In the words of Johnny Matthias, It's the most wonderful time of the year. And it certainly has been for me and I am so grateful. It all started way back at the end of November 2014 when I was invited to go on a Turkey and Tinsel holiday to Cromer by a friend, all paid for! You can read all about that here: Happy Holidays I had put up my decorations before going so that my home would have a Christmas welcome when I got back. Just over a week later and I was off again this time to Willersley Castle for Turkey and Tinsel which you can read about here: Listening to the Owl's Song which is in two parts.
We had our Carol service on Sunday which was lovely and Alec spoke on Good News of Great Joy which you can read in our 'Thing on these Things' page on our church website, Ripley Elim. Then Christmas day arrived and I was picked up by my son-in-laws parents and we all went off to Emma and Mark's for traditional Christmas dinner, with a game of racing reindeer afterwards,
we couldn't do it on the track because Juju had chewed it up!!
I had a lovely time it was really relaxing, well for us guests it was anyway, Mark and Emma had certainly worked hard.
Boxing Day all our family gathered at Sarah and Adam's for turkey
curry, wonderful, yet more lovely food and good company, Huey and Noah my
grandchildren showed us all the gifts they had had for Christmas and we had yet
another game from the crackers this time racing penguins, again we didn't use
the track but let them loose on the table, great fun.
I went to Emma and Mark's
afterwards as I was supposed to be going out with them to Mark's gig. However
it started to snow and we just didn't realise how bad it was until later so I
decided to go home. Hannah and Phil came to pick me up. Someone was stuck in
front of us and so Phil got out to give them a hand and push them,
unfortunately our car then decided it would go it alone and started to travel
down the road, Phil was soon back and in control, phew.
After that I decided to go back to Mark
and Emma's, as they were only round the corner I walked there. Phil and Hannah
slowly made their way back home. I stayed with Juju, Emma's Chihuahua, she
just kept wanting to go out and play in the snow she’d never seen it before,
but it was coming so thick and fast I thought she’d disappear!! She thoroughly
enjoyed trying to catch the snow I kept throwing, she obviously wasn’t feeling
the cold as much as I was.
Mark and Emma made it there and back to the gig
okay, but they had some hair raising moments. The following morning everywhere
looked so beautiful, Emma had to go to work and Mark, Juju and myself walked
with her and then I went for a bus.
Not a problem catching one, just a problem getting up them there
hills in Belper, three attempts up Chesterfield road and then the driver
managed it, not a problem until we came onto Whitemoor estate and up another
hill, four attempts but there was no way the bus was going to make it, so back
he went and I got off on Chesterfield Road. I decided to walk the five mile home
it took about two hours, of course I had to stop to take photos. It was a
glorious day and I thoroughly enjoyed my walk.
A buffet tea at Emma’s on Sunday
completed our Christmas festivities.
I have to say it was one of the best,
thank you to my lovely family,
I am so blessed.
