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Welcome to The Primitive Cornish Hovel. A place where I will share my love of prim, vintage, family history, many interests & everyday life. I hope to show you a glimpse of a bygone age through the history of my family & the many 'treasures' I hold dear. Mixed in with this will be snippets of life today. Do drop in again for a visit to see what is happening at 'The Hovel'. Comments are welcomed.

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Saturday, 31 December 2011

It's Official...2012 Is Here


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Welcome on the first day of 2012. Yes, it's official, well in England anyway, that we have said goodbye to 2011 and we are now in 2012..There is nothing like the sound of Big Ben to welcome in the New Year. The fireworks were spectacular, well done London....Was I there? No but I watched it on TV.....




Well off to toast the New Year with a hot lemsip...yep, had flu since Christmas day so this is my hot toddy for now. Enjoy your New Year's Day and take care until next time...Hugs Chrissy xx

Happy New Year


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Hello from the Hovel this New Year's Eve. I wish you well in 2012 and hope it's a good year for us all. Have a Happy New Year and if out celebrating be safe....



Until next time, take care...Hugs Chrissy xx


Saturday, 24 December 2011

Happy Christmas To You All


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Hello from the Hovel on this Christmas Eve. I've been a busy bee these last few weeks but I couldn't miss wishing you all a Happy Christmas....




Hope you all have a wonderful time with family and friends...


Until next time, take care.... Hugs Chrissy xx



Saturday, 10 December 2011

Happy Birthday to My Gorgeous Granddaughter


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Happy 4th birthday to my adorable granddaughter Korenza...and what a good day she had at Bombadingas. I know, what a name for a soft play area for children..lol.. She loved playing there with her brothers, parents, cousins, grandparents and friends.....


Happy Birthday Sweetheart

I took lots of photos but I was very disappointed with most of them. I don't know what I did wrong but most of them were blurred!!!!!


A little blurred but I love the look of joy on her face...

Dylan's having fun too....

The birthday cake made by mummy....and it was yummy too..

'Now do I sneak some more'

'Ok, just a little more'

'Now for an official slice of cake'

Presents from Nana & Granddad

'Oh, what is it'

'Is it what I think it is'

'Can I open it now please'

'Right, now for the next one'


It was lovely to share Korenza's birthday with her and spend time with family and friends. Children grow up so quickly and these times are precious....




Until next time, take care...Hugs Chrissy xx




Tuesday, 6 December 2011

St. Nicholas Day and Other Events....


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The wind is blowing, rain is falling and it's cold...brrrrrr...Hello there, yes it's me again. I'm sat here snug-as-a-bug in my lounge with the fire blazing, the only place to be when the weather is like this. It's definately winter woolies time...

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I bet it wasn't cold like this when St. Nicholas, an historic 4th-century saint and Greek bishop, was born. He is remembered each year on the 6th December, which is known as St. Nicholas Day. In many European countries a festival for children is held on this day. Now, I didn't know that until today...

What I did know however was that St. Nicholas is also known as Father Christmas or Santa Claus. Surving legends about St. Nicholas relate that, among many things, he was a bringer of gifts....



St. Nicholas ~ 270 AD - 6 Dec 343 AD ~

December 6th also marks the anniversary of the death of American singer and songwriter Roy Orbison. He performed many songs but the one that he is probably most remembered for is 'Oh Pretty Woman' released in 1964 and was forever immortalised in the 1990 film 'Pretty Woman' starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts....yes you've guessed it, another favourite film of mine...


Roy Orison ~ 1936-Dec 6 1988 ~


'Pretty Woman' ~ 1990 ~


St. Nicholas and Roy Orbison also share this day in history with a very important event that affected both Britain and Ireland....The Anglo-Irish Treaty..



The National Flag of Ireland (also known as the Irish Tricolour)

The flag was presented as a gift to Thomas Francis Meagher in 1848 by a small group of French women sympathetic to the Irish cause. It was not until the 1916 Easter Rising that it was regarded as the National flag. It was then adopted in 1919 by the Irish Republic. Although the flag's meaning is not covered by the Irish Constitution, the Irish Government has stated that the green colour represents the Gaelic tradition of Ireland, the orange represents the followers of William of Orange and the white representing peace or truce between them. I like to think so because my roots began in Ireland on my paternal side, my father being born in County Offally....



Anglo-Irish Treaty Signatures



But back to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, officially called Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland. It was in London on December 6 1921 that the treaty was signed by representatives of the British Government and envoys of the Irish Republic. This established the Irish Free State and also provided Northern Ireland an option to opt out, which it did...

