If 2005 was the year of new responsibilities, then 2006 was the year of small miracles. Recently someone in the blogosphere defined a miracle as being an event that was hoped for, but seemed so far from the realms of possibility, that often hope had disappeared. Then, out of the blue, this wonderful thing would happen. The Miracle. Away from any religious context, a miracle is something so special that it can restore faith and hope, lighten the darkest of dark days and tip the balances in your favour a little.

2006 has for me, been a year that seemed strange to begin with - as every new year does. Almost uncomfortable. I shrugged off my teenage years, leaving them in a box by the side of the road, before (metaphorically) driving off into my twenties. In late January, after much cajoling (anyone would think it was a chore!) my then-Fiancé and I decided to get married and embark on the next stage of our lives, as one, together. This in itself was a miracle above all miracles. I had a terrible idea in my head that we’d never get married, but my woes were put aside and we did the one thing that came very naturally to both of us.

Preparing for that and afterwards, clarified things in my mind about who I was and then, where I wanted to be in the future. The honeymoon put so many ideas in our heads, dreams we carry with us wrapped in gossamer and kept closely to our chests.

Little miracles because getting married and getting a job were just 2 things I didn’t ever envisage happening anytime soon. Yet fate and fortune played their hands deftly and here I am.

As for 2007 I don’t know ~ who does? But as I write this blog entry, wrapped up nice and snug in the new goose-down duvet (so warm!), listening to Sufjan Stevens, I know that life could be alot worse. I don’t know what 2007 will bring, but if it only brings the same things, I shall be forever grateful.

So tonight, at the strike of 12 (we’ll be listening to the bells of Big Ben strike the hours on Radio4, if either of us can stay awake!), huge storms raging at our walls, I’ll raise a cup of kindness for Auld Lang Syne (”times gone by”) and wish for many more small miracles in 2007.

Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas is once again over and done with in such an unusually fast time. In-between then and January there is always the down-time, still festive, but with all the shine taken away ~ at least that’s how it’s always felt to me. The big day itself was lovely, pudding, turkey (free-range, local), food a-plenty, and my mother even did the washing up (isn’t she an angel?!). Christmas this year has been made much nicer by listening to Sufjan Stevens‘ ‘Songs for Christmas’ at every possible moment, as well as the pure goose-down duvet that we were given as a present (so warm!). Snuggling and listening have been two of our high priorities.

We had a lovely week, but now it’s back to work (for me at least) and to the beginning of a new year. But we’ll forget about that (a different post for that, I feel) for now, and I’ll leave you with the last remnants of Christmas chéz VintagePretty.

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I got one of my christmas presents early - my husband demanded I open a little parcel that plopped through the letterbox this morning. He was worried it wouldn’t come in time, it had come all the way from Hong Kong! It was the most heartfelt presents he could’ve given me - two of my favourite things wrapped up together (Sufjan Stevens and Christmas). Strangely enough I didn’t even know these albums existed, which led to much trepidation on my husband’s part, had I just not known about them, or didn’t I like them?! Thankfully it was the former, and finding these beautiful songs made me feel all the more christmassy.

We went to a local garden-centre to find some more lights for the tree (a bad time to do it, when it’s already decorated, but c’est la vie!) because it was much bigger than last year’s and looking a tad bare in places. I couldn’t believe just how quiet all the roads were, and how sad the garden centre looked as the staff were already taking the christmas things off the shelves and putting big SALE tags on them. But we had a coffee, watched the meagre bird-life through the windows (obviously sensible enough to still be in the nest!) and got a couple of last-minute presents.

I have only got to make some mince pies, then I’m all done. I am working tomorrow, but only half a day, so it’s not going to be too bad. We also pick up our free-range, local turkey and my mum makes the 160-mile trip to stay for the week. I am so excited.

This will probably be the last post I have the chance to write before the big day, so I’ll get it all over and done with and wish you guys the Merriest of Christmasses possible. May you have a warm, happy, safe, loving and peaceful christmas, may your wishes be answered, and may you enjoy it completely. So with that in mind, love to all of you and yours at christmas!

