Keep Calm!

To all my family and friends wherever you are this evening, have a peaceful New Years Eve x

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Pops On The Decks

What a find yesterday! Pops on the decks in his broadcasting DJ days back in the late 60's in Malta.

For all u budding DJ,s this is how it's done and Pops if u whip out your headphones you could do it all over again tonight seeing in the New Year in Malaysia!

Happy New Year Ma & Pops, enjoy the firecrackers and mayhem that can only be Cactus! X

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When Priscilla Wed Pops!

Couldn't find this earlier, but amazing what abit of domestic slavery can find!

Happy 45th Wedding Anniversary Ma & Pops! X



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45 Glorious Years!

Yep posh n becks aka Ma n Pops have reached another milestone today...their 45th wedding anniversary!

Two gorgeous children and one gorgeous grandchild later who would have thought it!

We may be far away from you today as you eat cake, play scrabble and bask in Malaysian sunshine but we're thinking of you and are sending lots of love.

Congratulations on this very very special milestone xxx



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A Little Older

The birthday boy is still in bed after a night on the tiles last night pre birthday via a curry house with some of his workmates.

Obviously older but not wiser. Me thinks his head is a tad sore this am after the early morning run for the headache remedies!

Happy birthday das captain!


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A Right Nautical But Swooper Day

This was the view yesterday as we took a stroll post our lobster and fishy fest across Plymouth Hoe.

The rain stopped so we took a route march to walk off what we had eaten. Flat calm day except at the breakwater where it was totally submerged and waves crashing across.




Das captain and his new gopro hero 3!


We had a great day yesterday, das bot looked festive and we all got into the spirit of it over some bubbles and beer.







Very quiet here on the marina, just as we thought it would be, hopefully today we,ll crack open the swails and get a spin out across the sound, now that would make it a perfect Xmas.



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Merry Chrinklemouse 2012

In true form it's blowing a hooley here, wind howling and rain lashing down!

To all my family and friends wishing everyone a very peaceful Christmas wherever you are x

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Deck Das Bot With Tons of Holly...

Quiet run down this evening post work into a very quiet marina.

She may not be decked out with holly but she is as warm as toast and well stocked now for the festivities bar the main course which is coming down with the in-laws tomorrow as its too big for the fridge!

We have a tree (albeit) a small one and the usual farce as at home with bulbs not working but it's glowing now.

No sprouts or veg to prep just chilling before popping out later for a beer and maybe some good old Barbican fish n chips! Perfect!

Merry Chrinklemouse Eve everyone from us all aboard RedSnapper x

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Tinsel

I have a total allergy to this stuff and thank the stars that it's only a once a year job. It's like parsnips, the devil incarnate.

At work I have politely declined to enter offices adorned with it, for fear of coming out in a rash. It just doesn't do it for me I am afraid.

No tinsel in our house, not now or ever. Apologies all you tinsel lovers everywhere.





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Water Water Everywhere

This was the scene at the family home village yesterday in Braunton.....carnage as the flood defences were broken and the river poured in.

Just up the road from these scenes is where my parents live, luckily their house and the rest of the close is ok. Made for a few scary moments from their sunbeds in Malaysia!







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You Would Think That The End Of The World Is Nigh

Mayan came and went and we all survived but you wouldn't think so here in Exeter today!

It's bonkers with everyone on a mission, me included but I am just passing through. The monsoon rains (yep it's miserable) and the river full to about to burst have not deterred anyone at all. It's going to be an awful Xmas for some as there is more rain to come and I can't see a flood being avoided again.

Whilst I sort the final bits for chrinklemouse das captain has gone to see if das bot is still ship shape after being neglected over the last few weeks and check/ turn up the heating so it's as warm as toast when we arrive on chrinklemouse eve.

At this rate we,ll be going down the A38 on the ark.




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Mega Wrap!

Phew....... well almost as there still is more to do! At the crack of sparrowfart I started and when my in-laws arrived to assist das captain with the guttering I had another cellophane holder helper aka my Ma-in-law to speed things up.

I love wrapping and the collections of ribbons, cellophane , bags and wrapping paper over the last year have come into full force today.

I have wrapped for blighty but all looking good with just the sloe gin to bottle and sort next weekend!

Nautical But Nice produce despite the lack if it this year is looking mighty festive!
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Chrinklemouse Work Party

Cracking night had by all last night @ The Olive Tree. Some of us may have got there with moments to spare and slightly harassed from the joys of a hospital creaking at the seams from norovirus but that didn't dampen the Christmas spirit.

Vino flowed, fodder fab and the most amazing pass the parcel game that almost lasted the whole night and had us in stitches.

NHS times are tough at the mo and will be much much tougher next year but there is nothing like a good bit of r n r with a fab team to let your hair down, recharge the batteries in time to get back to hostilities on Monday!



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Darn Those 'Copters

It's now an official epidemic in our family and spreading.

We are on babysitting duties this evening for the gorgeous George but he is not so gorgeous at the mo as he is flying a zupped up copter over my head and trying to land it on my head.......for a laugh!

Das captain has copter envy as G,s is a better version than his plus the fact that an eleven yr old has superior copter flying skills than him!

U did start it das captain.......
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The Elusive Cranberry

Fresh ones or even frozen cranberries have been very elusive this year, symptom of the weather I am sure like most produce this year. Having almost given up on finding any, I spied some yesterday on my saturday travels (fresh) and bought the lot.

Cranberry and Cointreau relish.....done...this afternoon and jarred up. Irony of it was as I was hubbling and bubbling in the kitchen the phone went, a friend who knew I was on the hunt for some to say she had found some frozen ones....spooky!

The relish is one of my fav recipes, we had some last week as part of our family Xmas. That one was a year old now and just scrummy.

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Chrinklemouse Markets

They are all the rage these days and the one in Exeter has had a revamp. It's nothing like the traditional ones I used to go to all those years ago when I lived in Germany but the revamp onto cathedral green is an improvement on what there was before.

It was heaving yesterday as the flocks gathered, you would have thought the world was coming to an end including running out of gluwein!

The aromas in the air were lovely on a very cold and crisp day, the selection on the food stalls were fabulous and where the majority of the flock spent their time.

Worth a visit, had heard mixed reviews, it's here until the 16th and then the battered old green will be left in peace.

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Wrapped Up & Ready To Go

It hasn't quite been the usual marathon cake baking bonanza this year as just haven't had the time, but two chrinklemouse cakes decorated last night and wrapped plus a few more cakes baked for good measure.

Love making chrinklemouse cakes and nurturing them. Used the same old favourite made with cider brandy but for the second used some Tia Maria that was lurking around.

Lovely dark texture and colour to it and it smells absolutely delicious even though I can't stand the stuff!

A couple of hampers to wrap with all things Nautical But Nice now and then I am off to do my bit for charity today....

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Frosty

It's quite magical at the top of the mountain this morning, thick frost and beautiful sunrise.

No sign of the gritters, no surprise there and thick coat and scarf for me as its brrrrrr.

Das parents should just be landing in KL after jetting off into the sunset last night on the A380 for their winter vacation. We had a great family Xmas lunch on sat with everyone, including the usual disputes over rules in the logo game!

Won't be long now until we join them, it may be two months away but time will fly as we are in the thick of it at work as winter pressures kick in.

Job list for the rest of the week is chrinklemouse cake decorating as its the annual Xmas fayre in sat and I have not been my well organised self this yr.

Wrap up warm though more frost and possible snow to come, at least for me there will be some sunshine at the end of it.



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