And so, another year draws to an end. I suppose the biggest deal for me was becoming bionic. I am so glad to have that surgery behind me.
A vegan Christmas has come and gone, and marvelous presents received.
As usual, hubs and daughter managed to find quirky and interesting presents for me. Amongst other things, I have a delightful new fire pit and this marvelous wicker horses’ head. My new back garden will soon lose its blandness.
It’s been freezing around these parts of late, with mist, wind, sleet and heavy rain, yet not a snowflake to be seen. I would have enjoyed at least one heavy fall, as long as it cleared quickly. Nobody likes slithering around on ice.
Daughter doing karaoke
Curly cat still has the lounge; I haven’t had the heart to move him, so no log burner for us this winter. That’s fine though, I’d hate to find him lying frozen outside, I have a feeling that he’d refuse to come in if I put him in a different room.
This is always a good time to reflect, but for me, it’s just good to know that right now, all is well with family and friends. Three dogs are sleeping, the cat is in, my flock of released birds are all present and accounted for, little Hettie hog is safe, and the magpie with the dodgy wing is still thriving. That will do me nicely, what more could a girl want?
I hope too, that you are all content right now, and are able to appreciate all your blessings.
Here’s to a wonderful, happy, healthy, prosperous 2018. All the very best to you all.
Thanks Anne, I do hope 2018 is less busy for you!!! All the best to you and yours.xxx
Well and truly overdue greetings to you, and wishes for a happy 2018! The year has had a running start for me, with lots and lots and lots of work. So lovely to see your family enjoying Christmas and all the creativity in gifts.
What more could a girl want, indeed? You are rich in life Dina. Here’s hoping the new year treats you well.
Thanks Brenda, I think you are rich in life too. Hope you had a good New Year, all my very best to you and yours!xxx
Yay ! A vegan Christmas lunch. What did you have ? I saw so many delicious looking vegan Christmas meals online this year. Made my mouth water. So many people are doing Veganuary this year too, so there is a real excitement about sharing recipes and food tips among other things.
What a lovely image of your house with all the animals sitting contentedly and the humans earning a well-deserved rest. Hope this year brings you lots of joy. xxx
Hi Keggs, we had the cheatin range from Vbites, slices of chicken with sausages wrapped in bacon. Must say it was delicious. In the main though, it’s all about the veggies with us, roasties, colcannon, green medley, carrot and parsnip mash, roasted parsnips etc….what did you go for? Yes, the Veganuary has gathered a lot of momentum and as you say, recipes are flying around. Hoping all is well with you, all the very best!!!xxxx
Sounds lovely Dina ! I was most envious of all the mouth watering vegan Christmas lunches on social media because I was in Morocco for Christmas where all that was available was couscous, veggies, bread and sometimes felafel. As it is a Muslim country, Christmas is not celebrated. So it is just a normal day. I did manage to find a very trendy cafe on one of the days I was in Marrakech where they had some very interesting sorbets. I had the rose, raspberry and black pepper one together with a spiced chocolate one. I was wishing I was in the UK chowing down on some of the dishes I saw on my friends’ Facebook posts. I soon made up for it when I got home ! P.s. thanks for the lovely card x
Ooooohhh, Morocco eh? Lucky you!!!xxx
Well done…. my Christmas decs didn’t happen this year! Tabs has been away on her travels for a while now and so no incentive to put any up! Didn’t even put my cards up – they are in a pile! I do look through them and enjoy them… I just never got round to putting them up. So I am impressed with all your Christmas goings on! I did do all the church bits though….which is always a lovely ‘journey’ etc. I got out for lots of walks with friends even though the weather was pretty grim….
All the raving best for the New Year….. so glad your surgery is successful and so on… wow.. that is great! xxxx
Hello you! Oh….decs drive me crackers, next year I think I’ll just go with lights! I only tend to put them up when daughter moans, she doesn’t even live here! Tabs is a girl after your own heart! Just going out for walks would do me, I’m not fussed with all the drama and glitter around Christmas. Being able to walk again pain free is such a fantastic thing! Bless the surgeons! Still missin ya gal!xxxx
Great to hear about your vegan Christmas, and all the lovely presents. I’d love a fire pit…my neighbour has one, and when we all sit chatting around the fire, (sometimes with mulled wine) it is wonderful..no better way to spend the evening. Also good to hear all your rescue animals are doing well. We have some baby magpies in the garden….no clues about anything…very cute!
Best wishes for the New Year, and so good to have your hip surgery behind you.
Thanks Gerrie, oh, please do get some sort of fire pit. As you say, they are so warming and welcoming, you can’t beat an outdoor fire. Ahhhh, baby magpies, we have lots around here too, hopeless they are! It’s so liberating finally being able to walk again, I think that will be the most memorable part of 2017! All my very best to you and yours.xxx
Hope you enjoyed Christmas anyway. Great images and post.
