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      Dipping my toes in again

      Milky coffee and a good autumnal day by the fire
      Hello my friends, it's been a while, hasn't it?  I dare not even think how long.  How have you been? Well, I hope and sorry for not being around to check in on you, read your blogs or pop in to say hello.  I've been hibernating, taking stock, trying to rest my short stumpy legs from all the running around that this crazy wonderful world we live in demands and try to walk at a slower pace.

      Grab a coffee or maybe something stronger, I confess to sitting here with a milky coffee today and a slab of chocolate to keep me company.  I've been crying on and off for the past hour pondering, wondering if I dare dip my toes back into blogging.  I've missed you and all that you bring but am not sure how ready I am to be back.

      However, we are fast approaching one of my favourite times of year and the reason that this blog began (Why I blog) and so I have this uncontrollable urge to come back but I am not sure that as in previous years I would be able to do the blog justice and blog every day in December.  I do not promise but if I can and it feels right then I will.  Can you forgive me my indecisiveness?

      Taking a selfie is really not natural, is it?
      2017 has been a mixture of just being, observing, happiness and successes, sadness, illness and even several funerals have taken place.

      An odd year; one that saw my daughter turn into an adult and revisit Kenya, having raised yet another astonishing amount of money with her peers and tried to give back to those that are not as fortunate as she. (Ella's Kenyan thank you)  Only days later, on returning home, she left home, albeit in a gentle controlled manner, to that of university.  I am so immensely proud of her but grateful that I do not suffer the feeling of empty nest syndrome; my mother always taught me, that we only 'borrow' our children and if we have been lucky they will return of their own accord.  So I wait and see, but I think we'll be ok.

      This year too saw the passing of close friends and family and made me take stock of how we live our lives.  The celebration of life and memories are so very important.

      This year too saw me stop crafting for several months, something that I do not think has ever happened and I am still not back to being the avid photographer and record keeper of images.  Again though, all these things are creeping slowly back into my life like a breath of fresh air and I think I will be the better and stronger designer for it, or so I hope!

      And lastly this year has seen a reoccurring knock to my health which now in reflection has had a detrimental effect on my feeling of self-worth and self-esteem, but being able to commit this now to paper, or should I say the world wide web, I feel as if I am coming out of this forced break and better for it.  I do believe I have always been a glass half full gal and these past months I think I could have slipped into the depths of something deep, but I did not, I just needed good old fashioned rest from the demands, albeit self-inflicted of
      the social media world we now live in.

      Christmas cookies are a
      huge tradition in Norway
      Phew... are you still here... if you are then take a big sip of something and congratulate yourself on making it here.  Let's be more cheery, shall we?


      I have begun to dip my toes back into crafting and I hope to share with you some of my successes in the coming days and now that I am finally sitting here at the keyboard, I'm excited to share with you my passion for the Christmas season, will you pop along and join me?  there will be recipes for sure, what Norwegian home would not have freshly made cookies to share, so I promise you that if nothing else, images from past years may give you an idea of what to expect...









      The most popular cookie at Christmas in Norway are 'pepperkake'


      Pepperkake are the Scandinavian's version of ginger cookies


      Melt in the mouth cookies are a big hit at Christmas


      Some cookies work well with a smear of butter too!


      Revisiting these photographs has definitely spurred me on!  Bring on December 1st, I say, not that I am wishing my life away you understand...




      Until next time my friends, I have an inkling it may only

      be a day or two away, yes, I think I am BACK!       ♥








      28 comments:

      1. Replies
        1. Thank you Fiona, I appreciate you saying so xxx

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      2. It is SO GOOD to hear from you and read your lovely blog again. I just looked up your blog the other day to see if maybe there was a glitch since I hadn't read it lately. I'm sorry for all the losses and tribulations this year of 2017 has brought you. But, hopefully with the start of the Christmas holiday and the beginning of a new year, you will continue to feel better. I'm so excited for your upcoming Christmas posts! Yeah! Hugs to you dear friend, Pat xx

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        1. Thank you Pat, will do my best to bring festive cheer here on the blog, hope all is well with you, have been so out of touch xxx

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      3. How lovely to see your post. It sounds like you have had quite the year.
        Blog light is fine you know. It's fine to take care of yourself.. we are still well spoiled if you only blog occasionally .
        I especially love your Christmas posts even though I fail to emulate your creativeness I do enjoy the lovely Christmas feel you have created and you can link back to so many lovely previous posts now.
        Chocolate sounds like a good idea... borrowing our children....your Mother made a good point there. You are a year or two ahead of me in the child to Uni and even the thought makes my breath quicken and heart race ... so deep breath and relax time. You sound like you have done a great job with your daughter. Anyway I'm talking too much..consider your self well hugged.

