There comes a point when you just have to.......

bow out gracefully and admit defeat.

I managed to get everything finished and gift wrapped for the departure of the 'Northern Express' on Sunday teatime bar one item.

I just couldn't get a finish on Spencer's stocking. Too much time spent bag-packing in a local supermarket all Saturday to raise funds for the girl's rugby team - we made £750 (that's over $1500) and then down at the club watching her play an awesome game on Sunday - she scored 4 tries and 7 conversions and got 'Man of the Match' Go Sarah!!!

Mind you they had no idea at all that I was intending to make him one so it won't be any major disappointment

However I did finish off those little stitchery hearts I showed you a little while ago

And here we are a Christmas garland for my sister.

For some time we've been down the 'only buy for each other's kids' road on the Christmas present trail but she's had such a tough year and is now starting to come out of the end of the dark tunnel that I thought I'd make a little something with the fabrics she sent to me. Hope she likes it.

Then yesterday it was my day off and I knew I was going to have to hit the town running to do the bulk of the rest of my Christmas shopping for the kids.

All the best plans go to waste when something else crops up don't they?

I bumped into a friend when dropping off Louise with whom things have been a bit cool of late - she is good friends with the mother who tore a strip off me about her own daughter a while ago - I've no idea if this had any bearing on the perceived change in our relationship but I offered her a lift back from school and she offered me a cup of tea.

I felt it would be counter-productive to refuse and stayed for an hour or so. It was a good decision - the cooling had been in my imagination, probably a result of two very busy people playing ships that cross in the night so to speak. The hour missed in town yielded far better results.

Of course as a result of this my entire day off was then spent in Taunton shopping and not behind the sewing machine as I also needed to be

So I've come to the decision that Nigel's nephew and two nieces will receive their quillows for their birthdays in the Spring and Summer as I really don't feel like rushing around chasing the Christmas Eve deadline in and amongst everything else that needs to get done this next week and thus spoiling the run up to Christmas with my own children by being 'Grumpy Busy Mummy behind the Sewing Machine'.

I've had that persona on for the past few weeks and quite honestly they (including Daddy) deserve a break :o)

Finally a super bit of news - Sarah has had her letter to tell her she's been put forward for trials for Regional to represent South West South in U18s Ladies Rugby in January - Woo-hoo!!!!!