December digressions

Yes, I'm still here, I do apologise for the lack of blogging, but December is always a busy month even when I'm not childminding, in addition to the shopping, I also write over 60 cards, put together a newsletter and accompanying photosheet, then print out getting on for 40 copies.
So, what have we been up to? Well the first week we managed 1 bike ride. We went  along the canal bank, so far then rode back to Sainsbury's where I collected the newspaper.

jacket makes me look larger than ever

Husband concentrating

I had ordered a toy cot online, which arrived damaged, on the Monday. The outer box was fine, but the inner box was damaged on the corner.When I opened the inner box I could see that bits of the wood were split,and the joints were coming apart, I alerted Amazon, and they were very good and sent me a returns form straight away. So I had a trip up the hill to our nearest Post Office, to return the parcel. The replacement,  a different style, arrived the very next day. How is that for service? This one was fine, and husband put it together for me. The weather was pretty awful, wet and windy, but we drove over to the garden centre on the bypass, had lunch there, and then I found some plants for the bed which didn't have much colour in it, a hanging basket for the back garden, and a pre planted pot for the front, to replace the chrysanthemums which had died. I also bought a large cone of lavender to put in Mum In laws stocking.

garden centre grotto

 Won't rotate

Winter hanging basket

Polyanthus

Winter arrangement

Th following Monday, we went back to the dentist, me for a second filling, and husband for a filling and a crown prep. That afternoon, we went out on our bikes and rode a little further than last week. On the Tuesday morning, we had another ride, this time south, but the puddles were so big and the bank so bumpy, that I preferred to come back by road. We did about 100 yards on the main road,and I tried not to panic whilst being overtaken by a recovery truck, but soon we turned off through one of the newer estates, onto quiet roads, then onto the next estate, which brought us out near the canal bank near where we live, so back onto the side road, then walked through the gap, then rode home.Nothing was behind me, so I managed a good right turn into the road where our rented garage is.That afternoon, we walked into town, so we really felt fit that day.

Nathaniel was unwell, so we had both of the children on the Wednesday. Then on the Thursday, I took Lydia into town. We both bought lightweight jackets that week, as husband has no mudguards,and his fleece was getting muddy, I thought it would be an extra layer as it can get quite cold. Our final ride that week was on the Friday.
The next week, on the Monday, I had to go to Watford to get some Christmas bits, husband went for  a ride without me. I'm not sure whether that was the week that we went to the primary school to wastch the nativity. Nathaniel was a soldier. The headmaster is a great believer in the traditional Nativity, which is good. I managed one ride later that day. In the evening I did Lydia's bedtime routine, and put her to bed whilst Mummy and Daddy attended a performance.

Our Son and his wife came  for a weekend, during which they had their annual Christmas trip to London with family and friends, so we took Tom out over the railway and across the golf course. we noticed a big difference as all the leaves have now gone. It was son in Law's Birthday on the Sunday, and the plan was for us all to go for Sunday lunch, but Nathaniel was ill, and they had to cancel. I didn't have time to defrost the beef, so the other 5 of us went. The meal was late so we were coerced into having a sharing starter, which was expensive, and wasteful, as there was not enough bread, and they charge for extra. The main meal was nothing special, with hard roast potatoes, oversalted gravy, and indifferent veg. the whole thing was overpriced, and a disappointment, as we always had good meals there in the past. We skipped dessert, as our family had to get back to Cheshire, so once they had squeezed the Christmas presents in the car, they were off. They had joked about not having room for Tom, and leaving him behind! Then I reviewed the meal on the company website, and then on trip advisor.

The leaves have gone

husband with Tom

Frost on the retail park roofs

We had both of the children on the Wednesday, as Nathaniel, had been unwell again, but Lydia had a nap, so it was easier. Then on Thursday, just Lydia, whom we took into town in the buggy. Husband picked Nathaniel up after school. For a treat for ourselves, we went to the Winter lights and Legends at Waddesdon Manor, on the Friday, had lunch there, and later whilst we waited for the out door lights switch on, hot chocolate and a mince pie.  We ended our first year of National Trust membership right where we began it.

Waddesdon lights