Christmas and Boxing Day :)

Merry Christmas to all my beautiful family and friends, well Christmas has come and gone now for another year! All that fuss for one day, but I must say it is nice to see all the lead up to Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere, it is really quite different to back home. Instead of sweating over a BBQ, it is much nicer sipping Gluhvein and staying all rugged up and keeping warm, over a bomb fire at the Bath Christmas Markets and eating gingerbread men (I might add this is the German version, which I prefer :) seeing Santa in his Sleigh and actual Reindeer pulling him along, that would have to be a highlight of the whole lead up to Christmas!

Christmas morning, I didn't wake up too early (not like early years with the kids, where I do remember many a four or five o'clock start, but it was a civilised breakfast with Val and her mum Sheila. Then we exchanged our gifts. I saved up my few little pressies from Helen (yum) Tim tam's and cherry ripes and Aussie tea, I will guard this box of Tim tam's with my life lol you can't buy them over here! I should eat them anyway, being a diabetic, but all in moderation! (What is that! Lol especially after Christmas!) I received a present from Kevin and his wife from work, plus my cards, so I opened them all plus Val bought me some Calvin Klein socks, as I seem to always walk it to little miss (Lucy's) puddle's! Sheila gave me a diamonti brooch which was her mother's which is very bling, I will feel very glam, might where it out on my coat.

Lucy eyeing off her Christmas present :) She wasn't too sure of it at first!

It's ok, she took it to her bed to hide it :)

I got to speak briefly with Robert and Helen on FaceTime (video link) for those that use it, it's far better than skype, but you have to have iPad to iPad or iPhone :) it had to be a brief chat as Val, Sheila (Lucy the dog) and I all headed off to Devizes to Val's daughter's (Kirsten) and her hubby Dean, daughter Issabella and son Georgie's home for Christmas lunch.

Dressed in my Santa socks :)

 

Val and Sheila (Sheila is 90 in March, enjoy that drink!)

Georgie and Kirsten

Georgie and Isabella

Cheeky Isabella

Moi, caught out, lol was too busy listening to everyone else!

Val and her daughter Kirsten

I don't know how to change the size of these pics :( I emailed them across small and now I can't expand them! Oh well, you get the general idea :)

Went home late Christmas Day and we were all pretty shattered, so we didn't get into the Gluhwein, so it was an early night for me :)

Boxing Day was a new day, the weather was miserable and I had had some bad news when I got home last night, my dear friend Anne's Dad had passed away :( so our get together had been cancelled. I really felt so sad for Anne and it all came flooding back to me, about losing Dad, in April :( sending Anne and all her family much love and healing at this sad time xxxxx have a safe trip home Bella xxxx

I decided that I would still go to Bournemouth on my own for Boxing Day as I had already paid for the hotel where I was going to stay with Anne and Brian, so after a lovely long video link up with both Robert and Helen in the morning, I headed off in the afternoon, even with the weather against me :( I got down there and it was nearly dark, raining cats and dogs. I found a place to park down near the beach and walked up to the hotel and then settled in and then I decided to go find somewhere to eat.

I had a few interested parties at the main door, young men from who know's where lol but they seem to be interested in where I was going lol anyway off I went down the road, with my Mary Poppin umbrella and settled on Indian, went to this Indian Restaurant called Indian Ocean :) nice guy whom I can't pronounce his name, was very helpful and looked after me, as it was the only one there to start with, but it soon became busy.

Very modern clean restaurant.

My yummy dinner :)

A good thing he is smiling :)

 

The bathroom was very posh :)

Next day was a beautiful day and I decided to go down to the Pier and then I went to Poole before I went back home to enjoy the rest of my Christmas break :)

Poole

Wouldn't mind some of these boat's :)

 

 

 

 

Who would think it's winter here? Beautiful crisp winter's day at the beach :)

My favourite pic of the day :)

Well my lovelies, it's the end of my holiday until the new year, so I wish each and everyone of you, much joy and happiness for the coming year, enjoy each other if have family close embrace them, if not, send them love from afar xxxxxx Life is for living and I send you all much love along that journey. Xxxxxxx until next blog xxxxxx

 

Posted with Blogsy

Bath Christmas Markets and Father Christmas and his Reindeers come to Wells!

