The build up Santa coming started with a trip to the lights at Kew Gardens with J&R. None of us had been before at it got off to a good start with, of course, a fortifying giant sausage in a bap to warm our cockles as we trotted round the 2.5km route in the chilly dark.
I hadn’t expected music at the various different light installations, ranging from rock as we gathered under the skyline tree walkway to Ave Maria. Candlelit buildings and waters, neon light shows, robins, trees, angel wings (with Ross the obvious person to pose between them), a giant hive and the brilliant fountain show at the end. Eat your heart out, The Bellagio…
Highly recommended and a v good way to get some early festive feeling..
Followed by a nice lie in. The words ‘good morning my darling’ are however never for me – as I rolled over, there H was, with Maddie, snuggling in and whispering sweet nothings to his furry canine darling..
From there a visit to Maureen, sporting her nice new shorter haircut. Lovely to get a Christmas card from Ginny (aged 80) and Muriel (aged 90), Maureen’s golfing friends who come by bus most weeks to see her, bless them. ‘Thank you Scotty for everything you do for Maureen’ makes it all the more worthwhile…
H and I headed in separate directions on Wed eve. H with his adult nephew Reeve, up to the Hand in Hand, where he’d entered lucky Reeve (looking rather nervous here!) into the ‘eat as many mince pies in 3 minutes’ annuL contest. Reeve came a worthy second, with ten eaten, but was beaten by the nine times champion, scoffing a gut busting 13..
I headed down the road with Anita from next door and her Canadian mum Margaret who had just flown in the morning. The ‘Dora Roarers’ put on a very sweet 90 minute carol set, with audience singing, trumpets playing and a nice bit of Dora neighbourhood feel good factor. I ruined the soprano bits as ever, still convinced that one year my voice will inch back up to the heights I used to hit (aged 11.)….
And this weekend H had his Gentleman’s Dinner on Fri (cue him and Jules still being practically catatonic for Sat) and I had Nicky over with Soph & Martha. Met Helen, Soph’s new squeeze, luckily H was too hungover to give her the usual ‘new partner’ grilling…
Less than one week to Christmas now. A couple of things have been cancelled this week but lots still to do before the big day. Nice, nice, nice.
Glad everyone has a break from work coming up, happy nearly holidays! X x