Angel Jem's City Cottage

There are 74 days left until Christmas!! This came as a bit of a surprise to me when I looked it up today, as I don't feel anywhere near ready for Christmas. Also, is it my imagination, or have shops not got Christmas in as early as last year? I went looking for wrapping paper last week and couldn't see the sort I was after in Tesco, W H Smiths or Asda. In fact, Asda had no Christmas paper and shelves still full of Hallowe'en! That struck me as rather odd, because when it comes to Back To School the shelves are cleared and replaced by Halloween before school even starts. I think I was hoping for something similar with Christmas. So, in an effort to get Christmas juices flowing, I thought I'd share a few things I'm looking to do or get for Christmas. 1. Visit Salisbury Museum. They have the Terry Pratchett exhibition on, until January 13th and my two sons are keen to go. We live in Liverpool, and there's a long distance between the two places, so we...

Series 9 of The Chase has started and I am really delighted to see it on, for reasons I cannot go into here. But I'm gutted; there's a new chaser, called The Vixen. Her first show is tomorrow. This woman has my dream job! Can I write and complain?

I'm still mad busy with applications. No interviews, no chances. I am not doing well at getting full time work. But I keep trying. I'm back in my favourite Matt Malden. I have been through Mr Chameleon and Antonio my red hot Chilli Cuban,  but I always keep coming back to Matt. I keep on trying, but he is the One.  And I did give Antonio a good go; he is set up beautifully.  Here is the eye candy to prove.  Look at the washi tape;  look at the top tabs,  just look  look  look. *sigh* Perhaps if I had full time work and a larger bag everyday I would........ but A5 is just too big for day to day use. I keep on trying. I keep on trying.

Wishlist; Girls' Own Store Shoreditch Sisters WI Bath, especially The Makery Posy Gets Cosy .... love the blue walls! And more longings to make little felt creatures... that's before Little S sees the book! Lace from Clothkits and too many adverts to search today. I need another cup of chai and a free hour to check it again. Glad I subscribed.

My heart longs for non-stop music, has done a while, but I just can't get organised. My niece has an i-pod nano, but I can't dream of spending that much money on an electrical item. Mr DH doesn't see the point of them, and I can't argue in as much as I think it is a lot to spend on something so small. Also, there's the colour issue; it has to be red. I thnk I may have found a workable solution; the sansa fuze 4gb in red, with an extra card or something to double the capacity. And at least half the price. I know what I want for Christmas (101 days to go) and I just have to be sensible in asking for it. Please. So I found e-music had a 50 free downloads offer on... ok, so nothing really fashionable or pop, not a jot of Oasis or Girls Aloud, but I found Leigh Nash and Fleet Foxes so I'm happy. Sixpence none the richer , weird name, weird sound but good. And I have got my listening for December planned already. Tee hee. Now all I need is the said sansa fuze. 101 da...

It has finally given up the ghost.... just before we went away, my little point and press finally breathed its last. Three years of close confinement in a Cath Kidston pouch and it had finally had enough. It has been sadly missed the last few weeks. Here are my children paddling at Bourton on the Water... Here we are watching the Big Spider in Liverpool.... And here is Number Two hanging off the edge of his new top bunk, while long-suffering DP squeezes into a small bottom bunk. I need a camera. I really need a camera Oh, and, by the way, I'm back.....

Today should be Ballet and swimming. Actually we will go swimming at midday, then go to visit my Ma, but we're playing hookey from ballet. Is that bad? It gave me a chance to read all the blogs I haven't for a while, to leave a lot of comments, to see what is out there in the creative zeitgeist and to pump the well of inspiration. We'll go see Ma, but we need to go to the Market. I want some cute buttons, some cotton yarn, some pretty material. I feel a sewing & knitting fit coming on. The princess needs her new summer dresses.... and a white cotton cardy. And then the boys will need some shorts, and I need some new baggy trousers and I need a new cushion and I want a summer house with gingham curtains (red) and an outside socket for a kettle and a sofa....... Inspiration, he? And now I'm off to take some pictures, to download a whole load of the computer onto my external hard drive and to fight (tooth and claw) with my children for the right to keep the computer un...