I’ve just been skimming back through the photographs on my phone – ones I’ve taken over the last few weeks, and it’s amazing how much we’ve managed to cram in. It’s been busy at work too as we get closer to Christmas and great to hear all your positive comments about the products you’ve been treating yourself to, the little insights into your world, and how much you’ve enjoyed the blog. I’ll have more updates to come on pre-Christmas TSVs and the many great value offers we have in the next few weeks, but before that, back to the photos!
Like so many of you, Colin and I had quite a few things planned pre-lockdown to celebrate various birthdays and anniversaries that were then cancelled or postponed indefinitely. However, we managed to reinstate quite a few of them earlier this year and like buses, they all seemed to turn up at the same time!
First up was our long-awaited night out at The Crazy Bear in Beaconsfield. This extraordinary hotel/restaurant is a favourite of ours and we’ve had a couple of great evenings there these past few years. This time we were staying over and were delighted with our black leather walled bedroom and this stunning copper bath – check out where the water comes from to fill the bath!
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We had a fabulous meal, retired to the bar for a nightcap and then enjoyed a terrific breakfast the following morning. It was great fun, and well worth the wait, so I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for their next wave of special offers!
We also enjoyed Colin’s daughter Vicky’s birthday last weekend when quite a few of the family were able to join us. I didn’t take that many photographs as I had to head into work quite early, but as it was Halloween I snapped this one of Corey in his outfit! I’m not sure he was too happy about the little green beard but it made us smile. 🙂 We bought Danni Minogue’s faux leather biker jacket for Vic, and not only was it a perfect fit but she loved it! I know you’re going to love her latest TSV – another great design and fit and pretty festive too!
I had a couple of days off last week and that gave Colin and I time to head to Canary Wharf and the Boisdale Club where he’d bought tickets for us to see The Pasadena Roof Orchestra while enjoying a lovely meal. Honestly, it was brilliant. The musicians were terrific and the lead singer’s voice sublime. Sheer escapism and well worth travelling into the City to see them. I wore a dress I’d bought three years before but never had an occasion to put it on! Maybe time for me to sort out my wardrobes!
Talking of which have you seen the new BBC1 programme starring Stacey Solomon? My friend Roz introduced me to it when I spent a couple of days in her beautiful home in Dorset. The show is called Sort Your Life Out, and families are given the chance to totally empty their homes – everything is taken to a warehouse and laid out in different categories– and then they have to get rid of 50% of all they own! You would be staggered how much some people can fit into their homes! In the meantime, Stacey and her team create better storage and more manageable living space for them. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I thought Stacey was marvellous with the families.
14th November was my sister Jenny’s 60th birthday and we were so glad to be able to get together to celebrate with her family and grandchildren. I offered to make her cake – a coffee sponge – and bought her a pair of diamond earrings that I’d had on one of our Luxury Jewellery hours at QVC. She loved them. I got there early so I could do her make-up for her and had planned to take loads of pictures of us all, but misplaced my phone and was too busy socialising to remember it! I snapped these few though and I’ll hold the memories forever.
Talking of make-up, Dr. Doris Dalton has surpassed herself with a terrific five-piece collection of make-up designed to benefit your skin while reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles! (244105) The Smooth Skin Solution includes her own patented ingredient “Smooth Assist” which is active in the primer, foundation and lip colour – all included in the collection. There will be eight shades to choose from and everything comes in a beautiful rose gold tin. It’s £45 and is available in 2 Easy Pay instalments so I hope you’ll be able to secure yours on Tuesday 16th November.
More excitement the following day when we bring you the brand new Orange Flower fragrance from Liz Earle! Their Botanical Scents of Winter collection includes three products including Cleanse & Polish all boasting this beautiful sweet orange and lavender scent plus any one of their fine 50ml Eau de Parfum range! It’s beautifully packaged and would make the most perfect gift, so have a look at item number 245770 to find out more.
With only five more weekends left before Christmas I hope we’re helping you cut through the lists of things to do and buy? I’ve made a good start but it may all grind to a halt in the next few weeks when the house becomes a building site! Where to store all the presents that’s going to be the dilemma? Where do you keep yours?
I do hope all is well with you, and that you’re making the best of the autumn colours and the relatively warm days? Thank you as always for keeping in touch, and I’ll look forward to hearing from you.
