Happy New Year!

I hope you had a lovely Christmas.

Life in our home has been busy as our plans to get together at our local daughter's home had to be cancelled due to her being unwell.  Thankfully it wasn't Covid-19 or one of the variants, but an ear infection, dizziness and sickness which she picked up in the hospital where she works. It has laid her low and sad to have missed our family reunions. We hosted the family get togethers at our home so that she could rest and recover.  She did not want any of us to catch the 'flu and bug either. Some of the  grandchildren and their friends, our son and his son came for visits and we enjoyed two festive meals together.  Our daughter D from Berkshire, who came to stay, has kept us company and today is going to spend New Year's Eve with her son in Cambridgeshire before travelling back to Berkshire.  No doubt we'll see our local daughter M when she's feeling better and I'll write more as we journey into the new year.

As always I think of you, my blog friends.  Thank you for your friendship and visits to my blog.  

Happy new year!  May it be a peaceful year for us all. 

Season's Greetings

  Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas.

Friday Five and Life in General

Today I'm combining Five on Friday with happenings in the last two weeks.   Our eldest grandson and  family visited us on Sunday.  He had driven up to see the other grandmother in North Yorkshire. We  had lunch together before they went back to their home in Cambridgeshire.  Our local daughter joined us, but it's now getting harder to meet up as the working family members potentially come into contact with cases of  the virus.  They've been testing for covid daily and thankfully have had negative results, but naturally they want us to stay safe and well.  Our Berkshire daughter is coming to stay over Christmas, and she'll also be doing tests before she comes. I've been busy preparing for her visit.  Once again we're thankful for a warm house and not having to go out unnecessarily.  

This morning I was greeted by the activity of the birds in the garden.  This one was singing sweetly in the hawthorn tree.

There was a slight frost overnight.  

Thank goodness for the covered yard's shelter for the plants and trees. 

The chrysanthemums seem to be happy there.

Mr P got the artificial Christmas tree down from the loft and slowly it got decorated with special ornaments and vintage baubles (top photos daytime and lit up). Daughters D and M sent photos of their decorated trees.  Jasper kitty looks as if he's happy on his bean bag bed. 

Some favourite ornaments.  Jack Frost in the sleigh was made by me when I was a child. The horse was part of the set I had of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation Coach drawn by horses ridden by the Queen's coachmen.  The horse is all that's left. 😔

There are some new traditions as on the shelves there's a collection of handmade cards made by daughter M and granddaughter A and a cotton reel figurine with crocheted bobble hat and legs.  

I hope your days are going well and you have a good weekend.   Thank you once more for your visit.  

Our week at the beginning of December

After our time of being snowed in it was a relief to get back to my walking routine and another library visit.  On this particular day there was drizzly rain so not the best time to walk around the park. 

My reading will be non fiction as I reserved and collected Edmund de Waal's The Hare With Amber Eyes - I gave my copy to our DiL and now want to re-read the book again.  The other book is Hilary Mantel's memoir Giving Up The Ghost after watching a television documentary about what she remembers of her early childhood.  

We had our covid booster vaccination on Wednesday after getting our official National Health Service letter to say that we could attend a session.  After researching online I found the address of our nearest centre, not too far away, where we could drop-in without an appointment.  It was in a huge building that had once been part of one of our city hospitals.  The experience was good as there were lots of volunteers and medical staff on hand.  Fresh masks were given out to each person and there were many booths with screens where staff were checking details in the system for the vaccinations we've had so far.  We were soon home and resting.

 

Yesterday I walked up the hill to the Post Office to get a letter and card posted off abroad.  Although it was a gloomy sort of day it gave me the opportunity to take a walk around the old part of the village, up to the woods, passed the fields were horses graze and locals ride their horses.  Other walkers were out and about and I caught a glimpse of a rider exercising her horse along the bridle path in the woods.

Plenty of berries for the birds

Evidence of the old cobbles in the local lane.

One of the pubs near the Post Office and shops.

There was a lot of activity in the grounds of the former school and sports centre as diggers were at work.   A notice informs us that there will be a park on the site by the end of  February next year.

Back to the corner of our road.  The view shows how high up we live as we get the same kind of view of the hills across the valley from the back bedroom window of our house. 

Some more photos taken early this morning. 

The former lodge to the manor house (the manor house was demolished many years ago).

Another pub was recently refurbished and is now decorated for Christmas.  To the right the road winds down a steep hill to places such as the park and library and up hill passed the parish church it goes on to other villages such as Bradfield and Oughtibridge.

I hope you enjoyed the walk.  Thank you for your visit.  Have a good weekend.

Snow!

Gale force winds were expected last night so we retired for the night hoping that all would be well. 

It was still quite dark at 7 am when I looked out of the back bedroom window.  What a surprise to see snow.  (Photos taken from the windows)

An hour later our local daughter texted to see if we were all right as she had received reports that work colleagues in another nearby town had no electricity.  We're thankful that everything here is fine and we are warm and well. We're not snowed in on our slippery, steep hills * unless the snow turns to ice this evening as the temperature gets low.  * (This happened later on that evening and now we continue to stay indoors now that we have frozen paths and frozen snow on the roads). We're in contact with family and our church fellowship via the internet.

We can see right across the valley to the distant hills, also covered in snow.

There's even some blue sky and a glimmer of sunshine. (Although this did not last long as the wind gained momentum once more).

We think of those who are experiencing strong winds, heavy rain and snowy conditions around our UK regions.  Take care everyone wherever you are.   Stay well and safe. 

 I wish you a peaceful Advent season.