What a year!

We've just enjoyed the last family meal of 2008...almost all our chicks around us, the grown up ones anyway. Our Christmas day was very quiet as three out of our four were with their in-laws this year, we waited until the day after boxing day when we were all finally together to open presents and have a wonderful day with everyone.

We enjoyed our cruise so much, three weeks being just the right length of time...think we may have created a precedent there! It was funny seeing Christmas decorations in the Caribbean sunshine and walk round shopping malls to reggae carols! Being away so close to Christmas messed with my head though and rendered me incapable of any sensible festive planning, as I thought though, it happened whether I was ready or not!

The first week when we were in the Med the weather was just right for sightseeing, quite cool and occasionally showery but nothing to spoil our fun. I couldn't resist a couple of knitting photos, the first one was at Trevi Fountain in Rome

Then in front of St Peter's Square

I'm sorry to say I didn't get a huge amount of knitting done on holiday and tonight is the night I really must finish those socks so they can go home with Lucy tomorrow lunch time...that extra second we're having should swing it for me!

As usual we've been mulling over the year's happenings and wondering what's in store for us as a family in 2009. We have so much to be thankful for...and we are. Two wonderful daughters, two brilliant sons & sons and daughters-in-law we would have chosen ourselves. Between them so far they have given us two granddaughters and two grandsons...we can hardly believe we are so blessed. The big sadness of this year for us and our children has been losing their much loved Gramps.

It's almost a year to the day since my first post and I've been a resounding failure as a blogger! What little I've managed has been great fun and I always promise myself to do it more often. Perhaps that should be my New Year Resolution...only time will tell on that one. My real hope for the coming year is continued good health and safety, protection and happiness for all my precious family. The same for my very dear and lovely friends..knitters and non-knitters alike, they give me more joy than they will ever know!