Patchwork Quilt Service Project

We had a fun day on Saturday at Portsmouth Chapel doing a service project making Patchwork Quilts to be sent to Cambodia and Africa at a later date. We had people designing, cutting, pinning, sewing, ironing (that was me!) Then we had a lunch of homemade soups and bread and cake of course, after all, it WAS Relief Society!!!!! Now we are going to make some more in our Wards next year.

Ready for action

Tools at the ready

Designing

Designing

Ready to put together and finish

Refreshments

More refreshments

Even more refreshments

The finished articles

Festive Gifts Fair and other surprises......

I seem to be all about the shopping at the moment its not ALL I do I promise. Xenia and I did however go to a gift fair at the N.E.C. Birmingham last weekend. I haven't been for quite a few years so I decided I would go this year and press-ganged Xenia into coming with me. Chris was travelling up to a railway one in a different hall so it was a chance to all travel together. My favourite stalls weren't actually there but I did manage to pick up a few things. Xenia and I were done in about an hour so we had to wait quite a long time for Chris to be finished. While Xenia and I were eating our lunch we got rather a surprise as a lot of Stormtroopers and Darth Vader came out of another building and lined up for a photo outside our window. We soon joined them, Darth Vader does turn up in the most unexpected places!!!

It was a bit of a hike from the car park but we finally found the right hall.

Lunchtime already

I was only taking a photo!!!!!!

Lunchtime entertainment

Very friendly Boba Fett

Astonishingly kind Darth Vader

Stormtroopers offering to carry my bag

Two quite friendly Stormtroopers

I'm afraid my children can name all these characters but I can't...

A new film idea.....Batman and the Stormtrooper?

Covent Garden getting ready for Christmas...

Had fun going up to London for a little Christmas shopping. I went with my friend Amalia who had business at the Peruvian Embassy. Did Oxford Street while Amalia was over at the Embassy then we got together for lunch at Garfunkel's. We popped to Spitalfields Market and then Covent Garden where it really was Christmas. The decorations were stunning and the light was fading by then so it showed up more than it did over at Oxford Circus.

Gorgeous tree outside the market halls, Covent Garden

This photo doesn't really capture how stunning it is in the market halls at Covent Garden

Candy cane topiary

Rudolf topiary

Airstream Christmas message

Selfridge's decorations

It was Remembrance Day and I caught sight of a Chelsea Pensioner

Farewell Alexander and Kelly.....

Alexander and Kelly have left to work and finish Alexander's education in America. He has decided to change direction completely and study science with a view to eventually becoming a dentist. So we held a farewell party for them a couple of weeks ago in October. The weather held so we were even able to use the garden as an eating area and for photographs. Alexander and Kelly are staying with Kelly's parents for now until Alexander starts at BYU when all visa's are sorted.

Alexander and Kelly

Klein Family

Herycz Family plus James????

Most of my Dad's posterity (Natasha and Christopher were coming back from Cornwall)

The dreaded luggage!!!!!