Christmas 2015 catch up
Went to Devon as usual for Christmas. We drove down on Monday 21st after doing Messiah at Albert Hall on Friday 18th, Cantanti Christmas Concert on Saturday 19th (where the handbells were particularly good this year - see video below) and St Nicholas Carol Service and handbells at the Convent on Sunday 20th. Phew! I have some diary entries for this month as follows:
Christmas Eve: Pouring with rain when I got up at 6.30 having given up trying to get comfortable enough to sleep. Updated the Chiswick Choir website before breakfast! Took suki to Parke and as we got out of the car it started to brighten up and before long there was sunshine and blue skies. Walked for just over an hour. Stayed bright all day. I laid the table and did the veg prep and stuffing. Had last of humus with bread for lunch. Mike came out for a walk in the afternoon and we went to Stover. Watched carols from King's on TV and forgot about bellringers meeting in pub! Mike went to make brandy butter in the evening and I realised we didn't have any brandy as Jayne and I had drunk it in the summer. Disaster averted when Mike went to Tesco and found it still open. Early closing at 10 instead of 11 luckily. He came back with a large bottle - so bonus there will be some left over for drinking! Went to midnight mass - church was full but not packed
Christmas Day: Got up at 7 and had shower then took suki for a walk to Parke. Back just after 8 to put turkey in by 8.30 so I could turn heat down after half an hour before going ringing. Jayne rang for quick chat - lovely to hear her voice. Mike picked up by Bob at 8 to ring at Bickington and went on to Lustleigh after Bovey. Got home and did last few bits of prep, sorted pressies into piles etc. Picked Mary up at 11.45 once Mike back in. They had a cherry liqueur each. We opened family presents before lunch. I got lots of lovely things. I didn't quite manage to dish up at 1 but it wasn't long after. Turkey was done to perfection and very moist. The rest was good too although parsnips a bit mushy. Pudding very nice. Flamed well when covered in brandy and lit. Got all washing up done by the time the Queen came on TV. Mike carved up the rest of the turkey so I froze the big slices and white meat. There was a huge amount of meat on it. We hardly touched the surface. We watched some more TV and then we all dutifully ate a mince pie - they weren't too bad but the puff pastry was a bit odd. I took Mary back at 6.30 and then settled down with glass of wine to watch Call the Midwife Christmas special and then last ever episode of Downton Abbey (sob).
Boxing Day:Woke up at 9! Had very relaxed start to the day. Went to Stover at 11.30 for a walk and then to Stokeinteignhead to the Church House Inn to watch the Morris dancing. Mike joined in the last dance! (Video in photo album below) Suki was very noisy! :) Route back a lot more straightforward than going - where we kept finding we were on the new fast road going over the top of the junction we wanted. We ended up on tiny roads with grass up the middle. When we got back at 3 Mike started a jigsaw and I cleared everything up - putting presents into place and throwing away rubbish / recycling etc. Then did washing and cooked the turkey bones for stock.
Sunday 27th: Got up early and took suki for short walk round the block. Then we both went to 8 am at Chudleigh. Then ringing at Bovey. Mike went on to Lustleigh and I went and collected Mary. We had a coffee when Mike came in and then a salad lunch with gala pie. Started with turkey soup I had made - a bit thin. It was very hot so took Mary a long time to eat. Had mincemeat log with brandy butter and albino custard for pudding which went down well. Mike finished jigsaw in the afternoon then took suki for a walk. I started a paperback - Peter James, Dead Man's Grip - while Mary read her paper. We had a cup of tea when Mike came in and then I dropped Mary back. We had cheese and biscuits for supper accompanied by the good bottle of wine Lorraine had given us last year. It was lovely and just right with cheese. Read book and watched Dragons Den - then had early night and went straight to sleep.
Monday 28th: Got up at 7.20 and had shower. After breakfast we both walked to Parke - to the end of the railway track then back again and home via Tesco - two and a half hours. Had light lunch . Mike went on ringing outing in the afternoon - picked up by Chris at 1.30. I cleaned up the mud from bathroom and bedroom floors, hoovered the car, made a turkey curry, did all the ironing and also a load of washing. Then practised on Abel for a while. Suki had rumbly tummy syndrome so didn't eat anything but wanted to eat grass. Found her chewing at loose thread of carpet in the hall! Took her out again for a graze about 5.30 in the dark. Picked up Michelle at 6.50 and drove over to Exeter to meet up with outing group at curry house. Satnav found it ok but Michelle kept telling me to turn off and go up other roads so we ended up parking quite a distance away. Had extremely nice curry and this time did not feel bloated afterwards. Fetched car nearer to pick up Mike. Suki much better when we got back and had eaten her food. Mike went straight to sleep but I had hot drink and whisky and read for a while.
Tuesday 29th: Got up 7.40. Wild and windy in the night but in the morning was cloudless blue sky and sunshine. Mild too. Took suki for short walk in Parke then picked up Mary and brought her home for coffee. We sat in companionable silence again - she with her paper and I with the killer puzzle book from John which I decided to start. Took me 3 hours to do the first one. Then Mike showed me an additional system which was a great help. Only took me 35 mins to do the second one. Took Mary back at lunchtime and then we finished up the gala pie with some salad and ham. Rang handbells with Tim all afternoon - didn't score anything but got further than before and did some useful practice. In the evening we finished up the turkey and Christmas pudding. Watched Christmas lectures on TV. Went to bed at 10.15. Wind getting up again.
