Kind Designs

Firstly, I'd like to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year. My blogs have taken a back seat to all the festive fun, but now all the candles have burnt down, cards have been made into next year's tags (recycling to the max!) and the tree dragged out through the house, shedding needles in every conceivable corner, normality can hopefully return!
The last two weeks have all been about family and friends. There have been reports in the media recently about how those without children find Christmas a tough time, and, being lucky enough to have two gorgeous boisterous boys, I can only imagine that it's not quite the same celebrating without the little ones. Before children, as a couple, Christmas became more about socialising in the local pub, often taking us away from family after one day together. Now we still socialise, but at home surrounded by family and friends, spending time cooking up big pots of food and hopefully generating warm and fuzzy memories for the boys!
We didn't even turn on the television that much - having a choice between watching seasonal re-runs or listening to the boys playing with the farm set with imaginations running wild, hearing that the tractor didn't fit into the barn, the wind had blown the roof off and the farmer was 'naughty' - no contest!
We went to view the magnificent garland at Cotehele, the National Trust property on the banks of the River Tamar. It takes weeks to make and contains 30,000 flowers! Incredible!

 We also visited the Eden Project, for some ice skating and caroling! The whole site was beautifully decorated, and it really came into its own when it got dark - there were twinkling lights everywhere. Even the tractor train was adorned with baubles, much to the boys' delight!

Our house was filled with chat and laughter on New Year's Eve, with up to 9 adults and 5 children sharing food and drinks. I must admit that we did ask the men to work for their supper, and their muscle power was tested when our new Aga was carried in at the start of the evening! We then all paid homage to the new machine, staring at the long-awaited black enamel doors - albeit slightly grubby ones from spending months and months over in the farm workshop awaiting its new home! But I'm sure a good clean will render it fit to grace even the smartest kitchen! Now we've just got to build the rest of the kitchen around it!
 And, apart from my youngest son who gave in to the exhaustion at 11.52pm, we all managed to stay up until after midnight - quite an achievement considering all of us have children under 8!
The new year also brought high excitement for Kind Designs, receiving a good order on day 2 of 2012!! You probably heard our cheers of delight!
And, finally, today husband and I celebrate 10 years of married bliss! Ten years ago today we were standing on a cliff edge in Cornwall, in beautiful mild weather, sipping mulled wine and dancing to the tunes of the fabulous Silkie. Happy days!