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How wonderful Julie . "Letters to Santa" is just sooo magical !!
Congratulations ,
Ruth 
He is beautiful Catherine , Hugs and Congratulations !
:dance:
Ruth
Gosh Paula .. those piercing eyes ! I can't wait to see that one ! 
Ruth
Fantastic Tina ! Congratulations .... she is a very cute little lady :dance:
Mini Hugs , Ruth
I've only got one pic so far , but I just didn't want the BAO'ers to think I wasn't doing nuthin' :crackup: :crackup:
Oh yes , I'm a bit pants with the 'puter too so this was all I could manage ! 
Mini Hugs , Ruth
(He's a 3 incher )
I just wanted to add ; Tami , Jane - you truly deserve your special TT honours . So here's 2 :hug: from me !
:hug:
Ruth
He's got definite "cover star" looks Julie !
Ruth 
Thank you Kelly ! 
The worst bit about the black bears is getting a really good light to sew them in ! 
Mini Hugs , Ruth
Hi Mary , Everybody , I hope it's ok for me to put in a picture of my little Halloween mini bear Loki .
He is 7cm tall standing , made from two different black cashmeres ; on the limbs the UPV has mini gold flecks .
He is a new long-skinny limbed design . The bat on his Treat bag is appliqued Ultrasuede , and inside he can keep his
slice of pumpkin pie ! I really enjoyed making him
Ruth
Hee Hee Paula , that's such a fab idea ! 
I know I for one find it fascinating to read all the posts from other climes talking about the heat etc
Go on everyone , indulge a bit of Blighty obsession ; I can't wait to see all your weather !! :crackup: :crackup:
Mini Hugs , Ruth (had nose pressed on window earlier watching rain drops ! )
She's such an adorable girlie ; love these photos Congratulations !
Mini Hugs , Ruth
Many Congratulations from me also Jane !
(my husband just loves him )
Mini Hugs , Ruth
Many Congratulations Samantha ; Benjamin is so sweet
I hope the job situation will sort itself very soon too :hug:
Mini Hugs , Ruth
Yes , I heartily agree Brenda ; all poetry is my favourite too !! ( but I did so love your earlier choices Brenda they are heart-breaking/warming )
Mini Hugs , Ruth
I just found this website in the paper ! It's so cool I shall re-visit often . It is an archive of poets reading (occasionally singing ) their
own works . I just loved the Dylan Thomas ones , and Alan Ahlberg , and Spike Milligan !!!
Have a fun day everyone !
Ruth
I didn't know it was National Poetry Day !! Although I was down with "International Talk Like A Pirate Day " a few weeks ago (oh the fun ! :crackup: )
I used to recite "The Jabberwocky" as a party piece as a little girl ... that leads me on to a few of my all time favourites . They are true nonsense poems
by Spike Milligan (for those that may not know he was a wacky comedian who paved the way for Monty Python etc , in the UK) As children , my
sister and I loved his "Silly Verse" , and would cry with laughter at them , reading them out loud over and over . I'm sure it contributed to my
enduring sense of the ridiculous - and gave me a fascination with the sound of poetry whether serious , or silly !
Rain
There are holes in the sky
Where the rain gets in ,
But they're ever so small
That's why rain is thin .
My Sister Laura
My sister Laura's bigger than me
And lifts me up quite easily .
I can't lift her , I've tried and tried ;
She must have something heavy
inside .
What the Wiggle-Woggle said
The Wiggle-Woggle said ,
"I wish that I were dead :
I've a pain in my tummy and
It's travelling up the bed .
I wish that I were something
That never got a pain ;
A little bit of fluffy stuff
That vanished down the drain .
I could be a tiger's whisker ,
A tuba made of bread ,
The purple eye of a custard pie
With a trouser made of lead .
There must be other somethings -
A tiny leather bead ?
Or a bit of crumpled paper
Where the water-melons feed ?
A yellow thing with lumps on !
A yellow thing without !!
Some hairy stuff
On a powder puff
That snuffs the candles out .
Wish I were a lamp-post
(Lamp-posts don't get pains ) ,
A leaky rusty gutter
Flooding other people's drains !
