Monday 17 December 2018

Monday Challenge


Good Morning Ladies,

Here we are at the start of another week, this time next week we will be doing the 'final preparations' for the big day.  I am not sure if you are the same but we like to be organised before Christmas Eve so that we can have a relaxed day, I love to get the girls involved in a bit of baking and Christmas food preparation, mostly to prepare them for when the time comes to do it themselves.
I think that we all have our own family traditions, most of ours are traditions that we have started ourselves.  Like Cooking the turkey and Boiling and Baking a huge ham on Christmas Eve, we started doing it that way out of necessity, the oven in one of our Married Quarters was tiny and so we would have not been able to cook the turkey and all of the vegetables and accompaniments in that tiny oven so I cooked the Turkey on Christmas Eve, it worked out se well we have done it ever since, the turkey is so much easier to carve after it has rested over night, you still get yummy smells when using the meat juices to make the gravy, plus all of the other Christmas dinner things, I bake a sausagemeat stuffing loaf, that is wrapped in bacon, you can basically add whatever you like to the sausagemeat, I add a box of stuffing mix and an egg or two depending on the size, you can add apricots or dried cranberries, diced apple works well too, you can play with different stuffing flavours too, you line your loaf tin with streaky bacon, pop your sausagemeat mix into the bacon lined tin and wrap the bacon over the sausagement and pop in the oven with the roast potatoes, pigs in blankets etc, it generally takes about half an hour/45 mins, depending on size.  Once its cooked and rested it carves into slices and I serve it on a large meat platter with the turkey and pigs in blankets.  Its a huge family favourite and I think that all of my children could make it, after helping to prepare it for years.
We also bake mince pies, sausage rolls and anything that they fancy having a go at.
(sorry that went on a bit)
I would love to hear your traditions too, things you do with your family over the Christmas period.

Now onto this weeks Challenge, I totally understand that a lot of you are super busy this week, shopping, visiting family and friends etc.
I toyed with the idea of not having a Challenge but that's something that I struggle with, I know that a couple of you still wanted a challenge, just to encourage to go into your craft area, some of you may have last minute Christmas cards to make, maybe New Year cards, some of you still have birthdays to prepare for too. So I went for a TicTacToe Challenge, the one I have chosen could be used for Christmas cards, or just about any other card, including 'Thank You' cards, which are super important this time of year whether it's to thank some one for a gift or for hosting Christmas or maybe to thank some one for something that they have done for you all year long.

So if you have time I look forward to seeing your cards, if not then please don't worry, if you are all up for it, we will start all over in the New Year.

I hope that you all have a fantastic week ahead,

I want to sent hugs to Lilian and Lynda and anyone else that is struggling with virus's or bugs right now, it's the worst time of year to feel under the weather.  Love and healing hugs on their way xxx

Pat, I want to send special hugs to you too, I hope that you aren't too exhausted my lovely, I can't imagine the stress you are going through right now. Lots of love and hugs on their way to you too. xxx

Love and Hugs to all of you my Very Dear Friends,

Sandra
xxxxxx

8 comments:

  1. Morning Ladies

    Sandra-I think this weeks Tic Tac Toe looks great & I need a bit of inspiration. I’m hoping I get time to craft this week as it’s my time to unwind.

    Christmas Eve looks like it’s going to be a busy one at work so goodness knows what time we’ll finish work. I only have Christmas Day & Boxing Day off work then 2 more very busy days. I managed to get New Year’s Eve off so I have a 4 day break which will be nice-I’m thinking of braving the shops for some bargains!

    Michele

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  2. Morning Everyone
    A good Challenge for this week SANDRA. I still have birthday cards to make for the beginning of the new year and two of them are for Men!! So it will definitely be thinking cap on for those.

    I need to get a couple of gift tags sorted this morning and then that is it for Christmas presents. They are now sorted into their Santa bags and just need delivering. It will be towards the end of this week that will happen and then I can relax a little.

    Our Christmas will be a quiet one - it's different when all children/grandchildren are grown with families of their own. We aren't going to Marigny on Boxing Day this year. For one thing we don't know what the weather is going to be like and I don't drive anymore so driving falls all on Jim's shoulders and a two day journey at this time of year can be very difficult.

    The CAFE is OPEN and waiting for you all to pop in for a chat and a cuppa. Seasonal snacks are just waiting to be eaten too. HUGS are winging their way to you all. Take care and stay safe.xxxx

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  3. Hi All, trying to write this first thing as for the last couple of days my posts have gone to visit Santa!!! So hoping as it’s first thing you might get to read it.

