vestiges of a very good year

A Kiwi Santa finishing up the last minute preparations for a very English Christmas dinner in the sun.

all visitors great and small were catered for.

Please don't scroll down if swear words offend you

my eldest bought me a very apt gift - just in case anyone around here forgets!

It has been a year of changes, for good and bad, a year of consolidation and building on the growth of the past, now is a small time for reflection and then a New Year and new growth to plan for, we have a lot of work to do on our home - initially maintainence, repairs and decorating - then hopefully some renovation and re-building.

Personally - I have re-joined the gym, and my body has welcomed the old routines,I have taken great pains to ensure I attend hairdressers and manicure appointments, I'm not getting younger and I have no plans for plastic surgery or botox in my future - so I'm starting to work harder at taking care of what I have - in a way I'm being renovated too!

Just Jussi has changed too due in great part to Ravelry, I have met wonderful new friends and learnt so much about why people like my designs - the comments and messages have often overwhlmed me with their kindness, changes are still in store - I see an interesting journey in front of the knitting me this year.

The children continue to delight and confound us - babies and kids are relatively uncomplicated creatures, teenagers are another lifeform and then you realise that your children are now adults, as flawed and beautiful, damaged and dazzling as any other human, you realise that your protective instincts were stifling, and your decison (against your better judgement) to allow your 15 year old daughter to leap from a sailing ship into icy cold water, to trust her body to rise to the surface and breathe godammit! was a seminal moment in her life - the moment she really understood that she could.do.anything.

I hope that you to had a Merry Christmas and that the New Year brings you joy