Louise's West Oxon World : Hello Christmas, goodbye 2012 ...

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Clement Clarke Moore - 1779 - 1863

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So, Santa has weaved his way across the land spreading yule tide magic. Christmas day has come and gone and another year of Christmas day memories have been made.

It's a good job Father Christmas is a sensible, wise chap and wears large boots whilst doing his rounds Christmas Eve otherwise his toes would have been very wet this year.

This is the iconic Christmas image that warms hearts and evokes that Christmas feeling ...

and here is reality this Christmas Eve ...

Fields have become waterlogged.

Boundaries showing where river banks end and land begins are

un-recognisable.

And crisp, winter walks have been replaced with squelchy, mud drenched affairs.

Dreams of a snow covered Christmas winter wonderland have sadly remained dreams.

This years wonderland is a very brown and very wet one!

The Met Office have officially recorded Summer 2012 in England as the wettest in 100 years and it looks like 2012 is set to be the wettest year since records began.

Dreams of looking out of the window Christmas day to see a crisp white snowman glistening in the garden have been dashed.

Below is a more realistic image of what would be staring back!

Bring on 2013 is what I say!!!

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Christmas time for me holds the promise of two exciting days, Christmas day itself and the first day of the sales ~ whoop whoop.

Oh the sales, how I dream about this joyous day *dreamy happy sigh*

During the weeks leading up to sale day I plan, make mental lists over and over, day dream of what I hope to buy and the night before make a 'wish list' of my dream purchases.

(I know I take this irrelevant day way too seriously).

These dream buys are not the norm, ie luxury coats, shoes, handbags, jewelry, etc ~ no siree it's simply just pretty glittery bits / stuff / things.

I'm happy to say this year my heart has been filled with glee as I managed to find the most pretty, glittery, shiny things I could ever have hoped to buy ...

Beautiful glass ornaments that shine and twinkle,

Shiny diamante baubles that remind me of the prettiest disco balls,

Glitter, glitter, glitter ~ oh how I love thee

Stationary ready for a handwritten letter.

The prettiest birds of paradise notes.

Ahhhh, my glorious tree!

How I wish this could be our yearly tree but sadly I don't think I'll be allowed to get away with that.

A black tree that I have adorned with the most glitzy

multicoloured tinsel fulfils all my post Christmas needs ~ I love, love, love it. X

Cute stickers ... now what is not to love about these

sweet lil creatures.

They now live all over our place. On my lap top, the lids of my make up, mirrors, note pads, and cheeky hiding places like the inside of the tea bag tin. They crop up everywhere brightening up

our day and raising a smile.

Neon pink honeycomb paper balls, no home should be without them!!

And these are a few of my favourite Christmas money purchases :D

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My fav photo of the week is of our lil Bessie Bear Puppy Dog and her bestest friend, my father-in-laws puppy dog Emmy, both tussling over tinsel.

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Sadly, this weekend Lisa and I emptied our unit of lovely things and ended our lease. It has been a great 6 months in which I have learnt a great deal and have a lot of fun in the process. I think it's the wrong environment for us to sell in and in the new year we will explore a different avenue. With my final months earnings I treated myself to this bowl ...

It has been for sale in the unit next to ours from day one and it was love at first sight. It has been glued over and over again, cracks have been repaired and chips have been patched up but it all adds to the charm. Lisa and I would pass it during every visit and it became aptly named 'Louises bowl'. On our final day of trading the last thing I did before we settled our accounts was buy 'my' bowl. This pretty thing will remind me that Lisa and I had a shot at our dream and have come away with no regrets just more determined than ever.

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I would like to congratulate my lovely Cousin Katie on her engagement to (the also lovely) Louis. They make such a lovely couple and their happy news is a perfect way to end 2012.

X Congratulations X