A day in the Cotswolds

Today was crisp, cold and bright so we went for a drive out into the Costwolds. We saw some lovely examples of tudor buildings, and visited the folly on top of the hill at Broadway. The tower is surrounded by dear parks and on a clear day like this, visitors can see 9 counties from the top. We have to confess we didn't walk far - the wind coming across the top of the hill was icy cold!

Merry Christmas!

And finally Christmas was here, a lovely quiet family dinner with a fresh Cockerel and Turkey, homemade cranberry sauce and all the trimmings...

Thank you to everyone for their lovely gifts, here's a picture of Emma on her new beanbag in her new dressing gown & slippers reading her new book (heaven!)...

German Markets!

Well, what an excellent Christmas holiday! We started our fortnight off in Manchester with tickets to the matinee of The Wizard of Oz at the Lowry Theatre, followed by a trip around the Lowry art gallery and dinner by Salford Quayside. The following day we took the tram into Manchester and went to the one of the largest German markets outside Germany, it was all very festive and smelt delicious!!! Here's a picture of the barbecue round where they cook fresh Bratwurst, yum! There were gingerbread men, reindeer antlers, giant santas and as much gluhwein as you could drink....we came away full of festive cheer - hic!

Holly and berries

For our lovely friends and family in the southern hemisphere, and for our other friends who live in sunny and warm places, here's another snapshot of our preparations for Christmas...

For those of you for whom cold feet is a distant memory, and dark mornings a thing of the past, spare a thought for us scraping ice off the car in the morning and trudging through sludge to get to our neighbours. We feel your heartfelt condolences for us shivering at bedtime, and for braving frost and ice to get to work in the morning. And for those of you who can't keep your chocolate solid or your ice creams unmelted - here in return is our heartfelt BAH-HUMBUG! ;0)

(we're only jealous!)...

Farm Park

As is traditional at this time of year, we paid a visit to a delightful little farm park near my mum's house. There are animals to cuddle and feed, hot roast chestnuts and the Salvation Army Band, all so very effective at distracting us from the cold, wet and mud! As always there is a life-size Nativity scene, complete with sheep and donkey. This donkey was a bit too interested in our friend's little girl, but she didn't seem to mind!

Flowers...very spoiled!

I was given two lots of flowers this week and feel very spoiled. One as a thank you from a friend for doing her a favour, and another from my mum for our anniversary. They have combined beautifully into a single vase and hey presto, another excuse to get the camera out! I'm experimenting with indoor lighting at the moment, some more successful than others!! I thought the Christmas tree pictures looked quite Dickensian on the 'candle' setting!

Our anniversary!

This weekend marked the 15th anniversary of our wedding...

To celebrate we went for a lovely meal at our favourite Indian restaurant in Stony Stratford (the Bekash) which is just a few doors away from the hotel where we had our wedding reception. It was so beautiful having our wedding in December as all the Christmas lights were on in the High Street, just like this. It was a really clear, frosty night, you can just make out the moon in this picture.

This time 15 years ago we were packing ready for our honeymoon - on 6th January we set off from Southampton for the first third of the round-the-world cruise. I've suggested that for our next big anniversary (25!) we should go back and do the other two thirds!!! That means we need to start saving now though ;0)

Put a log on the fire...

Last week Lucy found the hottest place in the house. On top of the lizard's cage next to the radiator. Then we put the Christmas tree up and thought we'd better have a real fire, just to get into the spirit of the thing. As if by magic, Lucy appeared. She abandoned the lizard hotspot in favour of a place in front of the fire, forgot she was middle aged and became a cute and playful kitten again, and as soon as the fire went out, as if by magic she disappeared again.

When I depart this mortal world I want to come back as a cat! :0)

The tree's up!

Our little friend Kitty helped decorate the Christmas Tree this weekend, and everyone who pitched in did a great job. We thought we'd go for "understated chic" this year (not!)... After growing up with a white and silver artificial tree (you must forgive, it wasn't my choice and it WAS the 1970's!), and Tim a more tasteful green but still artificial tree, we both insist on a real tree, always. It smells divine. Looks the business. And, well, it's Christmas isn't it?

But hang on a minute, who's that in the picture trying to steal the tree's golden moment? It's Lucy the cat, more about her in a minute...well, after this weekend we are really in the festive spirit. We baked our first batch of mince pies and had home warmed (that's no ordinary mulled wine, it's M&S mulled wine!) okay so we cheated but only on that bit. Ten more days at work then that's it, off for a full fortnight, phew! After 6 months off this has been a long haul! Bring it on...

The iron viaduct

This weekend our friends came to visit from Leicester and we got out for a walk along the river and canal. We wish we had more days like this in the Autumn - a really deep frost, a lovely dry cold and the most glorious sunshine. We took a circular walk that meanders first along the river and then to where the canal crosses it about 10 metres above across an iron viaduct.

Preparations for Christmas...

Here we go, then, Christmas 2008 approaches!

The exams are now over (YIPPEE!) so we can go full throttle into preparing for the festive season. This weekend we'll be finding a spot for the Christmas tree, and Em is already 3 days into her traditional chocolate advent calendar - the old favourites are the best aren't they???

Here are some pretty Christmas pictures to get you in the mood...

If proof were needed...

If proof were needed that we are in the grips of a Russian cold front, I present unequivocable evidence. Our cat, Lucy, who is the thermometer of the household, has dispensed with the radiator in the hall. She has abandoned Emma's bed (the nearest bed to a radiator in the whole house). She has even foregone the spot between the living room radiator and the coffee table (a trap for hot air to dwell)...

Instead, she has installed herself on top of Emma's lizard's tank (vivarium for the educated amongst us). Not only is the tank heated to 97 degrees, but it also sits in front of a radiator, and the radiator has a small shelf above it, thereby creating a perfect recreation of conditions in the Australian outback from whence he originated.

I keep you waiting no longer, here is the proof - in Lucy language "it's blooming cold outside and I've found the hottest spot in the house!" Purr......