Christmas and beyond

So with all the presents wrapped, all the cards sent (even managed to catch last date for 2nd class stamps), I thought me and Rob would go up to Whiteness and visit Mam, Susie and Minty (they were staying at Rachey and Billy's to look after the dogs over Christmas whilst they were away in Hong Kong). We had a lovely night, swopped some presents had some drams and ended up staying all night. The next day me and Rob went to Lerwick to find flowers, and not a one could we find! We did end up ordering a bouquet from Stems (beautiful as ever Steve!), which I sent me Man in to pick up later on.
We spent Christmas Eve beside the in laws, had loads of food, swopped lots of presents and had quite a few drams, then came home and gave each other our presents, I got a Sex and the City boxed set (just need a few days in front of the telly to watch it now), and lots of other lovely things, oh, I even got a plastic gun thing which catches spiders (will be great for the shed!).
Got up on Christmas Day, quite late (9am), I think Rob has finally grown up, and didn't want to get up for Santy (usually awake at 5am), but I dragged her out of bed and we went through, and would you beleive it, I got Santy too!!!!!!!!! It was great. We had Brunie (or Huffsie if you come from Whalsay) and tea, then cracked open the bubbly and fresh orange.
We had a taxi booked to take us up to Whiteness for Christmas dinner, and after Mam calmed down because the oven wouldn't cook the Turkey, 'Soooosin, I telt you we should have put on da Turkey at nine o'clock, it's all your fault', we had more presents and more drams and an absolutley fabulous dinner.
Maggie and Sparky couldn't come up to Whiteness, as Millie (Minty's dog) would probably have killed them, but we got pictures of them under the Christmas tree looking very festive.
The last few days have been very lazy, sleeping late, eating at the wrong time and generally lying around.
So the next round is Hogmanay and into the new year.

Update

It feels like month's since I was here last, but I must post an update on what's been going on.

CHILDREN IN NEED
We had a party at big sister Rachey's house for Children in Need, it was a sort of auction night, everyone had to bring clothes to auction and a good raffle prize (I took a Burra Bear), the other lasses had brilliant ideas, Rachey donated a gourmet meal for 2 (in your own home), Susie donated a full house Susie shine (top to bottom house spring clean), Sharey donated her time for a day to do anything (she's pretty crafty, and can turn her hand to anything), Billy donated a boat trip, Big Tam donated a paint job, Melanie donated a smoked trout, and Mam donated 2 of her Mam's makkin ponchos. There was a prize for the best dressed (from a Charity shop), and Sharey won, she came dressed as Teenie Ingamore (see the photos)
, she was hilarious, Mam didn't even know who it was to begin with!! So on top of all this we listened to BBC Radio Shetland's Children in Need and bid on items in their auction. We won such delights as a Poly Tunnel, tickets to the local Panto and a chance to name a fudge. There was also the auction (in house) and Rachey and Billy were stand in's for Harry Hay, as he couldn't make it. So all in all it was a lovely night with good food and many drams, and we made over £400 to go to Children in Need which Rachey left with the Radio Shetland Team.


DECORATING
You know, decorating is one of those thing's that once you start it's really kind of hard to stop. For those of you who followed me in the Shetland Weekly, you wil recall the decorating antics. So we started once again, this time on the end room (used for office, dressing room, studying room etc etc etc). Now this wasn't a case of slapping on some paint and paper, the whole 4 walls and roof had to come down and be re-lined and insulated, which was rather nice as most of it was the dredded V Lining. So me Man started, and all the room's contents had to be emptied and found new homes in the garage, bedroom and the living room (it was really quite a small room, but there was some pile of crap that came out of it). So the dust rose and settled for a few weeks, then he painted, the furniture arrived and I now have a rather nice room which actually looks like what it is meant for, an office!
While all this was happening I had a lovely big envelope arrive through the post one morning with Rachey's writing on it, and it was wallpaper samples and within half an hour I had phoned her up and she had ordered the ones I liked. It arrived the very next week and I called Colin (the decorator who is simply the best), he came within a few days and the kitchen and dining room were looking perfect (I did try to scrape off the old paper, spent about 3 hours, got about 1 metre square done and gave up). Praise be to the decorator!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PANTOMIME
Around this time of year the Burra players hold their Pantomime, and it was all set, we were in rehersal (after me making a fuss about not wanting a big part, and getting my own way), when came the news that it had been cancelled due to one of the main characters having to go for an operation doon sooth. Now after being delighted and punching the air excitedly, I did think it was rather a shame it wasn't going ahead. But we had the after show party (without the show) and that was fun, although I do have vague memories of getting home from the Sooth End hall, I checked the camera the next day as I did remember taking photos (see me, Bobby and Gordon, team for the Quiz, can't rememer if we won?).

