the very last advent calender

Tuesday 24 December 

Christmas eve!

Well I've done it!  I have posted an advent photo every day!

This is the finished gingerbread house that head chef Alice and assistant Jared made the other evening.  They have reached the grand ages of 24 and 21 and never made a gingerbread house, oh how deprived they have been, what a bad mother I have been to have never suggested this before! Anyway it looks wonderful, a centrepiece for the dresser!

In case you missed any of the other advent posts here they all are

 So off for a glass of Baileys, hang up my stocking and brace myself for the mad house of nine plus a baby for lunch tomorrow...........

Happy Christmas to all my blog friends, hope you all have a lovely day!

Advent calendar

Thursday 19the December

Tea cosy ta da!

Was beginning to think that I would never get this finished. Had a bit of trouble with the frilled edge, still not sure that I followed the instructions properly. And then in no time last night I did the holly and sewed it up.
Mr Hh was a bit unsure and asked what it was exactly
A Christmas pudding tea cosy!!!

Advent Calender

Thursday 13 December
(woops a day late, but got home far too late to post it)

 My Mum is the chairman of Braintree district Council this year, her role is one of attending civic events and representing the council and the people of the district.  She has been very busy opening things, giving speeches and attending all sorts of events.  Last night was her Civic Carol Service.  It was held in Castle Hedingham church, which must be one of the coldest churches in Braintree.  Thick fog all the way there, 20 mile drive along the A12 and then some very narrow county lanes, thank goodness it cleared by the time we left.
I was allocated a seat in the front row, next to the Christmas tree, and everytime I moved the whole tree shook!

This event was attended by all the "important" people of Braintree and Essex!
Lots of chairman and mayors of different councils all wearing their chains of office (you could almost hear them all rattling!)  The leader of Essex County Council, the MP and a lady in a very impressive hat. She is the High Sherrif of Essex.  I had to look this up when I got home, but it would seem that this is a royal appointment and her role is to be present when royals visit the county, support the judges, police and charities.

The collection was in aid of the charitees that Mum has chosen to support this year: AlcoHELP, Safer places and the Scouts.  Representatives of these groups read the lessons.

It was all quite rousing with all the usual familiar carols, I am not sure why anyone needed the words!  Once in Royal David's City. It came upon the midnight clear. Silent Night. O little town of Bethlehem. Hark! the herald angels sing. In the bleak mid-winter. The first Nowell and finishing with O come all ye faithfully.  Thankfully the vicar was wise enough to zip through it all with out any faffing around. He must know how cold his church is, I did wonder how many layers he had on under his robes!

After we had mince pies, cups of tea and a chance to stand near the radiator!
It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

 

Advent Calender

Tuesday 10 December

 Mince pie making!  I make a sweet almond pastry and fill them with the plum mincemeat (without nuts or peel) that I made a few weeks ago.

 Some to take to my friends tomorrow night, froze some and only one left!

Yummy!  Think I will have to make some more...............

Advent Calender

Monday 9th December

Christmas cards

 All my cards are written.  Work ones have been given out.  Local ones will be hand delivered and some need posting.

I ordered my cards from Dots and Spots  The very talented Becky from Somerset designs and sells them.  She runs the small business from her home and there are some lovely photos of her home and studio on her Blog  I was lucky to take advantage of one of her Friday offers and got them half price and free postage.  She also has some lovely birthday cards and gift wrap, I am sure I will be placing another order soon!

On the 5th weekend before Christmas

I bottled some wine.  24 bottles to be exact.

You may notice one empty bottle at the front - well you do have to test it!

Making wine is quite a long job but fun.  I make two sort, the first is what I call tinned wine. This is the kit wine where I buy a kit which contains a tin of concentrate, this makes 6 bottles of wine in about 6 weeks.

The other sort is made from scratch using fruit and vegetables.  These are either given to me, grown by me or foraged.

I bottled some elderberry kit wine, elderflower and apple and plain elderflower which was started in June this year, not quite ready to drink yet. The apple and elderflower started in June last year would not clear, properly, so have given up and bottled it anyway.  Not one to put in a show, but fine to drink.

 

I also needed to "rack" some other wine.  This is a technical term for syphoning the wine from one demijohn to another to take away the sediment that forms in the bottom.

Bottling the wine is a bit of a faff.  Firstly I collect the bottles from the storage bin behind the shed and give them a good scrub.  Pour in the steriliser and leave for a bit.  Then with some help syphon with a plastic tube into the bottles.  Push the corks in with a special corking tool, write a label and transfer to my "wine cellar". Haha- I mean the garage.

This whole palaver of bottling 24 bottles and racking 3 jars took me all afternoon!

I make wine for a few reasons

It is nice to drink!

It is much cheaper than bought wine.  The kit wine works out at about £1.50 a bottle and the homemade is the price of a bag of sugar and some yeast, sometimes a carton of fruit juice too. Maybe 30 p a bottle.

There are less chemicals in homemade.

It is better for the environment on two counts.  Firstly my wine hasn't been shipped across the world.  sometimes we buy wine from Chile and Australia and I wonder how much energy it takes to get it here. then there is all the  travelling to the shop to buy it and bringing it home. Wine bottles are quite heavy.  Secondly I constantly re-use my bottles, I have been making wine for around 5 years and keep using the same ones, so don't have to take loads of empty bottles to the recycling bank.

Anyway job done- until next time.  

I also managed to tick some other jobs off the list including defrosting the outside freezer, doing some shopping, getting my tickets for the pantomime and cleaning out the chicken hutch.  Phew!