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christmas comes just once a year ...

But a thorough clean doesn't. Before putting my tree up every year I have a Christmas clean, most people may just have one in the springtime. To be quite honest our home always looks respectable, I just hate to be caught out if a visitor turns up out of the blue. I know housework can become obsessional, although when you had a mum who would be vacuuming around your bed at the crack of dawn, it's no wonder you turn out the same! Anyway before the tree goes up I can go through the ritual of just thoroughly cleaning those places that get ignored at other times of the year, like vacuuming around the skirting boards and under the settee, running the feather duster along the curtain rails etc. I really do feel so much better for doing this, and once I have been through the pleasure of putting up and decorating the tree, I can then just stand back and admire!

blogger, me ...

What do you do on a Saturday morning and how has it changed for you over the years? Well, in

1962, I didn't do anything as I hadn't even of been thought of;
1972, I was spending my pocket money in the local toy shop; a few years later in
1977, I was swapping things on Multi Coloured Swap Shop;
1982, I was nursing a bad head from the night before, no not through alcohol, but by returning from the nightclubs in Brighton at three in the morning; a year later
1983, I met J, so smitten was I, most Saturdays mornings were spent with him;
1986, I was shopping in Sainsburys, as this year we set up home together;
1998, I moved with J to a larger place with a garden, so I would be spending time outside, and
2007, I discovered blogging!

Saturday mornings will never be the same again! Now as soon as J sets off for work early, I jump on to the computer to check for any comments left and then try to visit everyone who have been leaving comments on both of my blogs, as you know, this can take quite a while. Anyway don't think I spend all of my time procrastinating doing this, in between I am jumping up and down, catching up with chores, supping numerous cups of tea and coffee, and water if I remember, basically trying to do everything that I haven't got around to doing in the week. I must confess though that my garden has taken a back seat, I love the outdoors and I am known to be out there in all weathers, and even though it is winter I have a long list of jobs I need to do, maybe tomorrow?

Now I really am off to wrap up some Christmas presents, I have a pretty casual attitude towards Christmas at the moment, but probably by the middle of next week, when I realise what I haven't yet done, the panic will set in!

the christmas morning post ...

Mr Robin the Postman
Is waiting at your door
With my Christmas greetings
And wishes quite a store!

The Christmas Morning Post 1934 - Printed by Raphael Tuck & Sons Ltd

Well, after work today, I finally got around to stopping off at my very handy local sub Post Office, nearly didn't as it was tipping down with rain, yet again, and there wasn't a car parking space in sight, after having cursed everyone who wanted to be out at that very second and not relishing getting drenched, I decided to give up on the idea and just get straight home. Then I thought, do I really want to go back out again in the deluge later on, so with that in mind and with one quick turn of the steering wheel, I decided just to go round the block one more time in hope of finding someone pulling out from a space, bingo, a prime spot had just become available right outside the front door, finally my luck was in.

Anyway the main purpose of going was first and foremost to get a card posted off to my Grandpa, my only surviving grandparent, he is in his nineties and lives in Majorca, secondly to buy stamps for the cards which have to go through the post for friends and family, second class I hasten to add, and last but not least to check whether some of the fancy cards with embellishments I wanted to send would need the new large stamp tariff, after poking them through the gap several times, I found two of them did! Just a warning to everyone, make sure to check yours if you are not sure, as recently I sent a fancy birthday card to a friend and she later told me she had to go and pick it up from her Post Office and pay a fee of about £2.00 to be able to bring it home, luckily she is a good friend and we had a laugh about it, although at the time I was very annoyed with the postal system, it seems to me that every direction you turn nowadays there is invariably someone out to rob you?

Talk about spoilt for choice, we have two local Post Offices, the larger one is situated in the main part of the village and a much smaller sub Post Office which is just on the outskirts. Unfortunately the smaller one of the two is constantly being threatened with closure, why I don't know, as when I pass by there is always a steady stream of customers going in and coming out. I hope it doesn't, it would be a great shame and the very personal service it provides, something which is severely lacking in this day and age, would be greatly missed by me and the others who choose to use it.Please help to save your local Post Office by supporting them with your custom.

As Jane put it so well, this post has started a national debate! I must say though all of you support your local post office which is great, I would so miss the personal service which my little one provides, not that I am completely putting down the main post office, it is handy for car tax etc, although I always try and avoid it, one because quite often there is a queue snaking right outside the door and two there is a patronising figure of a man who works behind the counter, one Christmas I was in the queue and he refused a lady Christmas stamps, just because she wanted a bulk lot, I did ask myself at the time can he do this, what sort of customer service is he giving? Talking of Christmas stamps, Jane wants biggers stamps with more value for money! Joanna's life is made more difficult with this sizing business, can they make it any harder for people who need to use the parcel service for one reason or another and my dad would join you in saying, such a shame to lose the night train. Leslie, I hope they can find a counter in one of your shops, so that you still have the use of a local post office and as Catherine says they are a lifeline out in the country, my dad lives out in the sticks and his village post office closed years back and the village shop took over a counter, and now they have had to close, due to lack of custom, such a shame. How are the elderly or young people come to that, who don't have transport, supposed to get to the larger post offices, where my dad lives there is about one bus a day, and you have to walk about two miles to the bus stop, Jane would have to catch a ferry! I do love England but living here is becoming more difficult day by day.

posting dates for christmas ...

I have all my Christmas cards written, sealed, addressed and stamped ready for the off. Honestly how long does it take?

In case you need a gentle nudge, here are the postal deadlines for Christmas.

International Airmail
Friday 7th December: South and Central America, Caribbean, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Far East (except Japan), Australia, New Zealand.
Monday 10th December: USA, Canada, Japan, Eastern Europe.
Thursday 13th December: Western Europe.

Last UK post dates
Wednesday 14th December: Standard parcels.
Monday 17th December: Second class.
Thursday 20th December: First class.
Friday 21st December: Special delivery.

The cards above shows 'Post Early for Christmas' posters from the 1940s and 50s. If you love nostalgia of any kind click on The British Postal Museum and Archive, to go back in time to see more posting advertisements drawn in this iconic style of the period, they are great, and you can buy them too, just as prints or framed.

my photo

cornishware cup of tea and yorkshire tea biscuits ...

I am feeling a bit sorry for myself today, I have a sore throat and muggy head, three of my colleagues at work have colds at the moment, so it would be no surprise if I am coming down with one. Just got back from food shopping at Sainsburys where I spotted these 'new' biscuits, I bought two treats for myself today, and these were one of them; popped into Boots to redeem a £5 No 7 voucher on a new blusher to put some colour into my cheeks and to stock up on cold/flu tablets and throat sweets! Before coming home I popped into a table sale being held at my local parish hall to meet up with two of my friends Fiona and Jackie who were selling their very professionally hand-crafted cards for all occasions there, I came home with a mixture of birthday and Christmas ones, so I am very pleased.

I love cards, maybe take a look at Joanna from Higglety Pigglety, Michele from Cowboys and Custard and Ginny from The Flour Loft blog to discover some lovely cards which they make.