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HAPPY NEW YEAR

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As 2010 draws to a close all is well at The Hovel. I sit here with a glass of wine to welcome the New Year. I hope 2011 is a good year for us after the last two years.

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I went outside earlier and my street was quite, not even a car passed my house. It was very peaceful & calming as I stood and looked at my house. Tree lights twinkling in the windows, which for the moment disquises the peeling paintwork, the overgrown garden & the building work yet to be finished.

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I was to babysit for the grandees tonight but at the last minute my son decided to go to a children's/friends party instead. Yes I refused invites but do you know I couldn't be bothered to go out. I'm actually enjoying the night on my own (hubby's at work) with my furry family. The fire is glowing, the room is cosy & I feel content.

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In the background I have the TV on, listening to the build-up to the New Year. I have had many New Year celebrations out on the town & at parties but tonight is special.

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Big Ben is chiming to welcome the New Year. Goodbye 2010 & Welcome 2011

Hugs Chrissy xx

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Happy Christmas Everyone....

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Christmas wouldn't Christmas unless I dropped in to wish everyone a Happy Christmas......

It's sometime since I've posted seriously on here and for that I apologise but life has been quite hectic in more ways than one!!!!!!

I hope to get back on track and start doing my blog again

Until then Take Care & enjoy the holidays

Hugs Chrissy xxx

Remembering the Fallen Both Past & Present

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Celebrating VE Day and Flora Day.....

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Hello everyone on this day of celebration, the 65th anniversary of Victory in Europe. know I haven't been blogging for a while and I am sorry for this but I thought I would make an appearence now to mark this day. I have been very busy but today I have time as I am taking it easy for a few days as I underwent a minor procedure Friday...(I had a lump removed from my 'nether region' and they had a look around my womb..lol..) so I have a few stitches...ouch... Thank goodness I was out of it, which saved me feeling very undignified..lol.. But back to the reason for this post....

Four year old Jeannie Lebby celebrating VE Day 1945, Battersea, London

Sadly she died a rew days later from meningitis..(Imperial War Museum)

May 8th 1945 was the date when WW11 allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. Millions celebrated in the streets to mark the end of the European part of the war....

Churchill waves to crowds in Whitehall on the day he broadcast to the Nation that the war with Germany had been won, 8th May 1945 ~ wikipedia ~

In London King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by PM Winston Churchill, appeared on the balcony of the Palace before the cheering crowd.....

Harry S Truman ~ Truman Library ~

In the United States President Harry S Truman, who turned 61 that day, dedicated the victory in memory of his predcessor Franklin D Roosevelt, who had died less than a month before.....

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Many places around Britain celebrate this day with wartime events and I was lucky enough to be in Nottingham around this time in 2008. I was therefore able to visit such an event at Nottingham Life Museum at Brewer's Yard....I would like to share with you the photographs I took then...

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Getting ready to stand on Parade..




A vintage van full of goodies

Troops at the ready...

Wouldn't be an event without a Spiv...

Now that is what you call a pinny...

This dear lady was in the Land Army during the War

These girls could sing...

I've got a tub and scales like these..lol..



These two gentlemen were a pleasure to talk too

The gent on the left was also wearing his father and grandfather's medals

Aussie Digger



Where would we be without our farmers

Chrissie & Ruth, two lovely ladies I got chatting too

Now this is what you call a car

ATS Standing proud

Nice vintage pushchair. This gentleman and his wife below

had a large collection of prams, these were just two of them

What a beautiful pram. Give me a Coach pram any day..

Having a rest..

What a collection..



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Not only is May 8th VE Day but here in Cornwall it is also Flora day. The Flurry Dance, as it is known, takes place each year on May 8th unless it falls on a Sunday or Monday, then it will take place the preceding Saturday. It is a pagan celebration and the day starts with the first dance at 7 am, continues with the children's dance at 10 am, followed by the midday dance and the final dance is at 5 pm.....The midday dance was traditionally the dance of the gentry and today the men wear top-hat and tails and the ladies their finest frocks...

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Flora Day is held in Helston and we last went to see the dance in 2003, can't believe it's 7 years ago....The photographs shown here are from that time...


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Ladies and Gents dancing through the streets



There was so many different style's of dresses and hats seen this day

Traditionally the dancers wear Lily of the Valley, the symbolic flower of Helston. The gentlemen wear it on the left and the ladies on the right........

