It’s that in between time…
Hi there
It’s that in between time. That time between Christmas and the New Year. I really like it. It’s a time to step away from the daily routine, the bump and grind, and just do whatever tickles your fancy.
This morning I went into Tunbridge Wells with another Barb – Dave’s sister. She’s up from Devon for Christmas, and spending it with us. She’s a lovely woman. We parked up early, walked the length of the old town, had a nice breakfast in a nice restaurant at the top, then meandered all the way back down to the Pantiles, popping into loads of little shops, treating ourselves to this n that. It was just uncomplicated and pleasant.
Now I’m waiting for another very dear friend to visit this afternoon. She’s also up from Devon! Anita is my oldest friend from schooldays. It will be good to catch up. Whilst we talk regularly on the phone, there’s nothing quite like sitting across from one another at the kitchen table, sharing a pot of tea, now is there?
What’s with the migration to Devon? Did I miss the memo? Both Barb and Neet tell me that living in Devon is very, very different to living in this busy, fast paced, rather aggressive south eastern corner. I always feel that when we venture down there. As soon as you hit Somerset, the vibe changes, doesn’t it. Away from London, away from the commuter belt. Life is just much slower down there in the rural southwest. We have discussed moving, but it’s probably a bit late now. That said, both Barb and Neet only moved away from here in the last couple of years – and we’re all pretty much the same age. So never say never…but for the time being, let’s just be grateful we are able to get together and spend precious time in each others’ company.
The £2 Sale on the Clarity website is going well! I knew you’d enjoy that one! Just being able to scroll through loads and loads of single stamps, stencils, dies and baby plates, and spend so little on so much! I saw the perfect order this morning: 18 individual purchases, a mixture of stamps and stencils = £36 which means free postage, too. Bingo !! Yep. We all like a bargain! CLICK HERE TO FIND. I can see that we are selling out of lots of the past issues already, so if you are thinking of having a little shop, better sooner than later…
Right. I must dash, said the Mexican!
Love always
Barb. x x x
PS. I was talking to Dave, and thought it might be nice to spend an hour together on new Year’s Eve. How about 7pm on 31st? No worries if you’re busy, but there are always folks sitting alone on New Years, and I was thinking it might be good to keep each other company, have a chat. I’ll dial up the SHAC at 7pm on New Year’s Eve. So if you’re around, do pop in xxx
21 thoughts on “It’s that in between time…”
Sounds like you have had a lovely time Barb. it doesn’t need to be a week of manic partying to be lovely and special. I love a cosy chat over a good old cup of Yorkshire tea and a biscuit or two.
Must admit, we notice the difference in pace when we come daarn saarf! Patience isn’t all that abundant, especially on the motorways.
Happy New Year to you all xxx
Pleased you have had a lovely day, my best friend popped in for a hour on Monday, and it was lovely to see her and have a catch up even though it was only for a little while. Been a foggy cold day here, went out for our morning dog walk, and will be going later for our second walk, hoping the pungent smell from the farm has dispersed!! Enjoy your evening, I will make a note for New Years Eve. xxx
Right…2 things! Thank you so much for the £2.00 sale – I have filled in loads of gaps in my Excel sheet (there are so many club items I had never noted!) Oh and I have bought a few too.
Secondly, please mention to Dave about the lady on Talking Pictures TV who is doing a series of ‘Stories Behind The Songs’. She is the daughter of one of the Chas & Dave team and she plays piano and does the old tunes we all know and love e.g. Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms, which was written by a chap whose wife was horridly scarred by smallpox and therefore would not come out of her room. Her adoring husband wrote the song to tice her out of her room and to assure her it did not matter to him about her scars at all. Ahhhhh…..
Love to you all.
Maggie (York UK) – still in a harness with a broken shoulder.
I hope you heal quickly.
Thank you lovely lady – the Consultant’s advice was “be patient it can be more than 8 weeks to get sorted!” Super.
Maggie (York UK)
Oh Barb.. I’m sooo pleased you have had valuable down time. You certainly needed that.
Lovely company and nice shopping. A world away from any ‘troubling’ thoughts.
YES. I will have a glass of something on the 31st at 7pm. TERRIFIC. WooHoo.xxx
Toodle Pip for now. Stay happy and safe. Dave too of course, and Gracie.🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Sounds like a great day. Quiet one for us but had a good couple of lovely days. I’m going to the Panto tomorrow with the great-nieces and one of the nephews I think – the two year old a little bit young for Sleeping Beauty – I have to keep looking it up as I forget what I’m going to see. Haven’t seen that one as a panto so will be nice. Just finished a card for the 7 to be on 29th. I would ask you to do a dinosaur but he’ll be probably be on to something else by next year, although I remember having to draw one on parchment last year ! Enjoy the rest of the day and your time with Anita. Look forward to meeting up on NYE xx
A cuppa and a chat is always a treat!!! And time out is so important!
Ooh that order you mentioned could have been mine – I was really quick off the mark during a sleepless night. Love a stencil and there were some stamps I couldn’t resist – great bargains!!
Depending on mum I’m not sure where I’ll be on New Years Eve but I for sure will join if I can.
Lots of love to all!
Hope to see you on New Years Eve. Missed Christmas Day but am going to watch the recording. I have too spent some money Glad you are fining time to relax a little. Take care.
