Turn on the dark

December Nov« »Next year

How did we get here so soon? Too much to do and too little time but I do love Christmas. When will it start proper?

The jumpers are out and a new one to show off. (Later get two new additions :-))

This year I finished work after the team meal and enjoyed a couple of days leave before the big day. Unfortunately I seemed to catch a cold (and I am not alone as E gets symptoms after Boxing Day). This leads to a quiet Christmas. We get up at severn to open the presies and then enjoy the day.

It's the moments you enjoy. The moment when the present is revealed and the recipient smiles in surprised joy. The smile from the waiters at the Indian restaurant for the usual Christmas meal out. The cheers at the dinner table. The conversations with family and the shared drinks with neighbours. And the safe return of the travellers.

Cheers!

November »Next month

Mother nature is causing problems around the country. Locally we do have quite a few floods to add to the misery of long term road works. Personally it is more inconvenience than trauma. Colds are doing the rounds. A neighbour is suffering a bad reaction after the flu jab.

We actually had snow on the local hills in mid November but the rain somewhat washed it away fairly quickly. The weather has caused a couple of days of road chaos, more than once this month.

Had to say goodbye to the old jalopy, gone to the knackers yard. Back to trains when the weather makes two wheels unattractive.

October Sep« »Next month

This month I start some training that is going to last six months and give a real backlog of work to deal with - hmm.

We see some of the in-laws to celebrate various birthdays. There is a lot of travelling around to see various Universities. I thought Norwich was nice but a hellish trek there thanks to a road closure that Google seemed to be unaware of.

September Aug« »Next month

Back to school and all that brings. The weather is unsettled, some warm to hoot days while others bring torrents of rain. Various things have conspired to get in the way of any football trips. Still seeking new grounds with a diminishing target list does create a challenge.

I dragged my old cassette player out to listen to some old tunes. Many are not readily available from others sources so the collection of old recordings still does it.

The apples are a daily job as the winds and heavy crop bring a regular number to the ground.

We ventured further a field to an new Indian when ours was closed but we think we will be going back to the usual.

We try an new Indian

August July« »Next month

A very variable summer at least weather wise; we have both rain and shine, heat and cool.

This month we look at getting our bathroom sorted. We also enjoyed a couple of meals at a local Italian - molto bene! Summer time gives me time to start enjoying an old TV series, Life on Mars. I also finally load up my archive of footy matches.

I start watching Life on Mars; missed it first time around, so we'll see what all the fuss was about.

We go back to the nice Italian in town for the first time in a while. They have expanded the rooms but otherwise, good as ever.

Domestically, I do a basic repair on the Bathroom toilet and some painting of the woodwork. The latter means the stink of the paint lingering; this stuff takes 18 hours to dry.

July June« »Next month

Summer arrives and we get temperatures in the mid twenties (centigrade) - not too bad but still a little warm for me. I have to get both vehicles through their MOT's before I enjoy some holiday time.

The week's holiday started with this year's Country Show. It was light in the animal department but there were a few. It did have most of the usual traders and charity stalls. We, two, enjoyed a nice ice cream and a wander around.the country show and then a musical number at the theatre. It continued with a few little trips and a lovely walk down the valley, so we enjoyed some more of our green and pleasant land. We made it a point to start early and be done mid afternoon. We found a few new joys not too far from us; some worth a second visit.

Fancy nice ice cream?

June May« »Next month

A nice start to the month and a little celebration to end the Football season for all true fans! It was slightly annoying that I had to make use of an online sport channel to watch the game and show it on the main TV but the radio gave me forewarning of the events.

Otherwise the garden demands some attention and I give some to the compost heap. Turning the heap is rather difficult because of shape and thin plastic nature of the container. I should probably do it more frequently but life has other pleasures and demands to tend to so it gets some infrequent attention.

The oldies wander into town to do a bit of food shopping and enjoy a visit to a local cafe.

Turned the heap this month

May Apr« »Next month

We trolled up to a local place renown for its pizzas and enjoyed a great meal in sight of the pizza oven and also looking out over the green hills and valleys. It was a pleasant evening.

The football league season gave great hope but ultimately the reds couldn't beat their richer rivals but the chase was exhilarating and there is a still a certain cup match to come.

April Mar« »Next month

We took a trip down to Falmouth to check out the University. Nice part of the country, if a little distant from us.

The two elders took a little walk in the other direction today; we usually head westward. We found a new treasure of a path and vowed to go further some time later. It doesn't start off very promising but I have faith there are gems down the track.

Easter being very late this year make for very unbalanced school terms dates. We celebrated in our usual traditional way if not presents! It doesn't have to be all chocolate and easter eggs. Sometimes a packet of fancy crisps (purporting to be poppadoms) is the way to win the heart of the young.

Easter presents much nutritious joy!

March Feb« »Next month

This month we are boyed by the presence of several species and examples of British birds in the garden. As well as the gorgeous sparrows, robbins, gold Finchs there are of course wood pigeons but we like the little ones. The flowers are now showing their colours and month end the trees blossom. Spring is here.

The young man has exams, the young woman resumes driving lessons and the seniors tend to their normal ways of time wasting (the football is very interesting this season).

The last Saturday drags us back to an old place and a celebration for an old friend. We find that the ancient oak we loved next to our old house has been felled by developers - such a shame. Next day we two do Bath by bus and enjoy the various sights, mainly by bus.

Significant Birthday for a friend

February Jan« »Next month

Friday 1^st

Snow, snow, and more snow. Pretty but it does close many of the local schools and works. Local radio does its job though the county schools website fails in the early hours. The roads though are fairly okay and there is no stopping the trip to work.

The day after we had five inches of snow fall it froze over and two days later there are still patches of ice. All in all making my Sunday morning walk a little perilous but also a little more interesting. The climate is definitely more unreliable in what we get when and definitely more extreme in what is delivered to us.

Serious snow this time and cute cotton balls

January 2018« »Next month

Early January

In our week of daily walks we found new parts of the local town to great delight; a new coffee shop and we even popped into the Sainsbury's for a drink. You see so much more on an amble as opposed to a drive. We enjoy a local ramble. We even learn some history.

Sunday 20^th

It was a real quiet new year's eve as we don't even make it to midnight but we did watch a film and had a picnic as usual. Slightly galling is the mess the politicians are making of our democracy; emphasis on mock.

Outside, the better half's bulbs are showing their heads above the ground - reminding us we should get out there and do a little gardening. My excuse is the annual cold still hanging on but friends and others tell there is a lot of it about (over long colds that is).

Bad weather has me using the trains for a decent journey to work. It does mean walking a few miles but I enjoy a good wander and a chance to catch up on some podcasts.

Early snow flurry brings an icing sugar coating