With my love,
Ali xxxx
10 Responses
Hi Alison sounds like you have been busy catching up with things and having a nice time looks lovely. Xmas is creeping upon us I have got a few things but waiting for some ideas for the girls,how are your plans going? Hope you are getting to see Honey and Lucy and your boys when you can. I have been looking after Ottilie alot so Clare can cover her boss when he’s away he lives in Portland so its quite a journey to Ringwood. Well not a lot more to report at the moment we are visiting Gary In Bristol on Saturday, then next weekend a long weekend at sister and brother in laws so that will be nice. Take care love Loraine.xxxx😀
Hi Loraine, you’re right about Christmas creeping up on us! I have begun to start my Christmas shopping in Earnest and already the parcels are piling up. I’m rather liking Kay’s idea of wrapping them and putting them away. I think it might be a good idea to make sure I’ve got really sticky labels on them though otherwise things get confused! I’m glad you’ve had a chance to be with Ottilie – I’m sure Clare’s boss is very grateful and I hope you enjoy your time with Gary on Saturday. I am up to see Lucy and Huntley on Thursday, hopefully my son Jack is calling in to see me today and then we have Colin’s family’s Christmas tea party this Saturday. I hope you enjoy your long weekend with your sister and brother-in-law. Thanks for keeping in touch, love Ali xx
Hi Alison glad you managed to do some of the things that got put on hold , that bath looked fab glad you had a great time. I always wrap my Christmas presents then put them in bags in the attic. Lovely photo of you and Colin. Love to you both x
Hi Kay, as you’ll have seen in my previous response, I think your idea of wrapping presents ahead of time is a great one! I may well follow suit 🙂 The bath was fab although a little slippy!! Hope all is well with you and yours, love Ali xx
Evening Mrs E, That’s a very atmospheric photo at the top of your blog & sums up this darkening time of the year. I’m not a greedy woman & am happy with my lot in life but I want that bath; quirky & in my favourite metal it’s made for me! Like us you’re obviously making up for the lost months & how wonderful that you went to see The Pasadena Roof Orchestra, my dad loved them; he had a good voice & I can hear him now singing ‘Home In Pasadena’ along with John Pazz Parry while my mum did the Charleston in the kitchen! He was a man with wide ranging musical tastes & there are so many artists & songs that bring him back to me. Ellie & Dave went to a wedding on Saturday & I was baby sitting day & night… It’s been many years since I looked after a 3 year old & a baby so by mid evening I was looking transparent & just as I sat down with a coffee Luca woke up – we had a lovely time watching programmes about ABBA & I told him that when his great grandfather saw them on Eurovision he said that they’d be big. I kept the story about the time Cilla Black asked him onto the stage to sing with her for another day. I’ve finished all my Christmas gift shopping, during all the years working in school I completed it by the October half term & can’t seem to stop, I love writing lists & keep all the receipts with them so that if there are any issues they can hopefully be dealt with. Many years ago I found a wooden cupboard in a skip, I think it was to store eggs, it’s five feet tall, has shelves & two doors that have wire mesh fronts. I painted it, attached material to the inside of the mesh & it’s my Christmas cupboard, it isn’t big enough for a trampoline or dolls house but I usually manage to fit everything in. From what I can see in the photo with Colin you look lovely in that dress & Jenny looks fabulous at her party, diamond earrings are the perfect gift for THAT birthday & her cake looked delicious. Happy times all round. Love from Jo x
Hello Mrs. D, I managed to snap that photo just as I was leaving Chobham – I love that brief moment between dusk and darkness. The bath was fab but difficult to sit up in as it was so slippery! Your dad sounds like quite a character and I can see now why you love your music so much. Never mind telling Luca, I’d love to hear about the time Cilla Black asked your dad on stage! My dad used to love the Barber Shop Quartets but classical music was definitely his thing. I’m not surprised you felt exhausted after babysitting him and his sister – I remember having Sam when Lucy was three and a half – it was very tiring! I can visualise your beautiful cupboard with the mesh and the material behind it and it sounds like the perfect place to keep things. I have a drawer on casters that slides under the spare bed but I’m rapidly running out of space there. Jenny did look great and I took the photo as she was saying how much it meant to her having us all there with her for her special day… a lovely memory. Take good care and thanks for keeping in touch as always, Love Ali xx
Hi Ali, lovely to hear that you’ve been able to catch up with some of the things you had planned before lockdown and that you were able to celebrate Jenny’s 60th birthday!.The cake you made looks lovely and coffee is also my favourite flavour!
The Crazy Bear looks amazing and I love the bath!
I have another series recommendation which I think is better than Angela Black – Too Close (with Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston) – it’s very good and really keeps you hooked.
I recently bought some of Danni Minogue’s diamonique lip earrings which are cute and very sparkly. I am a great fan of her fashion as she includes plenty of pink (my favourite colour)🙂
I also love Liz Earle and have recently tried the Cleanse & Polish in rose & ginger which is one of my favourite scents to date. I will certainly be watching when their new TSV is on!
Take care Ali.
Love Tina xx
Hi Tina, ooh thanks so much for the TV recommendation – we need something new to watch and Colin’s not too keen on Angela Black. Connie Nielsen is a new actor to me but I think Christopher Eccleston is great so I’ll get that lined up. So glad you’re enjoying all the goodies on QVC and yes, Dannii’s range of fashion and accessories is very popular with many folk. As you know I’ve been a Liz Earle fan for years and also think the rose and ginger is a lovely scent. I’m not on with Caroline Archer sadly, but may well treat myself for Christmas! I hope all is well with you and the family, and thanks for writing. Take care, Love Ali xx
Hi Ali fab blog as ever. Wow that hotel looks great. I love Beaconsfield. Glad you had a lovely time. Lovely cake you made your sister – you both look great and certainly dont look your ages. I caught you on the Frank Usher show yesterday and i loved that top with the lips on, it really suited you. Looking forward to the Liz Earle TSV – my favourites are 15 and 20 but i sometimes like 100 for a change. They are the only fragrances that really last all day on me and i cant wait to try the other three items in the set. Take care xx
Morning Karen, I too think Beaconsfield is a great place – I was in fact born there all those years ago as my mum and dad lived in Holtspur! Thanks for the compliment – I’ll pass it on to my sister too! I do think the skin care I’ve been lucky enough to try and use makes a huge difference and we both enjoy exercising which helps. That’s great the Liz Earle fragrances last all day for you – my favourite is No 20 but I also think No 9 is particularly warming and sensual. I do hope you enjoy the others. So glad you enjoyed the blog – I’ll have another one for you soon. Love Ali xx