We've only been back in Blighty for a few days, but it already seems like forever ago we were sunning ourselves in Cancun. Its' so lovely there.... perfect weather, amazing level of service and attention to detail, fabulous food, and of course - the obligatory non-stop cocktails.
We've never been abroad for Christmas before. How relaxing it was. I didn't have to put any decorations up at home - instead it was a family party and pressie-opening exercise the week before.
Mind you - the elves work really hard, don't they? This not-so-little Elf (aka Si, aka the other-half) is cooling his toes on Christmas morning after a hectic night before.
Somewhere online, there must be instructions for towel folding. Every day on returning to our room we were suitably impressed by the cleaner's efforts. There was some arguement between us as to what this is actually supposed to be. Si says rabbit, I say dog. The other makes were far easier to identity, I wish I'd taken a picture of the monkey hanging from the wardrobe - that was brilliant.
After a few days, we were so laid back we could barely move. Luckily we didn't have to. As "members" of the hotel (alternative title - still means time-share) we receive premier service. Oh - what bliss it is! A soft comfy bed on the pure white sand. Butler service at very frequent intervals.... blink and your drink has been refilled. And food delivered whenever you want it. Honestly, it was getting to the point I thought I may have to have a catheter fitted, to save on the effort required to walk to the bathroom!
What did you do on your holiday? Bugger all, basically - though we did leave the hotel twice. Once for a fishing trip. This turned out to be our own private little version of the Perfect Storm. I'm pretty hefty, but the sea was so rough I was lifting off the boat and bouncing down again. Holding on to the rail for dear life, it was like being on a Roller-coaster and I was laughing non-stop. The couple that we went with however.....the poor girl spent 3 hours huddled on the floor hugging a fender. Thank goodness Si caught a fish! It's a barracuda apparently. I don't think I've ever seen him happier than that afternoon - bless him. I doubt there was a single person left in the hotel that was unaware he'd caught a fish, as he was bouncing around the bar with his phone. Highly amusing.
Now then.... I'm a big fan of things being set on fire beside the table in a restaurant. Since the first time I had Steak Diane cooked for me as a child, that thrill has never gone away. Back in the day (going back a few years) when Crepe Suzettes were on the menu, I used to order them for the sheer thrill of watching them being made. We'll quickly scroll over the fact that I don't actually like oranges at all, and always had to leave most of it.
These preparations are nothing compared to the way a "Sexy Coffee" is prepared in the Italian Restaurant at the hotel. Superb.... a real show.... I was absolutely smitten. AND it tasted as good as it looked. Be warned, the video is 6 minutes long if you want to give it a go. I suggest moving the arrow along for the flame bits. Quite lovely!
I'd LOVE to have a go at this myself, but fear the fire-brigade would soon be involved if I did. My last efforts at lighting Absynth in Prague ended up in a table on fire. Quite frankly the waiter should have had more sense than to attempt showing me what to do. It wasn't my idea.
After spending hours watching the pelicans, I wish we had them in our country - they are so lovely. But.... not however.... as lovely as an Iguana. I don't know what it is about these ugly little critters, but I think they are gorgeous. It was lovely to see them in the wild, sunning themselves on the rocks.
By the end of the two weeks I can safely say I was teaked and tequila'd to the max. Already looking forward to going again, though it might be prudent to finish paying for this trip first! Hopefully next winter. Now I'm home, I'm slathering on moisturiser by the bucket-load in order to preserve my tan. Won't make a scrap of difference I know, as it will still fade away at the same speed it always does.
We ended our holiday with a "light snack" at the airport in Bubba Gumps. Deary-me, but the portions are humungous! This is probably Si's food heaven, but a little lost on me as I can't abide shrimp. Lucky for me they do a cracking barbecue cheese-burger and a great beer.
That's it for the boring holiday stuff. I know there's nothing worse than trawling through someone elses holiday snaps - so I did only include a few! Next time (if I can ever drag myself out of current lazy state) the blog will be back to normal and featuring crafty business.
A super quick make this afternoon - a hand towel for the kitchen. I had no idea I was going to do this until I was rummaging through my fabric stash and found this piece of heavy linen that has been forgotten for years. It's the perfect weight for a hand towel and I've managed to use up a few more scraps to match the colours of my kitchen. The little piece of aqua fabric is one of my favourites. Had it for years and my supply has been dwindling, finally down to the last little piece. It was a quick pin-down and run along with the machine. As you can see, a close inspection of my hexagon shows rather uneven stitches. I blame it on my eyesight (and sewing whilst watching the TV). Pinned into place and then edged around carefully with the machine. I've even managed to add a little loop which is the tiniest scrap of ribbon I spied in the corner of my sewing table just as I was stitching to the corner.... I'll have that...
A vision in Teal - front view Towards the end of February I saw a competition advertised on Twitter by Hillarys Blinds . I can't remember the exact wording, but it was along the lines of "would you like to receive some material and enter our competition?" Of course I would! After sending an e-mail, I was delighted to hear I'd been chosen to take part. I was able to pick from 3 fabrics. I opted for the peacock print as I adore teal. About a week later I received a packet from Hillarys containing a metre of my chosen material. I wish I could get the colours to come out properly. I don't think any of the photos I've taken do the fabric justice. The background is a light cream, with the branches and blossom in subtle shades of brown and pale yellows. Sitting on the branches across the fabric are a selection of beautiful peacocks. In shades of teal, they are quite wonderful. A Vision in Teal - back view My ...
This story takes place many years ago. Imagine we are at a time in the gentle years before the Great War. In a time where the motor car was a recent invention and a plaything for the very rich, seldom to be seen on a public road. This was an era when people worked hard and expected little. An era when life was lived at an altogether slower pace. Let me introduce you to Alice. Alice is a gentle soul. She has never strayed far from the village where she was born. She has spent her adult life living in the same little cottage she moved into with her husband as a newlywed when she was 19. At one time she was surrounded by family, but over the years they have all passed on or drifted away. Her husband died shortly after his retirement three years previously, and her only remaining sister lives half the country away. They correspond regularly by weekly letters, but haven't seen each other in years. It would be possible to travel by train, but it's altogether too expensiv...
Looks like you had a wonderful time. Cancun is the best place to go and do nothing!
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