Something great, something not so great

You might have seen my blog a few back about the Christmas cards I make each year, and my moan about the work involved, well this morning I had a really lovely surprise from my good pal Cora in Holland. They are not so big on Christmas cards, the New Year festivities being far more important over there.
Cora and her partner Jos were very early guests at our B&B in the 1980's and they came back year after year and watched our girls grow from nippers to teenagers. We even had a trip to Holland to visit them. Then they had children, two boys Casper and Matthijs so we didn't see them when the boys were too small to travel. Jos and Cora do not have a car, public transport in the Netherlands being as good as it is....
But a couple of summers ago they all came over and stayed with us as friends not paying guests, and we met the boys for the first time.
I have been sending her my home made cards over the years, and when she was here, she asked me "why are they always trees ?" and I told her I used to do bells and other things, but when you are making 100 cards, then trees are the easiest to do. Well this morning's post brought the most lovely surprise. Cora must have kept the cards, as I received a large tree card with 6 of my own cards cut out and pasted on. I haven't seen them en masse before and they look really good on the backing tree.
BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO CLICK ONTO THE PHOTO TO SEE THE CARD DO NOT WHATEVER YOU DO LOOK CLOSELY AT ME. !!!
Because horror of horrors, I am sporting at least 2 chins and all the weight that I gained over Christmas. Yuk !! How fat I look. Well tonight Rob and I have planned to stay in and enjoy our favourite home dinner of pork fillet in mushroom and pepper cream sauce. and I swear that tomorrow I am going to start on a sensible diet along no doubt with millions of others around the country ! And I am promising here and now to add my daily weight to each blog that I write up.
I think I am about 10 stone 12 pounds at the moment. Tomorrow I will get Rob to do the official weighing in, clothes off (me not him!) and he can read the scales; and the plan is to lose at least a stone within the next couple of months..... I shall feel a lot better in myself I know.... It's no good me doing all these food reviews if I am going to turn into a gurt big fattie is it now.... and I do so love going out for a meal.
SO PLEASE DO ME A FAVOUR Keep watching this space and e-mail me any encouragement you feel you can offer.... jill@dartmooraccommodation.co.uk it's lunchtime now, I won't splurge on my last day of eating, but I won't quite start the slimming regime just yet either .....
Cheerio for now ....all my best wishes for a Great New Year for us all ...
lots of love from Chunky xxxx