Thanks Peter. All my very best to you and yours for 2018.xxx
Glad you’re keeping well. Hope to catch up with you in 2018. Happy New Year to you all xxx
Happy 2018 to you, yes, we will have to catch up this year for sure!xxxx
Happy New Year dear Dina…may it be filled with peace, continued good health and much creativity, and let’s hope we see one another again in 2018. Janet xxx
And the same to you Janet. Yes, we must make the effort to meet again this year! Here’s to a fab 2018 to you, with lots of travel and all things creative and exciting.xxx
Very good to read that all are well and enjoying a warm home in the face of a cold winter. Always pleased to hear of Curly’s excellent conditions. Tried my best to examine the food in the picture of the table… but it was a little dark. It looked good. The idea of a vegan Christmas sounds delightful. Sending my best wishes to all of the household. xxx
Thanks Shimon. It’s been exceptionally cold around these parts so not a good time to disrupt Curly’s usual routine. He has us trained beautifully! Sorry about the picture being dark, in the main we just eat a huge variety of delicious vegetables with a few fake meat products. All my very best to you and Nechama, always.xxx
Lovely to see your photographs.
Pleased that you all had a good Christmas.
Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan, all the very best to you all.xxx
It sounds as if you had a great Christmas. I am glad that all is well for you and your family and you can look forward to a New Year with fully functioning limbs. Have a wonderfully happy and healthy new year dear Dina.
Thanks Chloris. All the very best to you and yours too. Oh, being able to walk pain free is just fantastic! It was certainly worth having that operation!!! xxx
Happy to hear you had a wonderful Christmas. Best wishes for a great new year!
Thanks Jason, all the very best to you all.xxx
It’s pleasing to know that all is well in your household, Dina. Wishing you good days ahead for you and your family as you venture into the new year 2018.
Thanks Linda, all the best to you and yours.xxx
Happy new year, Dina – a happier one, I hope. The past lies behind us – new adventures are ahead! Hugs and love xx
Thanks so much Gill, time is, I suppose, the best healer. Hugs and love. All the very best to you and yours.xxx
Lovely to hear all is okay, Happy New Year. xx
All the best to you too. Lovely to hear from you. Hoping all is going well in your new home.xxx
Lots has happened in 2017, varied and dynamic. I hope 2018 will be good for you and your family, and your wild life families and four legged friends
Lang may your lum reek,
Xxxxx
Thanks Menhir, here’s to a great 2018 to you and yours. Just LOVING that expression! Must adopt that one!xxx
So glad that you all had a lovely christmas with thoughtful presents – and a pain free one for you, Dina! It’s nice to end the year feeling content, not sure I’m quite there yet but certainly glad to put 2017 behind me and moving forward with intent. Looking forward to reading more of your adventures in 2018, wishing you a very happy new year and the best of the forthcoming months. Oh, yes, and a single day’s worth of snow! Take care my friend, Caro xx
Here’s to you finding contentment in 2018, I know it’s been a difficult 2017 for you, upwards and onwards eh? Thanks Caro.xxx
Beautiful post; sorry we can’t hear daughter-dear’s serenade! I love the wicker horse head, Dina!
Many blessings for your New Year: for good health, safe travels, gentle peace, merry adventures, and sweet surprises! And snow!
Love to all, Kitty
Thanks Kitty, daughter is hard core karaoke! All the best to all of you in your heavenly household, sending you lots of love….and fresh snow!xxx
Lovely post…..yes I count my blessings every day.
I have found out that I am dairy intolerant, I eat meat infrequently and when I do from a local organic free range farm. I was vegetarian for 26 years and still struggle with eating meat and fish. Turning vegan is wonderful. You have my total respect.
I hope 2018 will be a happy and healthy one for you and yours.
AND all the animals you call your friend 🙂
Thanks Cheryl, always good to hear from you. Cutting out cheese is the hardest part of being vegan for sure! I bet you’re missing it. All the best to you and yours.xxx
We had that snow that you’ve been wishing for, we got a good covering this time but it didn’t hang around for more than a day. Wishing you and your family all the very best for 2018.
How lovely you got a decent snowfall that quickly dissolved! Still none around here, that’s stuck anyway. It is absolutely perishingly cold though! Thanks Jo.xxx
Must admit to manage to get through Christmas unscathed is good enough for me.
Ah yes indeed, I know many who feel like that, did a little myself this year.xxx
A nice post to see the year out. Thanks, and to you too. xx
Thanks Flighty. xxx
Our first vegan Christmas too – I did miss a bit of stilton though! 🙂
Your horse’s head is beautiful. Best wishes for 2018 to you, your family and all your animals. xx
It’s all the the cheese isn’t it? Hopefully decent replacements will come out soon. Thanks Veggiemummy.xxx