Wednesday 30th: High point - scored 41 surprise minor in hand. Followed it with a crap QP of Pudsey which Mike didn't want to count. We had a nice evening in with turkey curry, beer and mince pies! Finished it off with the Old Pultney whisky.
Thursday 31st: Going home day - three stars because it was nice to see Jay! I always find it hard to leave Devon but I resigned myself to it as graciously as possible. We left at 9.30 and arrived at Maperton at 11 - in good time for 11.30 start of QP. It was in memory of tower captain who had died suddenly just before Christmas. He had been a ringer there for 40 years. There were lots of audience in the church including his daughter. I went off to walk to Holton. I didn't find the intended footpath but did find another which worked and made a nice walk although horribly wet and muddy underfoot. The weather was dry and sunny at that point. Arrived at the Old Inn and found Jay there already so we ordered our lunch (steak sandwich ) and she showed me her Marakesh photos. The others joined us after their successful and apparently well struck QP. Went to Templecombe in the afternoon. Weather turned foul - suki and I got absolutely soaked going for a short circular walk. Then we sat in the car until mike ready to go home. Arrived back at 6pm - had a cup of tea and opened a great pile of cards. I did Sainsbury shop online for Keith. Then went to Tesco but it was just shutting. So went and got pizza which we ate with a beer. Opened presents we had failed to take to Devon. Had early night but woken at midnight by loud violent fireworks which went on for a long time. Suki petrified!
Christmas Photos: https://www.flickr.com/gp/jillwig/zQeij8
Cantanti Handbells video:
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| Table set and ready |
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| Christmas Lunch |
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| Mike joins in |
Sunday 27th: Got up early and took suki for short walk round the block. Then we both went to 8 am at Chudleigh. Then ringing at Bovey. Mike went on to Lustleigh and I went and collected Mary. We had a coffee when Mike came in and then a salad lunch with gala pie. Started with turkey soup I had made - a bit thin. It was very hot so took Mary a long time to eat. Had mincemeat log with brandy butter and albino custard for pudding which went down well. Mike finished jigsaw in the afternoon then took suki for a walk. I started a paperback - Peter James, Dead Man's Grip - while Mary read her paper. We had a cup of tea when Mike came in and then I dropped Mary back. We had cheese and biscuits for supper accompanied by the good bottle of wine Lorraine had given us last year. It was lovely and just right with cheese. Read book and watched Dragons Den - then had early night and went straight to sleep.
Monday 28th: Got up at 7.20 and had shower. After breakfast we both walked to Parke - to the end of the railway track then back again and home via Tesco - two and a half hours. Had light lunch . Mike went on ringing outing in the afternoon - picked up by Chris at 1.30. I cleaned up the mud from bathroom and bedroom floors, hoovered the car, made a turkey curry, did all the ironing and also a load of washing. Then practised on Abel for a while. Suki had rumbly tummy syndrome so didn't eat anything but wanted to eat grass. Found her chewing at loose thread of carpet in the hall! Took her out again for a graze about 5.30 in the dark. Picked up Michelle at 6.50 and drove over to Exeter to meet up with outing group at curry house. Satnav found it ok but Michelle kept telling me to turn off and go up other roads so we ended up parking quite a distance away. Had extremely nice curry and this time did not feel bloated afterwards. Fetched car nearer to pick up Mike. Suki much better when we got back and had eaten her food. Mike went straight to sleep but I had hot drink and whisky and read for a while.
Tuesday 29th: Got up 7.40. Wild and windy in the night but in the morning was cloudless blue sky and sunshine. Mild too. Took suki for short walk in Parke then picked up Mary and brought her home for coffee. We sat in companionable silence again - she with her paper and I with the killer puzzle book from John which I decided to start. Took me 3 hours to do the first one. Then Mike showed me an additional system which was a great help. Only took me 35 mins to do the second one. Took Mary back at lunchtime and then we finished up the gala pie with some salad and ham. Rang handbells with Tim all afternoon - didn't score anything but got further than before and did some useful practice. In the evening we finished up the turkey and Christmas pudding. Watched Christmas lectures on TV. Went to bed at 10.15. Wind getting up again.
Wednesday 30th: High point - scored 41 surprise minor in hand. Followed it with a crap QP of Pudsey which Mike didn't want to count. We had a nice evening in with turkey curry, beer and mince pies! Finished it off with the Old Pultney whisky.
Thursday 31st: Going home day - three stars because it was nice to see Jay! I always find it hard to leave Devon but I resigned myself to it as graciously as possible. We left at 9.30 and arrived at Maperton at 11 - in good time for 11.30 start of QP. It was in memory of tower captain who had died suddenly just before Christmas. He had been a ringer there for 40 years. There were lots of audience in the church including his daughter. I went off to walk to Holton. I didn't find the intended footpath but did find another which worked and made a nice walk although horribly wet and muddy underfoot. The weather was dry and sunny at that point. Arrived at the Old Inn and found Jay there already so we ordered our lunch (steak sandwich ) and she showed me her Marakesh photos. The others joined us after their successful and apparently well struck QP. Went to Templecombe in the afternoon. Weather turned foul - suki and I got absolutely soaked going for a short circular walk. Then we sat in the car until mike ready to go home. Arrived back at 6pm - had a cup of tea and opened a great pile of cards. I did Sainsbury shop online for Keith. Then went to Tesco but it was just shutting. So went and got pizza which we ate with a beer. Opened presents we had failed to take to Devon. Had early night but woken at midnight by loud violent fireworks which went on for a long time. Suki petrified!
Christmas Photos: https://www.flickr.com/gp/jillwig/zQeij8
Cantanti Handbells video:
