Yes we knew that we'd become grandparents as our youngest daughter's baby was due in February and so it was that on the tenth , a couple of weeks early, we became grandparents for the first time to the lovely Clara Elizabeth.
It's been a wonderful year watching her grow and start to chatter and crawl and now trying to walk.
Then there was the almost unexpected arrival of our Golden Retriever Casper in March ! We were going to see what living without a dog was like for the first time in 36 years but we only lasted six months before Casper burst into our family.
He is the softest of dogs and loves to cuddle and sit beside or near you, he is growing into a handsome lad .
Then what happens but Paul decides Casper needs a friend ! So in July who arrives but Rufus!
another Golden Retriever but this time a red. He is also growing into a handsome lad and is much more independent than Casper only after a few months deciding that he'd like a cuddle but does like to sit with us and is definitely the younger brother always getting into mischief .
So two dogs keeping everyone here on their toes plus a visiting baby ! It's been a very busy year with young ones!
Casper will be a year old on the 5th January , it's come round so quick! and Clara on the 10th February ! Time is flying!
On the home front it's also been all go! With the opening of the garden, for the village church back in June , which meant getting all those last minute jobs done , you know the ones where you think Oh I'll do that later plus moving all the rubbish that had been dumped around, old flowerpots , stones etc from other jobs.
But the day went well and Casper was very well behaved with all these strange people walking into his garden all day!
On the Sasha front a long awaited dream was finally fulfilled ! The Sasha studio was finally purchased and put together in a weekend.
A wonderful sturdy building, which has been fitted out to accommodate my dolls and their props.
Looking back and realising it was put up in May , makes me feel a little bad that it's still got lots of things sitting around in bags and boxes waiting to be found a home!
There is an old style kitchen and
and a comfy living room. Plus room for a few other settings.
It still needs electricity run in to it properly but does have heating to protect everything through the winter months. So still some work to do yet.
There was a lovely weekend at the Sasha Celebration in Nottingham in May, where it was lovely to meet and chat with old friends and new and talk dolls!
Then in October it was the one day event of the Chat n Snap which was well attended and everyone had a lovely time again chatting and snapping up a few items for their dolls.
I have sold a few dolls, Sasha's , Zwergnase and others to reduce the overall amount of dolls I own, not that it's stopped me adding a few like Margo.
A totally unexpected purchase but a lovely one. No doubt there could be another next year , I've learnt not to say a number because I then seem to exceed it within a month, never mind a year!
I have added a few Schoenhut dolls to my collection the last being Merry, who arrived on Christmas eve.
Merry has the sleeping eyes, which mean they close when she's laid down. I did own one before but I just couldn't take to her but this one's face is much sweeter and her wig is wonderful.
I've also added a few cherish teddy winter ornaments to by Christmas decorations this year so it appears as fast as I try to downsize , I seem to half size back up again!
But that's the problem with being a vintage collector, almost everything you buy becomes a collection either small or large, you can never just buy one item, if a few more are available and just as nice!. So one teddy becomes two, three , four etc and the same with almost everything else!
So it's now the last day of the year ! yes I agree it seems to have gone very fast but overall it's been a very good year.
I'd like to thank everyone for their support in popping by now and then to look at what I and my dolls are up to and also commenting either, on the blog, via email or in person when we've met and to those who have just come along for a look. I like nothing more than a good chat and it's nice to know that other do too!
I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year .
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