OTHER STUFF
So in between doing all of the above I have been madly making Burra Bears, as we have to work as well you know. Spending most nights out in the Shed sewing, stuffing, finishing, labelling and generally trying to get all the orders done in time for Christmas, but with the help of my fabulous Teddy Bear makers we did it, and with a week to spare would you believe it!
So the weekend before Christmas I was all set to go shopping for presents as I hadn't actually done anything about that side of it. And then the snow came, now I did attempt to get into Lerwick but got to Scalloway, and my little C2 started to protest by sliding all over the road, so we stopped, skidded around for a while before actually managing to turn around and headed for home. As with most Shetland weather it disappeared as quickly as it arrived, and the next day (Sunday) we headed for town, got there around 12, did a little shopping, had lunch, did some more shopping and was home by 6pm with all presents bought (think that has to be some sort of a record). The next night I wrote out all Christmas cards, wrapped all presents and got to bed about 2am, absolutely delighted with my achievements and a little drunk (well, you need somthing to see you through all that).

Da Muckle Gravit

SUCCESS! I managed to download the photo of me and Joanna Hunter makkin on da Muckle Gravit at the Mael Sands in Burra.

The Gravit (Shetland speak for scarf) was the brainchild of Jane Moncrieff and it all began at last years Craft Fair, an ingenius way to get folk knitting and keep the Arts & Crafts Association to the fore throughout the year. It has had many interested parties having a go and knitting a few rows, from the very young to the more experienced knitter. And who knows we may even break the record. Apparently the longest scarf ever knitted was made in pieces and sewn together, whereas ours is in one continuous piece.

Thanks to Hazel Hughson, our Indigenous Crafts Officer, it is growing very quickly and has its own diary which includes photos and notes from where it's been. Hazel looks after the Gravit's appointments diary, which is quite full for the next few months. Thanks Hazel, it's much appreciated.

Craft Fair

AUNTY WINNIE & FIONA MAKKIN ON DA MUCKLE GRAVIT

An update of the past few weeks.
Maggie is growing fast and terrorising Spark as I type.
The annual Christmas Craft Fair has come and gone (organised and held every year by the Shetland Arts & Crafts Association, of which I am, for my sins, Secretary). See www.shetlandartsandcrafts.co.uk.
That's about it, however, there has been huge quantities of work done in this time. Not only have been organising my own work (Burra Bears) to make some money at the Craft Fair, but I have also been sorting out my Mam's wares (Mams makkin, Fair Isle Poncho's, we shared a stand at the Fair). And finally I have been doing what Committee Secretaries do best, all the bloody paperwork for the organisation of the Craft Fair. Well, I might be slightly exaggertaing this as we have a fantastic committee and everyone did their bit to make the whole event run fantastically well, even if John did turn up late on Saturday morning with the money!
We even got together on Saturday night at the Great Wall Chinese restaurant to marvel at all the work we had done, over quite a few bottles of red wine and a fantastic meal. Isn't it funny how a few glasses (or should that be bottles) of wine, make it much easier to speak to folk and you end up asking questions you would normally never mention. Having said that, everyone was still talking to me on Sunday morning so I am assuming I didn't offend anyone, I am just terribly interested in folk (although some would say nosey!).
As the attached photo shows, we had fun doing the whole thing, using ourselves to advertise the event. It was originally mentioned that we do the knitting on the beach naked, but decided no, it would be rather too cold, and there would probably be a little unwanted attention. Can't seem to attach the photo, but you can view it at www.craftscotland.org.

So that's what's been going on, although I did have last week off, I couldn't bear (pardon the pun) to go out to the shed to sort out the remains of the craft fair, bears, ponchos etc etc, so I kind of did all those things you would normally never do in a million years, I ironed lots, I cleaned the house and sat and stared into space a lot, god, I even watched telly in the afternoon (and anyone who knows me, knows I don't do that), but I have gotten over it, and I guess I'd better do some work next week, as I have a load of bears to make, including a dozen for Bamford's in London made from arran jumpers and cord fabric, hey that's life.