Happiness & Joy

Christmas Tree, Cookies, Yule & Cats

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

The festive period was a busy one, but a good one this year. It started with the preparation I bought The Vicar of Dibley – The Ultimate Collection [DVD], Miracle on 34th Street [DVD] & The Grinch [DVD] to get me in the festive mood and watched them while I wrapped presents and dressed Norbert the Norwegian (not really a Norwegian but it sounds better):

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Norbert waiting to be taken home. Norbert fully dressed.

Then Sye dressed me up as an African Woman against my Will (honestly!) and we made cinnamon & whole nut cookies:

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Me as an African Woman. Cookies Up Close.
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The completed cookie batches.

The idea Sye & I came up with was to make these cookies to give as homemade gifts to family & friends for Christmas. I don’t know about Sye’s family & friends but all mine that received them said they were delicious.

Yule kicked off the festive period with a relaxed gathering at Chrys’, with tasty food, wonderful company and making of festive wreaths. Unfortunately I wasn’t feeling well as I’d caught a bug before finishing work for the festive period, so by the time it came to making wreaths in the evening I was shattered. In true Yuletide spirit the group banded together and made me a wreath which was so kind of them to do.

Christmas day soon came around and I cooked Christmas dinner for Steve. I was so impressed with myself, but only thought after dinner that I should have took a photo. Dylan & Russell my cats enjoyed the day. I bought them a Crinkle Bag. They love the sound of it along with the cat nip bag sown on a string inside:

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Oh a crinkle bag! OMG there’s catnip inside!

They discovered some wrapping I’d left out and decided to put it on their head and walk around bumping into the walls. After a while they sussed out that if they put their paw in front on them to feel for walls they wouldn’t bang their head. They spent the rest of the evening taking it in turns to play “blind cat;” so should have got a video but at least I got a few photos:

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I will not put my head in the wrapping…. Ah I can’t see!

I also got a number of wonderful presents including various DVD’s, smellies, gift vouchers and a beautiful Yankee Candle.

Boxing day concluded my festive celebrations with a visit to mum & Ian’s with Steve. Albeit brief it was good to see everyone and know that they had a good festive period to.

Blog soon,

Antony

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Holidays Are Coming

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It’s not Christmas until you see this advert on the TV:

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This is just a Christmas funny for you:

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Have a fantastic Christmas all!

Blog soon,

Antony

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#Fusebook Excitement

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Headline Publishing emailed and asked me if I’d like to read and review Fuse by Julianna Baggott the latest book in the Pure Trilogy. Pure the first book in the trilogy was a brilliant read with some really orignal ideas. You can read my full review of Pure here: Book Review: Pure by Julianna Baggott.

In fact I’d enjoyed reading Pure so much that I’d already added Fuse to My Book Schedule. So with Headline kindly offering to send me a free sample copy before the official release date, how could I say no?

After Headline emailed stating they would be sending it out shortly I began to buzz with excitement. Until the day a parcel arrived with #Fusebook on the envelope. At that point my excitement exploded and I instantly put down whatever I’d been reading to start reading Fuse. Here’s a photo of what arrived:


(Click image for full size.)

A HUGE thank you must go to Headline for sending it out. I’m reading it at the moment and it’s a really addictive read that’s exceeding my high expectations. A review will be coming in the New Year.

In the meantime you can buy Pure the first book in the trilogy which will get you ready for Fuse when it is released in February 2013.

Write soon,

Antony

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Christmas Card Letter: 2012

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Reading Time: 4 minutes


Contact Me

Monday 19th November 2012

Dear Reader,

Another year passes us by, time flies by so quickly doesn’t it? For me this year has been a mix of passive times with periods of immense activity. In January I bought myself an iMac (see iMac Part 1 & iMac Part 2), promising myself to write creatively more often. In April I went to watch Steps to relive my youth with mum, Ian & Jodie.


(Above left to right: Ian, Mum & Jodie. Steps Logo on MEN screen. Jodie & Mum.)

In May I had two weeks of annual leave and celebrated my birthday at Alton Towers. If you’ve never been to Alton Towers…you must go; it’s a brilliant day out. During my time off I also visited Chester Zoo for Steve’s Birthday and visited Steve’s family in Hastings.


(Above left to right: Steve in Giant Turtle Shells. Two Cheetahs sunbathing. Me, Steve’s Friend & Steve in Masks at the gift shop.)

My Degree in Nursing results were released in June and I got a Upper Second (2:1) Honours. I felt a sense of achievement and a sense of relief that it was finally over after I previously had to put the final module back a year.

Sye came to stay in July for the Summer. With his arrival I felt a renewed level of motivation to get things done. He returned to Uni. in Salford in the Autumn, it was good having him to stay but I am glad that he’s back where he wants to be.

I had a day trip to Liverpool in August with my good friends Chrys & Simon. Chrys being a proper scouser (minus the accent) showed us round the beautiful city and for the first time I understood why people love the city: the architecture, the culture (music) and the seemingly relaxed nature of the people.

Just before the day trip to Liverpool I started experiencing some severe back pain. After seeing my GP I had an x-ray, was given some painkillers and was referred to Physio. My back’s still causes me some grief now, but the combination of co-codamol and physio exercises have massively reduced the amount of pain I experience.

Having continued to blog throughout the year including several book reviews, I was surprised in September when I had caught the eye of a Publicist (who works for several publishers). This Publicist, from Publishers Group UK asked me if I would review one of their books. I had a bit of a confidence crisis, as I had absolutely no confidence in my writing but Sye encouraged me to go for it. So I did…

The Publicist was that pleased with my review that he sent me another five books to read and at one point stated “a career as a book reviewer beckons!” This was a huge complement and has given me a little more confidence around my writing.

About a week or so ago, I was approached by a Publicist Manager for Headline publishers who have asked me to review a copy of Fuse the second book in a trilogy.

Among my plans for next year is to develop my writing further. But for now I’m focusing on Yule and Christmas. Things are changing this Christmas; for the first time ever Mum is working on Christmas Day, I am off work for the whole Christmas period and I am going to attempt (with Steve) to make Christmas Dinner. Ha ha should be fun at the very least.

Have a joyful festive period,

Antony, Dylan & Russell (the cats)

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