    Sandra loved all the cards and makes that you have shown over the last few days, it must take you ages compiling it, for that I thank you very much.

    At 2am writing my c cards found I am one short so that’s my first job, sorry they are very rushed this year, do hope they will arrive on time.
    All of your cards which I have received have lovely, thank you.

    Lynda do hope you are beginning to feel better, think mine is on its way out at last.
    Pat hugs to you and Pete.

    Have dentist and dr for another ECG, he wants the heart tests again after the blood test the other day, wasn’t told why, receptionist just said he’d ordered it!!!.

    Sorry didn’t get to do challenge last week, will try this week as I love tic tac toe challenge.

    As Janet said now both children are grown up we don’t do any of the things we used to. We go to our daughters for Christmas Day and our Sons for Boxing Day, to begin with thought I’d miss doing it myself, but not one bit, no hassle of food shopping and all the cooking, I just get to put my feet up.

    Enough of my rambles, have a good day all, Lilian.

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  4. It worked modern technology, isn’t it great !!!

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  5. Hi Sandra and everyone.
    Must have some cards prepped for the new year so good challenge for this week.
    Going to town tomorrow for hair cut and some shopping. OH have ordered the bread and some other things this morning to be picked up morning of the 24th .I be busy anyway to prep the vegs and meatballs for later that evening. Son is working but hope to finish a bit earlier. I used to make some biscuits and sweets but it was a long time ago now. Christmas day we are invited to SIL eldest daughter. Molly and Louis will get presents, they are still the little ones.
    Swearword have been going all morning Lol but realised the window need a spray too, can see the marks in the sunlight. Anyway it was nice catching up and I had a sneaky hot chocolate with festive flavours in mmmmm yummy!
    Many hugs to all and extras for our poorly friends. Love Maria xxx

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  6. Hi Sandra & all in café,
    Good challenge this week I have 80th birthday card to make.
    Our tradition is for me to make the sausage meat & chestnuts stuffing or at least pass recipe on to whoever is cooking, plus the bread sauce. I am still in charge of the sherry trifle, will make 3 this year 1 for us & the other 2 will go to Sue at RJ's, we have to make sure there is enough left for Sue's breakfast on Boxing Day, this goes back to when they lived in London & could only spend Christmas Day with us & she took some home with her!!!
    Your meatloaf sounds lovely.xxx
    Sue asked me to say that she is unable to comment as several of you are but sends her love to all.xxx
    Lynda as Sandra said I think it is about time you talked to Dr. again, hugs on the way.xxx
    Lilian pleased your cough seems to be going, good luck with ECG & dentist, hugs on way.xxx
    Sending hugs to Pat & anyone else that needs them love Margaret.xxx

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  7. I am late again
    Great challenge SANDRA At Long last I have posted the cards that cannot be hand delivered I think I need to make a few more for the neighbours
    Sunday just disappeared MIL was admitted (eventually) to hospital She has had a very nasty fall with quite a few injuries including a fractured hip which they have managed to pin today It’s going to be a long job

    Hugs on their way to PAT LILIAN and LYNDA

    I always cook the meat on Christmas Eve too Like you say makes it so much easier to carve and Fred up the oven space
    Take care xx

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  8. Good afternoon Sandra & ladies
    Good Tic Tac Toe challenge this week Sandra I have a couple of birthday cards to make for beginning of January so that will help a lot.
    Our Christmas tradition is we go to Lisa's Christmas Day we have been doing that for a few years now. Then Darren Sam & Harry come there Boxing Day.She won't let me do anything she has trained Joseph to make sausage stuffing & he gets to do the sprouts & peel the potatoes, carrots & parsnips bless him. It's his 15th birthday tomorrow my eldest grandson I don't know where those 15 years went. He is so tall just a inch or so shorter than Lisa she is 6ft 1" well he towers over Ian.
    Harry hasn't been at all well he's had this cough for couple weeks Sam took him back to the doctors Friday he gave him two pumps Seroids& antibiotics just seems a lot of mediation for his age. We don't get to see Alfie we miss him its so sad.
    I think my cough is easing & breaking up off my chest now so hopefully on the mend but still coughing at night I went out for first time today in over a week the weather wasn't too bad today seemed a little warmer but I put my hat on
    ( hate hats ) well better think of dinner.
    So sending Hugs for everyone extra for Lilian &Pat. Hug
    Love Lynda xx

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