The Merchant Hotel - Belfast

Cleggy tries not to speak at conferences on a Saturday - but we usually say yes to the FONT conference in Belfast so I can come along and we can have a cheeky night in The Merchant.

 We have a tradition of going to Mourne Seafood for our lunch

It's difficult not to have the seafood chowder, but this time I had salmon and tempura beans. Deeeeflaminlicious.

Cleggy had pudding...I had an espresso Martini...just how I roll.

(Lets not pretend I didn't share his pudding too!!)

Then we go back to The Merchant.

It's right up there is my favourite hotels ever - 

Not only is is a beautiful building steeped in history but the service is amazing and the cocktail bar is voted one of the best in the world.

On our last stay it was indeed all about the cocktails...

but this year it was all about the room!

We got the upgrade of upgrades.

 

I think I might actually have squealed when I opened those padded gold wardrobe doors to reveal a lit dressing area!

            

I LOVE that lady etched on the bathroom door.

 And the furry headboard. Not thrilled about the amount of mirror...but soon got over it!

The following day  we have breakfast

(nice jugs)

then while Cleggy does the work bit 

(there's a pattern to our trips!!)

I have a little crochet and take some more photos of the building. 

This year I also had a look through the visitor book. There are some really interesting people in there, 

(Seamus Heaney, who I studied for my Literature degree)

and to please my more shallow side Ant and Dec and Robbie Williams.

Then before we catch the plane home we go for a little wander - 

both to Avoca 

(for lunch and a mooch)

After a couple of hours at St George's market

 There are some brilliant buildings in Belfast - and, as in all our big cities, a wonderful mix of old next to new.

 This year we made one purchase - this card!

                                  

It's always one of the best 24 hours of the year

and 2015 did not disapooint

Fee x

January and February 2015

Yep - I've given up trying to do my monthly catch ups - I've gone for the 2 month update!

It's a new low for my blogging - but will bring me right up to date and able to write about something I can actually remember!

We visited our mates Cuckoo for a wonderfully relaxing 24 hours of catching up. I have literally no photos of any of our six boys...but I do have crochet with tea, sunshine with champagne and my favourite Martini espresso! Oh, and bacon butties and giant Yorkshire puddings. And that's a pretty good summing up of our weekend!

Miss you my friend!

 Our niece Mabel turned 4 and threw a big family Frozen party - complete with party games. The funniest of which involved dressing up ones team member as Olaf with a bag of given items...which GB and The Granny gamely volunteered for. 

 Have you ever seen anything quite so disturbing?

 I finished another couple of projects - another Owl blanket for a friend and a scarf to order for Cleggy! 

Which was my first attempt at knitting a cable.

 We had a little bit of snow (happy boy!)

 And Cleggy and I did LOTS of vintage treasure hunting for rooms we'd finished...and rooms we had plans for.

We didn't buy these curtains - what were we thinking????

 ...but we DID buy the most beautiful Mary! 

By far our favourite purchase of the year.

  

 Another favourite purchase, and a real treat, was this tea set.

 ...and this beautiful mirror (£12! bargain)

The hallway was done over a few months but by the end of Feb was pretty much finished. 

I need to take some decent photos but here are a couple

Here is Great Granny's heirloom dresser - after its big fat Annie Sloan make over.

The dining room nearly got finished about 6 times over the past few months - but end up being the dumping ground for the excess stuff as we redecorate each room. Its still a dump now!

But the other gifted dresser got a coat of paint 

(Annie Sloan Provence)

We had a lovely birthday morning at the Davenport Tea rooms to celebrate Nelly's birthday

Our last primary school World Book Day was celebrated in style - Cleggy pulled off a brilliant Zombie and I've never known Geordie so keen to get to school!

I knitted my first cushion!

and Cleggy bought me 2 perfect vintage suitcases!

I'm not one for New Years resolutions...but I did take a sneaky photo of my friend Jane's suggestions - as they are perfect. 

Wise words my friend.

Fee x