Pride and Prejudice

Last night Pride and Prejudice was on TV and, as I had only last week watched the series that started Colin Firth as Mr Darcy, I decided to watch it. I am not a great TV fan and only watch it occasionally.

So my verdict on the Hollywood version? Well, Matthew MacFadyen's Mr Darcy was just OK until the end. He was simply smoldering when he strode across the fog filled moor, coat flapping around his ankles, simply oozing sex appeal.

Kiera Knightly, although a fine actress, was no Lizzie - she seemed to simper and giggle too much for my liking. I think I had been spoilt by Jennifer Ehle's portrayal - she was much better suited to the character.

Colin Firth is by far the quintessential Mr Darcy - he played the part to perfection. It is as if Ms Austin had him in mind for the role when she wrote the novel for he slips into the character perfectly.

He will definitely be my Mr Darcy.

Now if I could just get him to walk across that fog filled moor with the smoldering sexuality of Matthew McFayden ......... ah it would be perfect.

The Finished Bags

With only a couple of days to spare I have finally completed the two machine embroidered bags for my dear DILs.

The colours didn't photograph as good as in real life - they are both very rich and deep colours - but you can get the general idea of them.

Still toying with the idea of adding a handle - some nice chain but I will wait until the girls get them for Christmas and then see what they would prefer to do.

Most of the colours are metallic so the bags look really rich and sumptous, the butterflies have a background of cream and the pale mauve on each bag is the only other 'plain' cotton the rest is metallics.

Ready for the big day.

Well, everything is organised for Christmas - the cakes are cooked and wrapped, the presents wrapped and labelled, gifts to friends and relations not nearby have been sent, the tree is up and the lights around the house all lit.

Our grandson, Nathan, has put in his list to Santa but I doubt he will get it - he would like a V8 Supercar (not a model a real one!) - not bad for a 4 year old. That's what happens when his parents and maternal grandfather race cars. I am amazed how he can tell you models of cars are on the road as we drive and if there is racing on the TV he can tell you the car and who drives it.

Last Saturday my elder sister and her family came over for a Christmas lunch - each year we hold at a different persons home and this year was my turn. We have another sister in Victoria and she comes up every other year. I decided on a BBQ this year because the weather has been so unpredictable.

The picture shows some of the family tucking into the third course. My younger son is in the yellow and elder in the black. My sister is in the blue hat.

This year I made little stockings for everyone and inside was a paper hat I made from tissue wrapping, a christmas lollypop and a game and for the girls, a beaded chain with their name on it. You can see them on the tree in the closeup.

Everyone was happy with their little gift - and my sister was most impressed with the stockings which I made on my embroidery machine. She was a sewing teacher so praise from her is a rare thing.

In case I don't manage to write before the big day can I wish all who read this blog a Christmas filled with childlike wonder and joy, a day to share with loved ones to laugh and enjoy; and may your New Year be filled with only happiness.