Lily of the Valley




These gents and ladies must be tired at the end of the day..lol..

A glimpse of how busy it is..

Unfortunately we missed the children's dance, which consists of many children aged 7-18. All wearing white with Lily of the Valley buttonholes. Four local schools take part with a different school leading the dance each year. The boys wear their school colors in the form of ties and the girls wear matching coloured flowers....

Blue Cornflowers for St. Michaels School

Forget-me-Nots for Helston Community College

Daisies for Nansloe School

Poppies for Parc Eglos School, in their hair..

(Information for Flora Day curtsey of wikipedia)


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Helston is beautifully decorated with garlands and flowers and the music is played by Helston Town Band and other local bands. There are stalls and other events and a fair...In 2003 we took along with us Vikki, the then girlfriend of my son Christopher who was away in Nottingham at the time....So off to the fair we went...

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Vikki with the skeleton we got for Christopher...

We aptly named her Flora Bones...lol...

Andy and Vikki leaving the Waltzer...

I declined, I prefer taking piccies...lol..

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Well my friends, that's it for now. Hope to be back soon with my ramblings. Got lots to tell you but that's for later...Take care...Hugs Chrissy xx

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The Sun Shines for St. Piran's Day.....

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Greetings from the Hovel on March 5th, St. Piran's Day and what beautiful sunny weather we have had despite it being cold. Thankfully it didn't rain because throughout Cornwall different events and parades would have taken place to mark this special day.

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St. Piran is the patron saint of Cornwall and tin-miners. According to legend, St. Piran was born in Ireland in the 6th century and possessed miraculous powers. The Irish kings grew afraid of his powers and cast him out to sea tied to a millstone. Despite the treacherous waters St. Piran survived and was washed ashore at Perranporth. To promote Christainity he began to build a Oratory, which is now preserved in the towans at Perran Sands......

St. Piran's Oratory (Photo by Tony Atkins)

In Grass Valley, California, St. Piran's Day is also celebrated to honor the Cornish miners who helped in the mines in the mid 19th century. A much closer venue for a parade was in Penzance but due to an appointment I was not able to go......

St. Piran's Day Parade, Penzance 2006



One event I was able to attend however was my grandson's birthday party held last Saturday and what a busy day it was......made so much easier thanks to my dear friend and 'adopted' daughter Vikki.........




Vikki on the left with friend Hannah...


I have known Vikki for about 8 years and was in fact a former girlfriend of my sons. Thankfully they have stayed good friends and I regard her like a daughter.....Now Vikki can be bossy..lol...but with a heart of gold and boy is she organized. Arriving mid-morning armed with bouncy castle, slide and other playtime goodies, she promptly set about preparing food. Charlotte and I were appointed kitchen porters, food and toy transporters. Thankfully the party was held across the road at the scout's hut so we didn't have far to go...lol...




Korenza loved going on the bouncy castle....



My dear assistant Nutty Nanny, aka as Charlotte, was in charge of music and lighting........




She did a great job...



And the party went with a swing...lol....
I have not posted the photos of the other children at the party because I have not asked their parents if it is ok. They all had a great time....

'Ok, so what do you do with this ?'...

Christopher and Dylan....

Christopher and Korenza...

'Aren't I a good sister helping Dylan with his presents'....

'Ok sis, where do we start'...

Always a little boy at heart...lol...

Hubby took a few days holiday off work this week and would you believe it he caught a cold and had tennis elbow...typical....but we did maanage to have some time to ourselves. Yesterday we went to one of my favorite beaches, Praa Sands near Helston......

It was a lovely sunny day....

While there I got talking to a local man who kindly showed me his garden, part of which overlooks the beach, the boundary can be seen in the photo below...I sat on a bench and it was heaven relaxing there and taking in the beautiful view of the beach and sea. What a great place to live...

The bench was just behind the fence...

Peaceful...

Calm for the moment...

Water flowing gently over rocks and sand to form a stream....

then gently flows into the sea....


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After a walk along the beach we finished the evening with a meal at the Sandbar at Praa Sands which also looks over the beach....It's great that the evenings are getting longer and that we are blessed with winter sunshine. I hope it's a hint of a good summer...until next time...Hugs Chrissy x.......