All those are what I'd like to be ,"
The Wiggle-Woggle said .
But he stayed a Wiggle-Woggle
And , what's more , he stayed in bed !
I think we've all felt like the Wiggle-Woggle before
Thanks for letting me share !
Mini Hugs , Ruth
Hi Natty , I don't actually finish off sewn up stuffing openings with knots either ; as I ladder stitch I make the stitches really tiny ,
pulling together snugly as I go . When the "opening" is now closed I overstitch at the end quite a few times , with stitches parallel to the closed edge I was ladder-stitching ,
and cut the thread very closeto the bear piece , being careful not to trim the pile . I always use invisible nylon thread for closing . Honestly I've never had any stuffing
pop through , or the closing stitches fail - but I think because everyone sews differently you need to feel confident with a method that
suits you and your way of working . ( also I often take a few ladder stitches back up the other way again , before finishing ,with the oversewing ,
to ensure strength 
)
Mini Hugs , Ruth
Wonderful Sandi ! You must be so proud - and well deserved too ! :dance:
Mini Hugs , Ruth
I completely sympathise Edie - when my 11yr old was 6 he had to have grommets fitted in his ears (unbelievably tiny tubes inserted through the ear drum ; a common kid's op' in the UK )
He'd had so much rubbish in there that his ear drums were distorted , and his hearing was reduced , although thankfully , with no permanent damage .
I'm afraid I don't have any special remedies 
it just made me remember how heart-breaking it was when he'd have terrible painful earaches (pre-grommets)
and I could do nothing for him ...
Gentle hugs , Ruth :hug:
Well that's funny , because I keep mine in little teeny zip-lock bags , with labels by name of the first bear I made it in to
as well Gail 
. I wonder if it's 'cos we're sisters ?? Oh no , wait a minute though - I can find my patterns quite easily ;
I line them up standing in rows in a box so I can rifle through them index card style ...... and I don't keep my other stuff
"all over the place" 
I like a bit of order y'know ?! (clue : 3 sons , 2 dogs )
I like keeping them in a box because it "fits" in a drawer next to my armchair - I like all the essentials near me for some reason 
Mini Hugs , Ruth
Hee Hee , that was really good ; I liked the the "Och Aye" bit !
Ruth
I would love to add both of you Hope that's alright !
Cheers , Ruth
Might I suggest a humble Frittata Chloe ? It's a one pan meal , cheap and quick and highly nutritious
The beauty is you can just chuck anything in ; adjust the amount of beaten eggs for the no of people you're feeding . For just one I'd use
at least 2 eggs , beat with a drop of water and season (pepper / chilli and garlic sauce / whatever ) Microwave a small potato (prick all over) for 5+ mins
then when soft and cooked chop in chunks . Now round up anything else to add - could be odds and ends of vegs from earlier in the week
scatter of sweetcorn , half a diced onion , chopped broccoli , sliced courgette , if you eat fish how about some flaked up tinned salmon . As you're vegetarian
can I recommend the lovely frozen soy beans from Birds Eye , which are so good for you (although they're not dirt cheap you only need a handful to add to meals)
Give the onion and vegs a gentle fry to soften and part cook .
Bung it all in and stir round with the eggs . Heat a little butter in a pan - non-stick will make life easier 
- when sizzling , pour in your egg mix .
Let the frittata cook on the bottom ; you can lift an edge to check for golden brown , then you can finish off under a hot grill (be careful not to put the handle right under the heat !
I usually flip mine over (on a plate and turn over ) to make sure its cooked , back on the hob - but then I'm cooking for 5 of us in a great big pan !
Think of the endless permutations ; a surprise every time I think the egg/potato/onion constant means it's not just an omelette
Oh yes , I'd serve a slice in Summer with green salad , or with good old (nutritious) baked beans for winter warmth ... or fried tomatoes ...slurp
Mini Hugs , Ruth
Hee Hee ; I know this one - but I already had a go so I'll 
for a while !!
Ruth
Owww Tami , how adorable , thankyou ; baby rodents I keep meaning to post some cute pics of my sleepy hamster
Mini Hugs , Ruth
