Putting the lid on it

We awoke, this last day of 2008, to a cold world outside - thankfully we were snuggy warm indoors.

We don't go a bundle on New Year celebrations and neither of us do regret at all.  So, no maudlin thoughts here and absolutely no resolutions.  As for the "Review of the Year" - anyone who has witnessed my reaction to seeing yet another excuse to repeat stuff that was boring the first time round will know not to expect anything like that here.

So, tonight we look forward to an evening with friends who will surely stay till next year.  Then tomorrow, we'll pack Christmas away and set off for a weekend with Edward, celebrating his birthday a little prematurely but with as much enthusiasm (and good food, no doubt) as always!

I've just posted my last photograph of 2008, amazed that I've kept it going throughout the year.  Taking a photograph each day has been a great way to record the ups and downs of life here (and there) and has become an established habit I intend to continue.  Later, I'll collate all the years photographs and copy them to the archive here but I'll continue to post daily to the 365 site at Blogger, because it's easy!

I also intend to get a book of the photographs from 2008 printed for us.  Recommendations for printing services would be welcome.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and trusting that 2009 won't be anything like as bad as THEY say it's going to be! 

I wish it could be Christmas every day...

Well, not really, but it was fun.

Hope yours was too.

As usual, I recorded our family Christmas in a journal prompted by Shimelle whose online classes I can't recommend highly enough.  Not only are they fun to do, one sign up for her "Journal your Christmas" class gets you the prompts for every year after, too.  I think that's a real bargain!  I don't follow the prompts slavishly and don't contribute to the online group at all, but I love to have some framework to hang my thoughts on and this year's photography tips were a useful bonus.

Anyway, thanks Shimelle for another set of brilliant resources and for all the hard work you put into the class.  This one will go on the shelf with the others and will be brought out in a couple of years time, prompting lots of happy memories and a few smiles too.

All is Calm

The fridge is full, the boy is home, we're all set.

Start the jigsaw.

Time to put up those feet and enjoy the holiday.

Here in Gloucestershire, we'll start our celebrations with our usual Christmas Eve cheese fondue this evening.  Have a Happy Christmas, everyone!

Still here....

After such a long blogging break, perhaps some reassurance is needed?  I am still here, just don't seem to have had the chance to do much here recently.  The word busy springs to mind...

We had a great party with our friends last Sunday, however. One of these days I'll find a pig large enough to satisfy all those pork-and-apple-sauce loving party guests...

I had a wonderful afternoon watching our small friend appear as an angel (of course) in her school nativity. 

Our lovely friend Mary has been and gone and we've enjoyed some of our usual haunts, including Daylesford.

We spent a day in Bristol and, not believing the sign advertising Mickey Rooney in pantomime there, just had to book ourselves seats for the matinee to see!  Sure enough, both Mr and Mrs Rooney were in the cast of this fantastic show.  We loved it! 

I met Mary and her colleague Diana and her daughter Katie in London yesterday and enjoyed a couple of thought-provoking exhibitions (Between the Covers and Taking Liberties) before enjoying afternoon tea at the Champagne bar in St Pancras station.  We especially loved the tartan blankets which kept our knees toasty warm!

Drama on the train home.  A lippy rugby supporter sitting in the First Class carriage refused to show his ticket to the guard, who, rather than get into an argument quietly dialled for support.  When we arrived in Swindon, a rather large security guard boarded the train and requested the chap pay up.  When he refused, he was asked to leave the train - which he also refused to do.  At this point, the security chap explained that he was now in danger of paying not only a large penalty fare but also being charged with delaying the train - at £400 per minute...so far, five minutes had passed.  This was no thug but a fairly well dressed, professional looking chap in his 30s who I suspect had a bit too much dutch courage than was good for him.  His friends (who had paid the £10 upgrade to sit in first class) sat and watched horror struck as the situation spiralled out of control.  Eventually, the chap chose to leave the train and was met by a couple of policemen on the platform.  Hmmm.

Drama of a different sort at my work Christmas Lunch last week, when 22 of us walked out of the pub having been served the most horrible food imaginable.  Fortunately the pub opposite was ready and able to cater for such a large bunch of hungry people and whipped up some fantastic turkey sandwiches in no time!

We've had visits from our friends Ilja and Marieke, and lovely concert pianist friend Tra.

We've done all our shopping - presents and food.  Just the last minute Christmas Eve things.

We've had so many lovely cards this year - a bumper year we think.  Much appreciated.

We've both had the lurgy and are (more or less) over it, thank goodness.

The Christmas Journal is on course and progressing well, and the Photo a Day blog has been maintained, believe it or not.  Catching up with the journal this afternoon a small crisis....

I dropped my scalpel on my foot, resulting in a spout of blood...aaaaagh!

Mark came to my rescue, but please note, in spite of all crisis and emergency, photos were taken!!

I'll now limp upstairs and try to recover with a glass of something or other.  I expect I will be ok.

Bristol, 5pm today

Have you ever seen the IKEA checkouts so empty?