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The Irish Free State created by this Treaty came into force on December 6 1922 by Royal proclamation....

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Some of the representatives at this historical event are seen below...


The Right Honourable Austen Chamberlain, Lord Privy Seal ~ 1863-1937 ~




Sir Winston S Churchill, Secretary of State for the Colonies ~ 1874-1965 ~


The Right Honourable David Lloyd George, Prime Minister ~ 1863-1945 ~


The Right Honourable Lord Birkenhead, Lord Chancellor ~ 1872-1930 ~


The Right Honourable Gordon Hewart, Attorney General ~ 1870-1943 ~


Arthur Griffith ( Art O Griobhtha), Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs ~ 1872-1922 ~


Michael Collins (Michael O Coileain), Secretary of State for Finance ~ 1890-1922 ~


Robert Childers Barton, Secretary of State for Economic Affairs ~ 1881-1975 ~



There were many clauses within the Treaty and one of the main clauses was that British forces would withdraw from most of Ireland......




British Cavalry Soldiers leaving Ireland 1922


History is made every day and we hope we learn by past mistakes. All I wish for everyone is that we can all live in peace together...Until next time, take care...Hugs Chrissy xx


Monday, 5 December 2011

Happy Birthday Dad....


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'Thinking of you on your birthday dad, we talk of you still. We haven't forgotten you, and we never will'.


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Hello from the Hovel on a chilly December day. A special day for me because it is my dad's birthday on the 5th of December. He would have been 87 if he had lived. I wish you were here dad so I could give you a hug but I send you one with lots of love......


My dad when young...


Sadly I cannot visit my dad's grave as he is buried over 3oo miles away but he is in my heart....


Flowers still blooming on the last day of November.........

What a busy few weeks I have had, especially last week. I had my son and my three grandees staying with me due to a family crisis and after ten days they returned to their home on Saturday...phew!!!! It is now quite and tidy since their return..lol..but I got to see them again today however....
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But what a week we had last week...The worst day would have to be Wednesday, especially for my two oldest grandees. The morning began very early and was hectic to say the least. My son and the little one had a hospital appointment and I was left in charge of Korenza and Dylan. The mission was to get these two little ones to their nursery in the next town... easier said than done....
Not being a driver myself public transport was the order of the day. So finally after much ado we arrived at the train station only to discover the train had been cancelled....and the next one also. No problem, contact the helpline....wrong!!! After 6 calls to the Unhelpfull helpline and with no satisfaction we were still stood on a very cold and windy station....





'Ok Nana, we're getting bored now'


Only one thing to do, phone hubby (he works for a taxi company some 5 miles away in St. Ives). Bless him, he sent a taxi for me. Only problem was it was a car and I had a double-buggy and could we collapse it....no!!


'Nana, I want to get out'


So off went the taxi...thankfully I had brought lunch with me so the grandees had 'meals on wheels'..lol..


'Ok, time to torment my brother'...

By this time you can imagine, after over an hour of waiting, my patience was wearing a bit thin. There are only so many songs you can sing to entertain the grandees....But my hubby didn't give up and sent a mini-bus, was I pleased to see that...You may ask why I didn't just go home, I nearly did, but I wanted the children to have some normality in their lives after the weeks they have had....plus I'm stubborn..lol.....

Bless them, within minutes they were asleep....No Korenza's hair didn't turn blue despite the cold weather..lol..goodness knows what it is!!!

Well, we all arrived safe at their nursery, Flying Start, in Camborne. Thanks to the excellent staff there who were understanding about our late arrival. And a special thanks to Mark of Acecars for getting us there and my hubby for arranging it...and that was Wednesday but on Friday I went to Truro....




A small stream running under the road I was walking up....or should I say hill..

My destination at the top of the road!!!

Finally arrived....

No, I'm not in trouble, my son was attending the Family Court and I joined him there for support. Good ending for the time being.....




'Oh no, I've now got to walk down the road'..lol..

Mind you, the view from the rear of the Court is good, this is Truro Cathedral

Some flowers seen in Truro late November



But not all the days were as busy. I did get to spend some quality time with my grandees...



What a smile from my youngest grandson Blake....

A visit to the park on a cold and wet day....the grandees loved it

As day turns to night....near where my son lives...


Hopefully the next few weeks will be uneventfull, I have not even started getting ready for Christmas yet....ha well. Until next time, take care...Hugs Chrissy xx