 

Hello my lovelies xxx What a busy weekend! Saturday was up an Adam as they say! Did a couple of things and then I caught the train from Westbury into Bath to go to the Bath Christmas Markets :) with Rani :) what a beautiful clear day it was on Saturday, perfect blue sky, bit of a chill, so I rugged up in my long led coat and wore my scarf and gloves and even pulled out my Swiss boots from the cupboard. With serious walking to do around Bath, I HAD to be comfortable and warm!

On the way in on the train, the countryside was as pretty as a picture, rolling hills and green green fields, I must have counted a dozen or more photographers out to get "that perfect shot", all with their tripods, standing in the fields and by the edge of the road and taking shot of the train as it passed by. I found out later by the ticket guy, that they were all possibly waiting on a steam train coming along sometime that day with the Christmas Markets being on :) I wanted to be out their with my camera, I was jealous of them getting shots, I wasn't lol not really, always happy to see great photography, no matter who takes the pics. I must admit lately, I have resorted to using my phone a lot of the time, as I don't always have my camera on me, when I want to take a photo!

The trip to Bath took a bit over 30 mins, as we had to wait for the signals to change, finally met up with Rani and what a mad house Bath was, people everywhere, so crowded! We decided on doing a bit of shopping of a few things we needed first before going to the Christmas market stalls. Most of the stalls are really over priced, not surprised after hearing they have to pay £2500 to sit in one of them for the almost three week period, but they also have to be approved by a panel in Bath first :( so hence the Mark up I suppose! But around 4.30pm it started to get a bit dark, and then it became magical walking around, seeing everything light up, everyone rugged up, the smell of mulled wine, toasted marshmallows in the air, or was that burnt chestnuts? Lol yes burnt chestnuts! We were disappointed, we didn't have any this year, I didn't fancy looking like a witch with black teeth, after tucking into a feed of them!

Love the snowflakes on the building :)

Some of the stalls

This cathedral in the centre of Bath is amazing and the lights made it look wonderful tonight!

Mmmm I can smell gingerbread!

Anyone for some Gluhwein?

No Loitering here please!

Well of course we weren't standing right in front of the door, drinking our Gluhwein lol which I have to tell you, we could have both drunk a flagon of, it was amazing! Nothing like the English mulled wine, the German's certainly know how to do their mulled wine :) what a great end to a great day/evening!

Sunday morning off out again :) this time, my landlady Val in two with me and meeting up with Rani. We're off to see a special man in a red coat and his furry friends :) Yes the reindeers are coming to town :)

We arrived early and had a bit of a wander around the shops, dragging Rani away, so as not to spend any money from her favourite shop lol then it all started happening, and this is where I have to apologise, my video didn't work :( but seeing the reindeers pull Santa along the street, through all the crowd was totally worth the drive and the crowds and the hundreds of kids, just to go to Wells for the day. We did however get to go and take some pics of them, even some baby ones eating after the parade :)

Sooooo cute!

The City of Wells - Town Crier

I have decided to post this now as, this weekend will probably be busy now with the work Christmas doo, so I might do a blog, just for that next week! The countdown is approaching for Christmas and I am looking forward to a whole four days off, god knows what I'm going to do with myself! I maybe going to Bournemouth or down that way, to see our gorgeous Anne and Bryan :) I don't get paid till after Christmas :( so it may be a quiet time, the weather is rather chilly, I will drive somewhere and stay over somewhere :) even if it means being on my own!

