I'm making a list, checking it twice!

I love lists!, they make me feel like I'm organised (which I'm not!), they give a feeling of control over the uncontrollable.  How funny is it that as Christmas fast approaches and there seem to be millions of things to do and so little time to create the miracles the season demands, unless you are Nigella of course (I would love yo be Nigella, well at Christmas I would anyway), sorry back on track - 

it's 

funny that a piece of paper and a pen  are all that are needed to 

create that long (very long!) list that means-'I know what is required, I have it down here and I'm gonna do it!'  Now I hardly check that list again, but hey I made it, I thought about what needed doing and it helped - weird eh?!........... Probably just me then!!  On the subject of Nigella am I the only one who thinks it's strange that there is never anyone else in that house - other than the dinner guests that is!  We could all be domestic goddesses surely if we could sashay around our enormous kitchens brandishing our blowtorches while stroking our kitchenaid mixer..........I wish!!!! No kids attached to our fluffy Bunny slippers or men walking in saying ' how much longer are you gonna be there and when is tea - and where's my clean socks???!!'  Aaahhhhh a huge house of festive loveliness all to ourselves with a basement wine cellar and multiple freezers - we could all be Nigella then - actually I would need a compresser for the boobs but I'd be almost there and a face lift.........maybe I should make a list??!!!

I'd had a Charity Raffle going on for CM since October and did the draw last week, the prize was a fab 8x8 Album, Pages, Papers and Stickers and I used 'Random Org' to select the winner which was no 41.  It was won by Rich KD my neighbours Son-In-Law and I managed to raise £40 for Children's Hospice South West.  The charity was chosen as this years company charity in memory of a little boy called Joe Way, who sadly passed away at the age of four after being diagnosed with 2 different syndromes that made life very difficult for both little Joe and his family.  The family live in Cornwall and had to travel to Devon to a children's hospice when Joe was able to, however toward the end of his life this was not possible, as he could not travel that far and Claire and Matt, Joe's parents had to manage at home.  The money raised to build this Hospice will make such a difference to so many families like the Way family and would give children who have short and difficult lives a change of scenery and some smiles and fun, that can be hard to come by in their normal home environments!  It can give parents some breathing space and a chance for a little 'normality' for the siblings of terminally ill children.  I was in bits a long with many others when I watched the short film that introduced us to the charity that CM would support this year at our September Roadshow in Leicester.  The film talked about Joe's short life that was full of the love of his family, including his big sister Megan and his meeting his new baby brother Finn just before he sadly passed away in May!  His Parent's Matt and Claire are such courageous people and they have found comfort in the fund raising that they have organised for the Hospice in Joe's memory!   I guess the thought of giving other families support when going through such a difficult time helps to heal, and during such sadness a focus can help to find away through when there is the need to reconcile that question - WHY? The full story of Joe's courage and that of the whole family! is on their website www.joeway.com  - warning you will need a box of tissues for sure!!!!!!! If you are as moved as we all were then there is a link to donate from the website, it's a fantastic cause.

Couple of cards to get back to the christmas thing oh and since I started this entry this morning , I have been out and managed to get my mitts on Nigella's booky, wook yeahey praise the Lord!!! 

Chrissy shopping almost finished.........I think...........must check that list!!!!!!!

Belinda x