Blimey it's been over a month since my last blogg,apologies for those of you who missed me!
I've had a busy month. A little uninteresting in my opinion but it's only fair that I keep you updated.
I arrived back in the UK on the 26th Nov and have spent most of the past month visiting people and catching up really.
My best friend is a girl I met when we were about 5, she lives 45 mins away by car with her fiance, 2 children and she has one on the way. I went and stayed with her for a few nights. A trip to see her is never uneventful and this visit was no exception! Her fella went to France on a snow boarding trip and broke a bone in his back! There were a lot of flight cancellations at the time due to the extreme weather so getting him home was a nightmare. Any way all is well, he had a pin put in his lower spine to secure it and you wouldn't even know he was injured now - he's very lucky.
While he was away Linzi had her 5 month scan and asked me to go - it was amazing!
I went to see my smallest nephew in his school nativity play he was a 'torch dancer' (?) - lots of those at Christ's birth then yeah? he was brilliant!
I went to 2 of my other nephews nativity plays, who are both in local drama groups. They performed it at 'Pets corner' an outside farm in town near to where we live and they used 'real' donkeys to carry Mary to Bethlehem (round the farm once and back to the stage) and the 3 wise men shared a Lama (as a camel - naturally) as we lack camels in Essex! you wouldn't of known unless I'd told you….the pillow strapped to his back was very convincing and comfy I imagine! it was great and I thoroughly enjoyed the 2 shows they put on. The eldest of the 2 was a narrator, and the youngest a shepherd.
Then finally my other nephew surprised me by asking me to go to his school choir concert. I didn't even know he was in school choir! he was brill and so I was all nativity'd out by the end of that week!
I've also been to my fair share of training sessions with my football crazy nephew. Who may I add is actually very good. He's only 8 but is so in to it. Also my other 2 nephews train once a week for 2 hours playing table tennis. ONe of them is only 6 (nearly 7) and he's brilliant. Left handed and got such a good eye. Such a talented family! :)
I made a visit in to the city of London for a last minute shopping trip just before Christmas as well which was lovely. I didn't go with anyone I spent the entire day wandering round the shops, I took my time in the book stores and cafes and walked down 'Denmark Street' near Tottenham Court Road tube station. I love it down there, it's a street dedicated to music!
While I was in brown I planned to walk across to Hyde Park and check out the "Winter Wonderland'. I didn't get there until 9pm by the time I'd had something to eat and finished shopping!
If you walk to the top of Oxford Street (Marble Arch end) it's just a 10/ 15 minute walk.
The European market was great. I took in the Christmas atmosphere, bought a 'Big issue' and walked back to Bond Street where I got my train home.
I live a 40 minute tube journey & 10 minutes car ride away from the city.
I absolutely love London. Of all the cities I've visited in the world 'home' is top. I never tire of it, I think this is assisted by the fact that I don't live in the 'smoke' I journey in!
I spent Christmas eve going to a social club with one of my brothers and my sister-in-laws family. The weather has been so extreme here leading up to Christmas that the streets were full of ice. Walking to the car after that evening was amusing especially as my elder brother decide to fall arse over head!
I remember going to Midnight mass a few years ago when I lived in Peterborough. It was held at Peterborough cathedral and was filmed for he BBC. It was amazing and although I'm not at all religious it was something I feel at peace doing. So I mentioned going this year. As I was spending Christmas eve night and Christmas night at my brothers my sister-in-law said she'd come with me. We went to the local parish church near their house which is a quaint converted barn. We were a little late……to say the least! arriving just after midnight, they were singing 'Oh come all ye faithful' and when it finished they were said one last prayer! it started at 11pm! We were 2 of the rare people who decided not to drink Christmas eve yet slipping on the ice as we walked away on top of turning up late made us look like we'd just rolled in from the pub!
Christmas morning was fun with only about 4/5 hours sleep. The boys got up just before 6am. Once there stockings and presents from us had been opened I took them over to the field in their new football kits and wearing their new boots for a kick around.
11 of us were at my brothers for Christmas lunch and then in the evening and on boxing day there were 15 of us. Very cosy but lovely to spend a Christmas with my family.
I've not spent Christmas in Essex with my family since 1998! so it made a nice change
