ZOOM IN - ZOOM OUT

Hello 2014.......and Hello to a new meme started by my friend HELENA:

 

I have spent the last couple of days taking Christmas down...and taking a last few pictures of this year's displays....and thought these might work for my first contribution to the meme (late of course!)

ZOOM OUT

ZOOM IN

I zoomed in on two of the decorations I received in the Christmas Decoration swap organised by  MIRIAM.....the heart was sent by MIRIAM herself (thank you Miriam).....the snowflake is one of a set of three, sent by  JANE ( thank you again, Jane).

Now that Christmas has been packed away, I feel i can start to focus on 'getting back to normal'...I don't know about you, but much as I love having the house decorated for Christmas it makes me feel in a constant state of being on holiday and I can't get back into a routine till it's all down!

Hope life's getting back to normal where you are!

Thanks for dropping by!

take care of you

Alison xx

SIMPLY A MOMENT

DECEMBER 19

As I sit nursing a cup of almost-cold tea, looking at the lights and years worth of decorations on our Christmas tree all I can hear is Boo's heavy breathing as she dozes next to me on the sofa.

The TV has now been turned off and Kirsty has headed to bed, and I'm thinking of what a lovely evening we've had watching the two Home Alone DVDs, during which I have laughed AND cried! They remind me so much of Stuart you see...he was at just the right age to enjoy the slapstick humour, and I can still hear him laughing uproariously then asking if one day we could go and have Room Service at the Plaza Hotel in New York!

Thinking of Stuart in turn leads me to thinking about the families affected by the events in Connecticut last week, and to how they must be trying to cope with their losses. Christmas- and indeed their lives-will never be the same again. I send up a silent prayer that they will find the strength to get through the upcoming holiday season and beyond.

I have a last look at the tree before I switch off the lights and go to bed....eighteen years ago I didn't think I would get through (or want to get through) Christmas ever again, but there are so many memories on our trees and and in our decor, that I always feel Stuart with me more than ever at this time of year.

Thanks must go to ALEXA for starting this meme which has given me the encouragement to take the time to write down these important, but random thoughts!

Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx