Still Christmas

We have been enjoying plenty of family time together over the last week and before making the macaroni cheese and lasagne for lunch, I was playing with the girls and the animal figures. They enjoyed setting up the fields for the differing types of animals it reminded me of many years ago when I used to spend a good part of each day on the floor with the children. 

The rest of the day was full of dog walks and gradually feeling more and more full of cold and a very disturbed night's sleep. However, we found time to watch Knives Out - Glass Onion which was great. Maria really enjoyed it.

Burley in the New Forest

Amelia was up and ready for our early morning dog walk, one which was in dry conditions for a change, although the puddles remain as full as ever for now. Alison has been feeling under the weather for a couple of days now and Joe was going to be working from home, so I planned to take the children out for at least of the day to make the most of the forecast.

Maria stayed home, also a bit under the weather, but I took Joseph, Evie and Amelia off in the motorhome for an adventure in the New Forest where we parked up at the cricket pitch just up from Burley. Joseph has been very keen to play football in his Liverpool kit and with the new football he got at Christmas and we had a good kickabout to begin with until I took the girls off for a walk amongst the trees and horses, leaving Joseph practising his goal kicks.

Once back I started on the picnic food with sosmix sausages in the fryer, crisps, rolls, ketchup, gingerbread and cheese, a right old mixture but one which they enjoyed hugely. We walked down to Burley for a look around but most of the shops were closed, no bad thing as I had no intention of buying more things in the midst of Christmas when we've all had so much already.

By the time were back at the motorhome, a football match was underway and I watched as the children played football again, loving the fresh air and freedom. The teams were absolutely hopeless! I was amazed on the one hand at how poor they were but also impressed they had got together to play a game they obviously loved. Fair play to them.

Once home I took Juno out for a good walk, a couple of miles in the company of Kirsty Young as guest on Desert Island Discs before starting the tea, a chickpea and butter bean korma with basmati rice, pitta bread, onion bhajis and samosas. It was a lot of work after a long day but it went down well before Alison and I settled down to watch the Gone Fishing special with Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer. Always appreciated and even more so with a guest appearance from Ted, the lovable dog who is looking older these days.

Sore throat is making an appearance so we will see what develops. In the meantime I finished The Merchant of Venice making it 52 books I have read or listened to this calendar year, one a week. Same again for next year?

Joe is going home with the children on Friday to meet with Kate who has been visiting her parents, Paul having been in hospital. It could be our first night as just the three of us for days and days, until they come back for New Year's Eve the next day, along with Joseph who is sleeping over. It is fair to say we have had a lovely time but need a bit of a rest now. January is going to be a time without sleepovers I think, giving us, and Maria, a bit of rest and an opportunity to do other things.

So here it is!

What a great few days we've had together, topped off with a visit to Hale House and Christmas with Harry's family, as well as our own. The house was beautiful and it is always a bonus to be able to simply open the door for the dogs to be able to have a good walk.

I have rather overdone it on Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day so yesterday was all about recovery. Feeling a lot more like normal today and enjoyed a walk into the woods with Juno early on before starting the big clear up. 

Longleat Festival of Lights

We had a lovely visit to Longleat for Bridie's birthday and were fortunate that the wet weather of the previous two days was replaced with blue skies for the entire visit. Having arrived at just after 10 we were on the safari trail soon afterwards with brilliant views of so many of the star animals, particularly the lions, wolves and tiger. It was nice to take our time and we didn't hurry as we meandered through the various zones.

One we always go through is the monkey enclosure and we were visited by many of the little critters through the enclosure. They seemed intent on reaching down under the bonnet to retrieve leaves and anything else that had been trapped there. They soon turned to checking out the road worthiness of the car with attention to the windscreen washer jets which they loved when I sprayed them thinking it would put them off. Far from it! They loved the foaming water and quickly bit off both the jets, although one stayed attached. The other tumbled down the bonnet but miraculously stayed on as we drove gently along. One of the new monkeys knocked it and it went further down still but not yet fallen off and gone for good.

We made it to the exit where the woman checking no animals were leaving with us, was able tp pass us the housing which I have refitted today with success. No damage done. They didn't break the rear windscreen wiper despite jumping on it!

The next stop was the lake with the trip to the see the gorillas, colobus monkeys and to feed the sea lions. You always get great views of them and they obliged as usual. We also completed the maze with success in finding both the centre and exit without cheating and without taking too long. The best we've done in all the many visits.

By 4 the lights were on and we were able to enjoy the stunning lights and sculptures based on the books of Roald Dahl. It really was a treat and a wonder to see. 

Brrrr!!

 Cold. Still in shorts but it’s still cold. Ground is frozen solid. 

Brisk

The weather continues to be quite chilly. It's been well over a week without rain and almost constant frosts and it's been lovely. Obviously the cold brings some challenges but it is just right for long walks with the dog and getting outside jobs done.

Today I was out before 6am with Juno and into the woods at 8am before setting off to Verwood to do some gardening and a little shopping. One of the best things has been the recovery of the motorhome with the new starter motor and it sprang into life taking Juno and I off to Joy's where I started by sorting out the rotting bird table and then doing a little digging of the veg plot. Sadly it wasn't for long as the frost meant the ground was solid in places and there was little gain in turning the frozen lumps over. That meant I turned my attention to the pyracanthus, beautiful but full of spiteful spines. I got the hedge trimmed down and thinned too whilst Juno explored the garden.

Once parked up at the supermarket, Juno and I headed off into Verwood forest for a couple of miles before heading home where I was straight out again on a litter pick and then lunch.

Maria finishes school for the term today and will be heading out to dance later, so I am getting a curry done for tea planning what to do tomorrow with Joseph at school but Maria home.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

A selection of photos from Bridie over the weekend. The fire was lovely! 

Juno and I have walked 6 miles today and she is being very good on the lead these days, compared to how she was anyway. Almost perfect these days but still pulls like mad when over-excited. Being with me is dull enough to keep her calm!

Welcome news with the motorhome which now has a new started motor and is reliable once again. It has been a worry for over a year starting it up, especially in the damp or cold. The power booster and charging helped but that was to get enough extra power to turn the starter, not because of a faulty battery. It is lovely having it working so you know it will start whatever the weather. The garage also fitted the replacement windscreen washer container which I bought a few months ago, so everything is back in working order.

Almost Christmas

It's been a few weeks without posting but the World Cup is nearing its end and I will have more time. It has been such hard work trying to fit all the football in! I can't quite believe the 10, 1, 4 and 7 schedule but I loved it and managed not to start drinking too early most days. Just the semi finals to go this week ahead of the games on Saturday and Sunday, in what has been a pretty surprising tournament with plenty of shocks, although a France v Argentina final would see us back to two of the favourites at the outset.

There has been a welcome change in the weather with cold days and nights accomapnied by frost and a few flurries of snow. It has been beautiful, although the heating is having to work hard to keep us all cosy now I've dipped a degree off the target. The nice thing about having the woodburner is being able to pop out there for a lovely log fire, especially after our recent delivery of logs, but we also have the front room for a log fire too, now it isn't connected to anything else. It is just a bit of a treat in the evening.

Lots of dog walking and fun in the woods with Juno and busy with shopping but also time for the allotments which have now been put to bed ofr the winter. They are all up together but with garlic, onions, broad beans and greens over-wintering.