Tonight I have made the Christmas pudding, (uk version and also gluten free!) lol haven't got all the Aussie ingredients, so it will be interesting to see if it tastes any good! I have decided that is my present/contribution to Val's family :) and some of my yummy brandy sauce :)

Happy birthday to Leonie, Sue Henthorn, Happy Anniversary to Lyndsey and Colin :) A big happy birthday wish to Jim (older brother) for Tues x and to any other of my beautiful friends that I can't think of at the moment, unless I have the birthday's in front of me, my memory doesn't do me any favours!

Wish I was up in Scotland this week, they have Snowwwwww! Mind you, I wouldn't like all the road hassles that come with that! Today was a gentle reminder that winter is definitely upon us, saw a guy gritting the road today, near the dr's surgery today, little side road, I have noticed a bit of black ice on the roads, so caution is required indeed. I have even been wanting the heat turned on at work this week, every time I have to go outside and down the back to the Mortuary, it's freezing, on goes the coat, gloves, scarf! Brrrrrrr I feel sorry for Brian, one of our Bearers, having to wash the Hearse, he closed the garage today, don't blame him! The least I can do, is make him a nice warm cup of Tea :)

Well it's bed time soon here, I need an early night, as it's the Christmas doo tomorrow, have to put all the glad rags on :) looking forward to a great night and letting loose a bit with the staff lol Not like the old familiar Bowra and O'Dea crowd, whom I miss :( but I have made friends now with a new crew of people and the stories are much the same :) Confessions of a Funeral Director lol what else can you say, I guess it's what I am meant to be doing in this lifetime!

Love you all heaps xxxx

 

Posted with Blogsy

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

Only three weeks till Christmas Eve and like many, I am not organised! I have chosen this Christmas to send a "Christmas Blog" in place of sending individual Christmas cards.

I want to wish each and everyone of my beautiful family and friends, much joy, laughter, love and happiness throughout the festive season and throughout the New Year and for all of 2015.

I hope to speak with my kids, which will be the closest I will be to them at Christmas and it is my second year without them! I am so blessed to have Robert and Helen, I love them both so very much. Xxx I suppose being away from them, so long makes me miss them even more. I love them for understanding my need to follow my dreams. I understand their need for independence as they find their way in life, explore new horizons and I look forward to our times together and cherish the times and years ahead where my children become parents themselves and I get to be a lovable, huggable Nanny :) I promise to be closer to home when that time arises, that is why I'm doing what I'm doing now, this is my time now.

Christmas is a time when I reflect on my life and how blessed I am to have all my friends. I know that I don't always get an opportunity to speak or see you all personally, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being part of my life! I miss so many of my dearest friends, having made this decision to explore my life, but never a day goes by that you don't come into my mind. I love all your comments with my blogs and it brings me close to you, makes me feel like I'm sitting with over a cuppa, I look forward to those golden years haha where I don't have to worry about working full time and where I can catch up on friends.

I believe that 2015 will be a much better year, I have already started to feel changes in the air :) the weather is becoming very cold in the last few days, I have walked out to my car, totally encased in ice! There is something nice about Christmas time in the winter time :) I put on my red coat today, black and white scarf, even needed my gloves this morning, wouldn't it be lovely if it snowed this Christmas! I hadn't any plans for christmas, was wondering what I was going to do with myself? My previous neighbour, will be off out of the country and I was thinking, who can I go visit? My Landlady Val had already asked her family if I could join them, how nice! So at least I won't be on my lonesome! I also have my work Christmas doo on the14th December, so look forward to lots of pics :)

This Saturday I will be going to the Bath Christmas Markets, so that will be fun, looking forward to taking the train this time from Westbury into Bath and finding that Mulled Wine and Roasted Chestnut Stand :)

On Sunday there will be special markets on in Frome, so going to them as well :)

Well I hope I have the opportunity for another blog before the festive season, but if not, enjoy your families, enjoy the love and laughter and peace and indulge in what you desire, but stay safe and know that you are all loved very much. Until my next blog xxxxxxxxx

 

 

Posted with Blogsy