feel as if I've completed quite a lot over the last few months and am very happy with the results.

Happy New Year to you all, enjoy the last of the holiday and raise a glass with me at 12 midnight on the 31st.

Christmas puddings

Thanks to Chittle Chattle for her post which reminded me I hadn't written down the dessert I concocted for Christmas Day.
A few mornings before I had seen Gordon Ramsey make a dessert and we decided that we didn't want a heavy Christmas pudding. I found the ingredients on the web but no instructions and on Christmas Day I couldn't see the programme - I can watch it again now The One Show 21st December - it will probably disappear soon so I must get it down now before I forget.
I don't like cream so decided to substitute marscapone instead of whipping cream and fromage fraise instead of single cream. So here is what I made on Christmas Day. (My substitutions are in brackets)

Sheila's adaptation of a Gordon Ramsey Dessert

Christmas ice cream and fruit sundae

• Ice Cream (any flavour G R recommends ginger or honeycomb) I used vanilla

• 200ml double cream
 (marscapone cheese)
• 100g honeycomb
 (2 frozen crunchies)
• Caramel sauce
 200ml
• single cream 
(fromage fraise)
• 100g mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries etc)

• 10g sugar
(less - it doesn't really need any!)
• 2 peeled clementines
 (I forgot to put these in)
• Chocolate shavings
 - melt chocolate on baking parchment and curl up when not quite hard - do this in a cool atmosphere as the chocolate melts very easily)
• Crushed roasted hazelnuts

1. crush nuts
2. spread caramel sauce into iced glass
3. put in berries, honeycomb (or crunchies, frozen to make it easy to crumble), clementines
4. mix caramel sauce, mascapone and fromage fraise
5. spoon into glass
6. make an ice cream ball and place on top
7. more caramel sauce poured on top
8. spread crushed nuts on top
9. put chocolate shavings on top
10. serve
    
    
    Sorry I don't have a picture as we ate them all it was agreed that they were much better than Christmas pudding.

40 Years and Counting

Well our big day is now over. Yesterday was our Ruby Anniversary. It was a beautiful day in the sun. We took a trip out to what could have been a tropical island - Pigeon Island - not an island now as they have build a causeway to get there. It is a nature reserve and permanent museum to colonial rule in St Lucia. The first British garrison left their mark in the form of ruins where they lived and the look-out point where they placed their guns is well worth a look-see. 


I spent most of the time at the beach because we had explored the rest of the island on our first visit there The waves were quite strong but not as bad as at our resort beach which has been dangerous the last three days. I tried the snorkel but there was't much to see, the sea was too murky. DH managed to see one fish when he swam quite close to the rocks. I also realised today that I had left the snorkel and mask behind - boo - waste of money!


Lunch was at the island's only restaurant It was lovely sitting and watching the boats in the bay. We could have been there on our own, it was very small and shaded by the trees. Beautiful. Do a Google search on Pigeon Island and see the reviews. 


We went to a restaurant called Buzz in the evening which is just over the road from the hotel and this is my before dinner drink, fantastic glass!

 and here we are trying not to look too drunk!

The day ended with a final drink talking to some people we had met in the sister hotel next door.

Today is our last full day and I have to pack tonight. Shame the trip is nearly over but then we go back to the UK and straight into Christmas. Great. Hope I packed enough warm clothes!


DH has gone out to take some last sunset shots and I've had a shower and must go now and start packing. See you all on Wednesday.

Weather

OK I know everyone in the UK is experiencing bad weather at the moment. Yes I know I'm out of the country and it's beautiful here in St Lucia. However I was reading this blog today and it got me thinking. What is it that we dread? Bad weather - why? Missing appointments? Being late for a meeting? Letting someone down? Missing a dead-line?

Sitting here writing my blog at 6.45 in the morning I thank my blessings and start to think of all the good things, my loving DH of 40 years - yes it's our Ruby Anniversary on Sunday - that's the reason we are away on holiday at this time. My two adorable fluff balls who are being looked after by my DD. My two children - well not children any more I know. My art, my crafts and my sewing which fill my days quite amiably.

My work while I've been away
2 Cards

My Blackwork Anniversary sampler, I'm on to row 3, a red heart, now why is the picture flipped? I took it with the internal camera on this machine and having posted it now just realised it's flipped. I'll have to look at that and try to put it the right way round.

The final piece of work I can't show you as it's a present so will post a picture of that after Christmas.

Please everyone look on the positive side and write down everything that is good and what you have achieved this year. thanks to Marlis for helping me look at all the good things in my life. Yes I did make a list of all my accomplishments this year and they did surprise me. 2011 has been a good year for me. Thank you to my family for making that possible. Also a big thank you to all you bloggers out there who give inspiration and chat. Thank you, have a great festive period, however you might celebrate it and I hope 2012 is a good one for you.

Beachcombing

Look what I found yesterday. Sorry it's poor quality. I am playing with new technology getting my Mac and iPod to work together.

St Lucia

A 9 hour flight and a one and a half hour small bus journey later we got to Rodney Bay on the North West corner of St Lucia,  Dropped our bags after being delivered to the wrong hotel! Ours was just next door and all part of the same complex. Then explored the grounds in the dark, had a sandwich well to tell the truth it was a big meal, fries and all! Then dropped into bed. Our watches said 7.30 but that was local time so it was really 11.30 UK time and we had been up since 4am. A long wait and the airport and a very long flight. It will have been worth it.

This morning I was up at 6, my normal time so must be adjusting well after a short walk along the beach it started raining and I mean raining hard but it was warm. It was quite a shock to put our feet in the water and it was warm - lovely. The rain got heavier and we took shelter for quite a while. DH took some photos of the boats in the bay. When the rain let up a bit we set off back for breakfast. I will hope to show you some photos at some point during the holiday.

All for now.

Ruby Anniversary Jaunt

We are finally off on our jaunt. Yesterday the car was packed with bags for both hot and cold climes - different bags, two cats and their acutriments, Christmas presents all wrapped. To say the car was full is an understatement. We set of from Tyneside in the rain and it was quite wet all the way down to London to stay today with DD. Cats travelled well and seem to be quite happy in their new temporary home. I will be acting as taxi for DD today with a variety of jobs then one more sleep and St Lucia here we come. It will be a very early start as the flight is at 9.30am and we have to get from Surrey to Gatwick. I'll wave as we leave. Thanks so much for reading