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        1. AS to the children leaving Val, it was easy to see Ella go becuase she was so ready and excited. I do not want to sound as if I don;t care about her or miss, I do, the house is much quieter and her enthusiasm and smile are much missed, but she keeps in touch every week and is so buoyant that actually she has made it easy for me. Hope in a couple of years this will be true for you too Val x

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      4. Great to see you back Selma. X

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        1. Thanks Jules, I see your odd snippet on IG but have not been over to your blog, hope all is well with you and yours x

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      5. Wonderful, wonderful, to see you back in this home-from-home of yours. You've been missed. And it's VERY reassuring to see that you're back to making again. See you in person, soon, as well I hope. Px

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        1. Apologies for not responding to your DM, meet up is a MUST! I've missed you xx

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      6. Hurray! I knew you'd be back for Christmas. Don't stop the crafts as it's that that keeps us all going. See you soon. x

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        1. Ha!Karen your comment made me smile, thank you !

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      7. Oh, Selma! I have missed you and at the same time I do understand; my last year was pretty light on the posting front, too. I'm so sorry to hear of your losses and glad you have given yourself time to heal a bit. Sometimes we don't exactly heal; we just learn to live with the changes in our lives. Congratulations to Ella; you must be so proud of her. Your mother's advice is so wise.

        I'm glad to see you back; take your time, will you? I'm sure we will all be here and happy with one post or a dozen.

        I was just creating something and wanted to include a link to your blog, so popped over to get it and was so lucky to find this. I'll email you about that, but no rush, ok?

        I'm hoping to make some of your Christmas baking this year and will be happy with the older recipes or any new ones. I've been meaning to tell you that I made your Mocha Roulade for my friends inn Tacoma last winter and it was loved! I also sent some to his brother and sister in law (the brother is gluten intolerant); I baked the cake part and rolled it with parchment, then tucked into the box a carton of cream and a bag of sliced green grapes along with a printout of the recipe, a link to your blog and instructions on making the DIY dessert. I received the loveliest card as a thank you, too. So thanks to you for sharing that.

        I'm also grateful for your crochet designs, as they got me through a tough couple of years myself, as you know. Then you led me to Lucy's sweet Attic24 and I thank you for that, too, as her patterns were a great help to my friend who has some rater difficult health challenges.

        You are indirectly 'responsible' for my latest project, too; more on that to come.

        much Love and Light to you, Selma. I'm SO glad to see you here again! But do what works for you, always. And, if I may offer a bit of advice, do spend some time outdoors in nature, among trees if at all possible. It can be so healing, as I'm sure you know.

        It's cold here, but the hugs are warm. Wish I could deliver some in person . . . ~ Linne

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        1. Oh Linne, this is wonderful, so glad the roulade worked well and what a great idea for a preset, I may just have to 'borrow' that one. Please do email, am very excited and curious to know now... and you're so right about being outside in the nature, the colours at the moment here are stunning.

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      8. So glad that you are back and lovely to see you, too! I am sorry that you have been having such a difficult year, but glad to hear that you are feeling better and looking forward. Sometimes life can knock us flat and we need time to find our balance - it is perfectly understandable. Looking forward to sharing this beautiful season with you once again. Hugs xo Karen

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        1. Thank you Karen, I look forward to sharing with you too xxx

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      9. So pleased to see you back, and sorry to hear you have had a difficult year, but glad to hear you are now healing. I especially love your Christmas posts. Take care. Maura xx

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        1. Maura, that is so very kind of you to say so, I really appreciate your comment x

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      10. So happy to see you back! I was wondering if I’d missed your posts somehow.
        Sorry to hear about your sad and difficult time.
        Looking forward to reading your blog again.
        Barbara x

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        1. Thank you Barbara, everyone's comments are so generous, I've missed you all xxx

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      11. Well, this is a lovely surprise. I hope the rest of the year is less challenging than the past months and I look forward to getting excited about Christmas with you xx

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        1. Oh Christina thank you ! I too am more than ever excited about this Christmas as a dispersed family we have decided this year to all come together, first time in many years, it will make it extra special xx

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      12. So happy you are back and sounding well! We've missed you!

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      13. Welcome back, I've always enjoyed your blog, but understand that sometimes we just need a break.

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        1. Janet, thank you, hoping you and Mac are well, I shall look forward to catching up with you xxx

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      14. Welcome back and I hope all goes well for you and yours. Life is interesting to say the least. Blessings...

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      15. Lovely to hear from you. I popped by your blog earlier in the week to see if you were around and here you are today! Hope that things are on a more even keel for you now - boating reference! - and that you are able to get set for a lovely Norwegian Christmas. Hugs to you and hope to hear more from you as and when you are able to share. xx

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      I will always read all comments and will try to reply but it may take me a couple of days, do please pop back and lets get a conversation going...