December 21st 2010
Me want!
I may be 38 years old, but I still get excited when I see Cookie Monster T-shirts – this photo I took turned out to be the only one I took today. It’s not unheard of for people to pay tribute to the heroes in their life by emblazoning their image on a T-shirt though – here’s one of mine.
It won’t surprise many of you to learn that I’m now wearing it. You can never have too many Cookie Monster T-shirts …
December 20th 2010
It’s back …
I’m referring to snow, of course, although fortunately we have just about avoided it in Derbyshire. But this time, it’s made it to Leamington Spa. The downside is a long trawl through icy roads in the town at the end of my commute. But the upside is walking through crisp, white snow when I take my walk at lunch.
December 19th 2010
Cards
It’s just gone 11pm the day before last posting day for first class cards. The cards are finally done, the daily photo isn’t … well, you know the rest.
I’m not always organised enough to send cards every year anyway, but this time we’ve both at least got round (finally) to sending to closest friends and extended family. But there may be some surprising news for some recipients, a change in address and more. But you know all that. You’ve been following this blog since January 1st 2010 haven’t you …?
December 18th 2010
Tim Minchin
Today was a great end to the week – the photo is of course Tim Minchin performing with a symphony orchestra behind him, as seen from our great seats in the Nottingham Arena. So nice for Claire and me just to spend a night out by ourselves and watch a genius of wordplay and music at work. If he’s your kind of thing and you ever get a chance to see him, just do it, you won’t be disappointed!
December 17th 2010
RIP Bonnie
A really sad day today to end a tough week. In the wee small hours of this morning, we lost Bonnie, who passed away peacefully and quickly. We knew it was coming, but he has been a companion for Claire, James and Sophie for many years (he was seventeen when he died) and I felt incredibly close to him too despite knowing him for a much shorter time. He had two favourite places – one is right here on the sofa in this photo, and the other one was on my lap. It seems strange already not having him around, and we’ll all miss him. But his time had come, and, as cats always do, he knew it himself just as we did.
December 16th 2010
Two candles …
Advent candles – when we remember to light them, and remember to extinguish them without burning too far, have a habit of showing just how quickly December is going and just how close Christmas is getting …
Apologies to Two Ronnies fans who will think this is only half a picture …
December 15th 2010
Leamington by Night
Today was the work Christmas party – held at a restaurant in Leamington Spa. It was a great meal and a nice afternoon to take the mind off work pressures (and cost of boilers) but not a chance to let my hair down completely. The 75 mile drive home puts paid to that idea …
December 14th 2010
It’s plain, it’s shiny, it’s white and it now means for the first time in over a week, which has included minus temperatures in double figures, we have hot water and heating. It’s also very expensive, costs money we don’t have, and has been paid for just ten days before Christmas.
And if today weren’t expensive enough, readers of Sunday’s post will appreciate there was the small matter of a garage door to be professionally fixed today as well.
December 13th 2010
Angel
Today was the day of the lantern parade in our village – traditionally, I’m told, a day where the children make lanterns and parade through the streets of the village, before ending at the community centre for a carol service, where the schools and junior choirs from the village each perform.
Well, today the lantern parade part of it was cancelled due to the ice remaining on the roads from the snow of a couple of weeks ago. It seems nobody told some of the villagers though, as when we sat down to the carol service in anticipation of watching first Sophie and then James singing, many had still brought lanterns, and somewhat surreally the parade took place around the hall, to the bar and back.
The kids both did a great job and had a good evening – but the chains of Christmas lights on stage weren’t sympathetic to us amateur photographers, so here is one of the lanterns which formed my view to the left …
December 12th 2010
Entertainment
Not sure if “entertainment” is the right word, but today we were hosts to our friends Steve, Dawn and family. Keeping the kids entertained, the boys especially, was not so difficult. I do apologise for our version of keeping poor Steve entertained though, as he picked the moment to walk out to the car when our garage door broke, and spent the next hour or so trapped inside and then trying to fix it while I watched on, clueless and appreciative.
P.S. those who missed yesterday’s post, have you noticed the rather impressive Christmas tree?