Hi Barbara. I used to live in Somerset, 5 minutes from Dorset and Devon boarders. After work I’d be down on a he beach at Seatown (just down from Lyme Regis). Walk the dogs, supper at the dab pub on the beach and watch the sun go down. Anmazing how chilled the life style is down in the West Country, I do miss it.
On Boxing Day I used to take the dogs down to Lyme Regis and walk along the cob, then hot chocolate on the boardwalk and watch sunset. It is full of locals at Christmas time, you take a candle and everyone walks down to the cob and the band/ choir play in the evening, bliss. If you’re ever down that way, take the coast road from Abbotsbury (Chesil beach) all the way to Lyme, on a sunny day the sea views are amazing. You pass Cogden beach where there is a nature reserve between the beach and sea. Fisherman silhouette’s line the beaches in the evening and taboo so quiet. Seatown is tucked away and you can walk up the hill and see the coast, Portland and all the way down towards Weymouth on a good day . Sadly they have been having landslides there. Fossil hunting was addictive as you walk along the beach too.
Wishing you a wonderful and prosperous new year from foggy Northamptonshire.
Love, happiness and kindness
Heather 🥰🌻🦋
I would have loved a day moseying round the shops and drinking tea with a girl friend. Its hard being so far away from my best pals and family. Used to love popping over to a family members home to have a cuppa and a chat.
It will be lovely to meet at 7pm on NYE.
I filled my boots with a lovely stash of back club items. So many to choose from, so I went with ones that spoke to me and gave me inspiration. Now to find playtime when they all arrive.
I do hope you managed to get some play time with the new stamps, I’m sure everyone will love them so I’m really looking forward to seeing all the teams designs.
lots of love and glad your getting to chill a little. T.x
Honestly I can thoroughly recommend moving away from the south east! Everyone has more time, likes a chat, is friendly and warm hearted – and the air is clean, the water is soft, the views driving to the supermarket would take your breath away and there’s hardly any traffic!!!
I’ve got my order in and also ordered some of the card packs after watching you make those lovely notelets. Might have a little crafting session tomorrow xxx
I must say after being born in South London, moving to Harrow when about 3 and then moving to Exmouth, Devon in the late 1980’s, we have never looked back. I love the pace of life, the beautiful countryside, the gorgeous beaches (am I selling it to you?) The people are great and I would never want to live anywhere else. We had our family here and they now have children of their own so, yes very happy here! They also wouldn’t live anywhere else but the West Country! One does live in Cornwall now though!! Happy New Year to everyone at Clarity, may all your wishes come true.
Pleased you got the chance to meet up with old friends. Nothing better than the natter.
Order placed today for the £2 specials, Thankyou.
New years eve sounds fab , see you there.
Thankyou for all that you do xx
I’m no fan of New Year I very rarely stay up to see the New Year in. A New Year always makes me feel sad – another year that has passed me by, remembering those I’ve lost. Then I remonstrate with myself and try to remember all my blessings, the fact that I have a wonderful family and many friends. So I would welcome meeting up Barbara amongst friends in the Shac xx
What a lovely day you had!
It has been quite foggy here for the past few days!
Today is the first time in the past week that I’ve felt like doing any craft. A friend asked me to do a happy new year card in French for her to send to her friend – the French tend to send new year cards rather than Christmas cards I think.
Anyway, I have been working on it and really enjoyed the afternoon!
I look forward to joining you on New Year’s Eve for the SHAC!
Sounds like you’ve had a fab day! I love the slower pace of this in-between time too, after the mad pace in the run-up to Christmas. Have already been shopping in the sale…
A catch-up on New Year’s Eve sounds like a great plan – see you there!
Hi Barbara
I’m with your friends, I moved to Somerset 5 years ago just before the pandemic so has taken time to get to know the area. It is much slower than Surrey and London my last locations. You are never too old to move just means making more of an effort to make new friends. Don’t cross it off your list yet 🤣. Order already in for a few stencils I fancied as this is the one club I never joined. So thank you for the sale.
Love
Ruth and Jackie xx
Hope you had a great afternoon catching up with your friend Anita after your shopping trip this morning. We have spent the day with the family again with the addition of our niece & her 2 children. Now we are sat in the quiet catching up with programmes recorded over the last few days whilst I have been perusing the sale with just a few purchases to add to my club stash that came out before I joined & a few Groovi ones for my granddaughter then we can do projects together. Tomorrow is the day for putting chairs, glasses & cutlery away in the right place ready for the next big occasion. Then maybe go for a walk to the shops to see if there are any bargains to be had, hopefully the damp foggy weather will soon disappear – the forecast for Sunday is looking much better with the sun making an appearance.
See you in the SHAC on New Years Eve – will be great to catch up before the end of the year xx
Hello Barb, how lovely to spend time with good friends, who have been in your life for so long. Enjoy having the down time during this quieter period. It is the time we normally try sort the house out before going back to work, and normally just spend a quiet New Years eve, thinking about the year just gone and the year to come. Take care everyone, a little bit foggy out there today. Bx
Pleased you’re having some quiet time. We went to Edinburgh zoo yesterday with family and I spent ages looking at the giraffes and remembering how we drew them, I still can’t believe I did it.
It’s never too late to move just don’t do what we did and move twice in under 2 years because you realise you’ve made a mistake. We’re back in Scotland now near Pitlochry and it is wonderful and only an hour from my daughter in Edinburgh so we have the best of both worlds. A bit far to come to a retreat but you never know. Xx