Need to get packing! Off to NYC for a girls weekend on Friday.
We made a pact years ago that we would each celebrate our 40th Birthdays by going away together.
I'm hitting the big 40 tomorrow - and NYC was my destination of choice. Just can't wait!

Sledging on Christmas day! Infact this was my boys mode of transport all last week.
Borrowed one of Ciaras many outdoor jackets, infact she gave me one which will be perfect for NYC in two weeks and two days.
Who's counting?



I love this embroidered screen.

My Dad and sister have a thing about hoovering. Dad for his Henry, Ciara her Henrietta. Unfortunately for my husband I didn't inherit that domestic gene. Love a clean tidy house - just prefer it when someone else does it.

Here is a photo of Ciaras open plan hall. Dad appropriately with hoover in background.

I'm not the only collector in the family. Ciara's weaknesses are butterflies, horses, bags, shoes.....

So we spent Christmas at my parents holiday house in Northern Ireland although we all descended on my sister and partners house on Christmas Eve where we remained until well into boxing day.

Ciara had a really successful riding school from the tender age of seventeen until about ten years ago. Unfortunately all her hard work and meticulous cleanliness of the stables caused her major back problems and she was forced to give up.

I know she misses her old profession terribly, however she converted the stables into a wonderful house just over a year ago.

Here I am leaping about with Otto on Christmas morning with Otto. Again, again were his chants.

I'm in my jammies! Feel I need to point that out!

Happy Belated New Year! After an unplanned blog break I'm back with every intention to post more regularly this year.

I had a wonderfully busy time workwise right up to Christmas, then a fabulous break spent mainly in Ireland.

Because I haven't posted for so long there is so much to catch up on - including this my only shot of our Christmas decorations.

I had a lot more on my phone - which is the camera I have always used for blogging but I mysteriously lost it on New Years Eve (can't even blame partying - it went missing early evening and Ian and I had a quiet one).

Only consilation is that we bought a new camera just before Christmas - so hopefully images are a better quality.