On the Eve of a New Year

Happy New Year to you all!

I am now suffering with the same cold that Mr Kitsch had last week. (If he had man-flu, can I have 'lady-flu'?) Funnily enough I had flu this time last year, and had to welcome in the New Year chimes with nothing more than a glass of Lemsip. I feel a bit better today, so I'm hoping I can have a jollier time tonight. Maybe a glass of Ribena!

Whatever I have in my glass, I can tell you that I shall be wishing for a good new year with all my heart. 2008 has not been the happiest year. My sister had to have two operations, my mum also had an operation when she broke her hip, and has been in poor health, and I've had a few problems too. And it's not just me - other friends have suffered illness, depression, financial difficulties and marriage break-up. It's been extraordinary that there's been so much bad news all round.

So although it's just a date on the calendar, I want to use the New Year as a chance to look forward to more positive times.
I'm really, really hoping for a Happy New Year! And I hope it's good for everyone!

Builders from Hell - Part 2

The day before Christmas Eve, I came downstairs to discover this little disaster. My poor building work on the chimney had taken its toll, and resulted in a complete structural collapse!

It's official - I am 'normal'

Well, I hope you all had a fun time at Christmas! Our holiday was unexpectedly quiet, as Mr Kitsch had a bad case of man-flu, and so we didn't have Christmas with his family in Somerset as planned. Instead, we had a quiet, but enjoyable time, with him under a blanket on the sofa and me taking the opportunity to relax. No, I did look after him as well, but I also did a fair bit of snoozing!

I think the tiredness was a reaction to how I had been feeling before Christmas. I had got myself stupidly depressed on and off. I think a lot of it was because of a health scare I had, which had been hanging over for me for a few weeks. I had a bit of trouble in my 'Downstairs Ladies Department' (as Cissy and Ada would say). The doctors were being extra careful, I think, as earlier this year my sister was diagnosed with endometrial (womb) cancer (all now resolved, we hope). No reason to be alarmed, but it could be hereditary, and I had certain symptoms which could be a bad sign, etc. So I had a series of tests, ending up with a biopsy (not a pleasant experience!). I couldn't believe the number of people who ended up having a look around 'down there'! I had to wait a couple of weeks for the biopsy result, but I finally got a phonecall on December 23rd (bless them for that). It was "normal", as were all my other tests. Hoorah!

Of course some people might dispute that I could ever be 'normal', but I now have proof!

Kitschmas!!

As ever, here at the Kitsch Kottage, style and taste are our watchwords. And never more so than when it comes to seasonal decorating. None of that nasty natural greenery when there's plastic and foil to be had!

Nothing says Christmas like a little pink birdie...

..or a very cheap snowglobe.

It must be Christmas - we've started the Christmas Radio Times and I've nearly finished shopping. Yay!

Moomins in Winter

My good intentions of daily blogs, with lots of fun things to show you, just won't happen. I think it's the lack of daylight. However, despite my inability to function during winter, I find myself drawn to snowy scenes and wintriness, and that whole Scandinavian thing of mysterious dark woods.
I put it down to the Moomins.

I'm not sure I ever read more than one Moomin book when I was young, but I rediscovered them several years ago, mainly because I was drawn to the illustrations (by the author, Tove Jansson). The Moomins are sweet, delightful characters with a wonderful philosophy of life. Then, a few years ago, the comic strips that Tove Jansson created, started to be republished in book form. I think I like these even more than the novels. They are beautifully drawn. Just look at this strip below, with the flower stem creating the break between panels, and Moomintroll's tail breaking out of the frame. I love all those flowers and grasses!

And look at this strange, reindeer-like animal, with floral fur! Isn't he beautiful?

I would love to be a Moomin (just look how beautiful their house is!). And very sensibly, they hibernate. (Occasionally they've broken the rules and stayed awake in winter, though.) When the first snow comes in November, Moomins know it's time for their winter sleep. Moominmamma tells them all to fill their tummies with a last meal of pine needles and to put their woollen knickers on. "Then everyone crept into his bed and making a cosy nest for himself, pulled his blanket over his ears and thought of something nice..... Outside the snow fell, thick and soft. It already covered the steps and hung heavily from the roofs and eaves. Soon Moominhouse would be nothing but a big, round snowball. The clocks stopped ticking one by one. Winter had come."

Mr Blob by E.V. Rieu

This poem was in a book called "A Puffin Quartet of Poets", which I was given when I was little.

My heart went out to Mr Blob the moment that we met,
And the manner of his coming is a thing I can't forget.
It fell upon a Sunday in the merry month of June,
Between a rainy morning and a rainy afternoon.

He didn't use the window, and he didn't use the door;
He never took his hat off and he never touched the floor;
He didn't look as if he'd grown, like us: he just began,
And stood before us there, a simple English gentleman.

He wasn't very dandified or dainty in his dress,
But the absence of his trousers seemed to cause him no distress,
For the smile upon his features was a marvel to behold,
And underneath that buttoned vest there beat a heart of gold.

He wasn't long among us: all too little had been said
When a heavy hand descended on his inoffensive head,
And a Voice delivered judgement; 'Mr Blob is far too stout;
He's a silly little fellow, and I mean to rub him out.'

He didn't seem offended, but I think he must have heard,
For he rose up from the paper and he went without a word.
His boots and buttons only lingered on a little while,
And the last of him to vanish was the vestige of a smile.

O Mr Blob, the world would be a very pleasant place
If everyone resembled you in figure and in face.
If everybody went about with open arms like you
The stars would all be brighter and the sky a bluer blue.

My heart went out to mr Blob the moment that we met,
And the sorrow of his going is a thing that haunts me yet;
For often when the clouds are low I sit at home and sob
To think that I shall see no more the face of Mr Blob.

Toby Twirl

One of the books I picked up on Saturday was Toby Twirl Tales No.5, which was a strange coincidence, as I had already decided to share my Toby Twirl memories with you in this blog. I don't think he's a very well-known character, but I have such strong memories of the pictures in the book I had as a child - Toby Twirl Tales No. 4. The illustrations (by E. Jeffrey) are lovely - with beautiful soft colours. Toby is a pig, but humanised like Rupert the Bear, and the stories are very similar to Rupert stories.

The first story in this book is about a sea wizard, and I was always struck by the long staircase leading into the sea.

Greedy child as I was, I was even more drawn to the second story, as Toby and his friend Pete the penguin visit Candytown!

The pictures of the candy houses and street furniture are wonderful - I could eat that treacle pump! Unfortunately, Pete the penguin has the same idea and eats a bit of chocolate from a door. The sugary residents of Candytown are horrified, as "If he eats sweets, he might eat us", and they put Pete in jail.

Toby, and his friend the Marzipan Man, sneak in to the jail and rescue Pete, who was actually quite happy, eating the walls of his cell. They make their escape, but are pursued, and the liquorice soldiers fire at them from the town walls.

Such sweet memories!