Christmas is a time for memories

I went through Mum's Christmas decorations last time I was in Devon and quite frankly there wasn't much worth keeping. She had bought a few newer ones in the sale at Dartington Hall which matched the ones I had bought in the same sale, so they were brought back for the tree we have in the back room, but of the original decorations, they were all looking a bit tatty and you couldn't even redeem them by describing them as 'retro' or 'vintage'!

But this little fellow just had to come home with me. He was one of my dad's favourites, so he is now hanging happily on my tree (real) in the lounge. [We also have a tree (artificial) in the dining/living/kitchen room, which is themed blue and silver and a small tree (also artificial) upstairs.....]
He brings back lots of happy memories of hanging him on the tree at home, so I shall treasure him. I'm guessing he is well over 50 years old.
When my Dad passed away almost 11 years ago, I bought three little hedgehogs (his favourite animal) and every year I think of him as I hang one hedgehog from me, one from my brother and one from Mum. It's a sad moment, but also illicits wonderfully happy memories of dad too.

I've also decanted the slow gin and arancello. I've decorated the labels with little drawings of sloes or oranges, although the oranges look more like a cross between a strawberry and a tomato. 

I obviously had a little snifter of each one before decanting just to check of course. The sloe gin was very warming and the Arancello was yummy too, but really needs to be served from the deepfreeze to deliver its best flavour. They won't all be given as gifts, but it's good to have some labelled bottles around at this time of year as last minute presents for unexpected visitors if needed :) 

The warm feeling inside from drinking the sloe gin was soon accompanied by a warm feeling outside....I had made myself a hot water bottle for my back ache. Unfortunately it developed a significant hole, so all of a sudden I was aware of a rather warm and very wet bottom!! I'm so pleased it didn't happen in the bed.