Grandad's hands

I don't know about you, but sometimes I see a person who resembles somebody that I've known, loved and cherished.

Today and yesterday myself and a group of work colleagues were in Wellington on business. This afternoon we sat in our hotel (having a coffee and discussing the days antics), waiting for the van to drop us all at the airport to come home.

There was an elderly gentleman on my left who must've been in his eighties, sitting quietly, drinking a tomato juice. It's funny what hits you between the eyes sometimes, but I looked at his hands... He had these handsome long fingers, which had probably seen many a day of hard work - the skin covering his bones was paper thin, and it reminded me of my Grandad's hands. Those precious hands that I had held so many times whilst caring for him at my parents and aunties place, and more recently, during the final weeks of his life-well-lived.

It reminds me to cherish those that we love. Take the time to compliment people, smile at toddlers and mothers, and don't ever be afraid to hold the hands of the elderly. To be a comfort to those heroes whose wives and friends have long past.  Those are the moments that count.

This is a simple post - one without pictures and frilly bits - but one with much respect and honour for our heroes who have passed. 

Grandad, I love you...I miss you everyday. xx

Christmas Delights

Well, I feel the need to add a little somethin' somethin' to the blog! And since it's so jolly cold recently (and Cherry Menlove recently blogged about Christmas crafty bits and pieces) it seems somehow right to be in a Christmassy state of mind (not to mention it's been a hard day, and after an exciting weekend of {d.i.y} I feel the need to cheer myself up.

These pictures are from Christmas 2010 - a crafty type of Christmas

Fairy lights were the name of the game during this Christmas - which always seems like a little bit of a waste of time here in New Zealand! (Don't heckle me for that statement...if you were here, you'd understand...) It's light by about 5.30am, and the sun doesn't properly go down until about 10pm! (Not many waking moments to be able to appreciate the beauty...)

Here, {Henny House} is appropriately adorned with a Santa hat! (Sweet...)

{t.h.i.s.} is really her best side!

Henny House was guarding Christmas presents all wrapped up and ready to send to my nephews in the north island. (I'm quite chuffed with the wrapping paper even now! It was adorned 100% by me, a rubber stamp, and a red stamp pad - and then topped off (literally) with some beautiful ribbon from Femme de Brocante in Rangiora. www.fdb.co.nz (They always have such wonderful stock of ribbons and all types of fabric!)

I can't claim the wrapping paper as my own, but nor can I recall where I stole the idea from! Anyway, it is simply done by using plain old brown postage paper, and then stamped in a {regular} pattern (quite a relaxing, rhythmic job really), and then wrap as per usual, and VOILA! The tags were just old cards cut out with my scallop punch. Bless.

Apologies for the blurry photos...but you get the idea :)