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Christmas, that is. Sneaking up on those poor folks who didn’t see it coming. The next few days are going to be spectacularly busy, and would you believe that I’m working on christmas eve too?! Thankfully I won’t be on my own, we’re running at a reduced capacity food-wise and it’s only half a day, but still! I must be up early to fight the traffic, and work, watching the clock until 1 when we can shut up shop and go home for christmas.

But deep down I’m still so excited. I hear all the songs and I remember when I was a child, hearing the bells on santa’s sleigh. Watching the made-for-TV films about Christmas, it’s all wonderful. And the best bit? On The Big Day I’m going to have those I love the most around me.

And how could I not laugh when presented with the below-pictured item? It is apparently a “raving rabbid” (and I’ve known enough of those little blighters in my lifetime ~ if you name your rabbit Flopsy, you’re in for trouble - you’ve been warned!) from a computer-game, merchandise of which my husband is given regularly (lucky blighter!). I’ve been told that he’s accompanying my husband back to his desk when the xmas break is over, but I’m getting attached to the little fellow. Just watch, he might bite!

Currently Listening: Ed Harcourt ~ Rain On The Pretty Ones and Kim Robertson’s ~ The Holly and the Ivy

Today it is the shortest day for us folks in the Northern Hemisphere and also 6 months to the day that I got married. I must admit this occasion hasn’t gone unnoticed, but with all the preparations for christmas at hand, it has been hard to get ready for christmas and find the time to actually do something special. But my husband came home armed with a bunch of red roses and carnations, and a bag of goodies from a little Chinese supermarket in the city. It contained our favourite celebratory food: dim-sum. We started this tradition last year on my birthday, at my request that we should find a new and interesting food to enjoy. And as a birthday girl always gets what she wants - my lovely husband obliged. Needless to say we ate too much (those little glutinous parcels are deceptive!) and since has become a tradition. I’m not very enthused with the peanutty “gelatinous rice balls”, dim sum yay, GRB weird.

And I still love him to pieces.

I also just realised that I haven’t told anyone on here very much about the big day. Because it was a midsummer wedding, our cakes were based on a really natural hedgerow theme, which stands for everything we are. My mother did all the sugar-work, my MIL baked the cake (we believe in sharing the stress…) and an idea popped into my mothers head - a Brambly Hedge cake. As that was a story-book I loved as a child. Summer Story is based on a midsummer wedding, where Poppy Eyebright and Dusty Dogwood marry and float down the river - all very summery and romantic. So that was the inspiration for our cakes at least. Butterflies, dog-roses, clover, bees, snails and squirrels adorned the three cakes that we had, and everyone was in awe (including us!) at how beautiful they were.

~*~

In other news, I managed to fight the hoardes and get our christmas shopping done, minus foil, because it wouldn’t be a shopping trip without me forgetting something important, now would it? In pure panic at the thought of having to fight for a parking space, a trolley, a cash machine and to get anywhere near the centre of town I decided I wouldn’t splash out on the spiced gingerbread latté that I’d promised myself and instead just got the dog’s presents (yes, we’re that sort of people, and no, we aren’t precious about our dog - she’s only getting a dog toy and some treats. Although she did get her own card in the post today, from the vetinary surgery!) and the shopping. Eh, I’m good. I managed the lot in under 2 hours, and was away just as it was starting to get very hectic.

I spent the rest of the day under a mass of ironing and cleaning. The bin in the kitchen had decided to leak its contents, leaving the bottom of the bin rather, icky to say the least. But no more! It is now sparkly. I just have an enormous amount of vacuuming to do, a bit more ironing and we’re all done, just in time for me to work on sunday. I cannot believe it is less than 4 days until christmas, I don’t know where the time has gone! But I have regained my christmas-spirit (it was lost when last weekend’s excitements ended) and am now ready. How about you?

Ooooh, and before I foget, I got the most beautiful card in the post from Mimi! Thankyou ever so much, it was beautiful and the wording so heart-felt - It made my day!