Diary > Saturday 26th December - Boxing day

[Roobarb]

Very cold cloudy day, out for another muddy walk about midday, a few people out. Had some home made soup for lunch then did some tidying, folding washing etc. Put the rest of yesterday's dinner in the freezer, there was so much of it. Didn't want to waste it but didn't want to eat it two days running either.

My sister phoned in the afternoon, was on the phone for quite a while. Didn't get chance to ask her about any childhood memories of Christmas, she hardly stopped for breath. By this time it was blowing a gale outside.
Salmon for tea.

Caught part of the Two Ronnies sketches programme, one where Ronnie B is finishing Ronnie C's sentences, it was so funny. The last one was the one apparently voted the nation's favourite sketch, Four Candles. Have seen it so many times but it's still hilarious. The talent for making such witty comedy seems absent these days.

[Caw1]

You’re so right today’s so called humour leaves me cold as most of it just isn’t funny... give me all the old ones... we just caught the end of Only Fools and Horses where they’re taking down the chandelier... only it’s the wrong one... just so funny!
Glad you caught up with your sister ... she sounds like OH’s sister it’s hard to get a word in edgeways!

Today wasn’t really much different to yesterday... we had FaceTime with OH’s sister, BiL and niece who was with them... not seen them since this time last year when we all went to theirs for family get together with their son and family being home from Singapore... met nieces SA boyfriend for the first time now they’re engaged and wedding on May 1st... all being well...
We had a good chat and like us they’re looking forward to being vaccinated!
BIL involved with mentoring someone whose just set up another food bank ( they live in Brighton) through the church and saying how much child poverty there is there... quite heartbreaking to hear that but good to know there is help too...
Having said I wasn’t going to dress up today I did wear one of my new jumpers and a nice pair of slacks! ...
As we’d enjoyed our lunch so much yesterday, and there was quite a lot left over we had Christmas lunch again with some nice wine!
We played scrabble afterwards and I won again!
The afternoon drifted by.. I watched Call the midwife...OH did his jigsaw!
Once again I’d eaten enough so didn’t bother with anything else to eat...
Watched a film and bit if Victoria Wood from 1997 show... we saw her live at the Leicester Corn Exchange years ago... she came in stage with her Mac and beret on and the audience were in fits of laughter for some minutes and she’d not said a word! Funny lady sad loss...
Daughter sent some nice pictures through of them yesterday... changed screen saver on my phone and iPad with updated pics of them all... she said the boys had gone out like lights last night! All that excitement...house had resembled a bomb site so lots of clearing up before they collapsed in a heap!
Hoping Viktoria is ok as we’ve not heard from her at all over these past few days... perhaps she’s so busy partying on her own she’s forgotten about us all...

The wind has now reached us and I can hear it swirling round the house... hoping there’s no damage anywhere as we do have a lot of trees in the village... moved my car in the drive today as next doors walnut tree has a tendency for branches to come off and don’t want them to hit my car!
Got friends in Bedfordshire too who have the river at the bottom of their garden and she said it has risen some way up the lawn...her next door neighbour had had to rescue her chickens! ....

Well that’s it for today... hope others have had as good a day as possible.... now lots of us in higher tiers....not that it’ll make much difference to us... what’s next I  wonder.....

Caroline

[Roobarb]

Sounds like a nice lazy day for you Caroline, you deserve it after all the hard work you've done over the weeks, or actually months. Good to catch up with family albeit on screen. Who would have thought at this time last year that the thing we'd all be looking forward to at the end of 2020 would be a jab in the arm!
I saw some of the Victoria Wood programme too, what an amazing talent she had, just standing there telling one funny story after another without any pauses. A sad loss indeed.
Have been reading about the flooding in Bedfordshire,  pleased to hear the chickens are safe! We had a very noisy night!

[Annette7]

Dull and overcast day but not half as cold - believe it was 9C during the day.   As predicted yesterday sister, b-in-law and I had a quiet, relaxing day.   Opening some more presents and at 2.30 whatapp video to see nephew and family opening our presents.   That was really nice and all loved their gifts.   Girls had been disappointed that morning as Boxing Day is always the day spent with Nanna, Grandad and Auntie Nett.

Spoke to 2 of our cousins - one in Suffolk, one in Dorset - and caught up with them which was nice.

I left my sisters around 9pm (very little traffic around) and the wind was then starting to get up and continue throughout the night.   What with the howling and various other noises outside when I went to bed I put my earplugs in (kept purely for this occasion).   Sorted - didn't hear another thing.

Saw virtually no tv over the 2 days and hadn't looked to see what was on either so don't know if I missed anything of any note.   If I did I'll use 'catch up'.

The worst part of coming home after being away at Christmas (even though only one night this year) is what I come home with.   Left Christmas morning with one big bag - came home last night with that one plus 4 others crammed with gifts.   Whilst I am extremely thankful for everything received coming home late in the day, living in an upstairs flat, and having to cart up 5 heavy bags is no joke.   Perhaps next year I'll suggest people get me very small and weightless gifts!!!

Glad that Viktoria is okay - certainly seems to have had a busy day with all her calls.

Continue to stay safe everyone.

Annette 

[Roobarb]

Sounds like you had a lovely day Annette, getting together with family in person and on screen. You didn't miss much on TV. Well done on shutting out the sounds of the storm, it was a belter!

[Mowsehowse]

A very quiet day as with most of you, after a really stormy night as you say, and so much rain again it is hard to find quiet but not muddy spaces.
H and I walked through back streets to Oldway Mansion,  where we discovered a beautiful plant in flower.... similar flowers to dahlias we thought, and easily 2m tall.
Research showed it was a tree dahlia; "Dahlia Imperialis".
I took photos which I shall send out in the morning to several people who are struggling with the situation.  I try to find something every morning; the major difficulty with that being that if I omit one morning people might assume I have gone to my Maker! 
Completed the round trip while trying to dodge crowds near the pier.
The afternoon was spent researching the gorgeous flower, and choosing a protective cover for my new Kindle, while H started constructing the Timberkit piano player I bought for him.
Watched the Repair Shop on TV, and then went to bed early, leaving H watching the film about the relief of Dunkirk which I couldn't cope with.
I am reading The Binding....
Had to leave the window closed as the noise from Bella was terrible, but was able to open it around 03:00 a.m.

[DianaCanada]

A quiet day.  Snow ended up being about ten inches in total.  Later this week we are expecting rain which will make an awful mess.  We live in the Great Lakes Basin, weather here is unpredictable and variable and humid most of the year. 
We did drop off Christmas gifts for OH's daughter and family, little ones are almost 5 and almost 2, very appealing age.  A very short stop.
I did some housework, worked on my online business, and worked on a jigsaw puzzle, my first attempt at one in four years.  Was enjoyable until I got to the hardest part, typical me, I do the easiest first.  Also wrote a query and posted on RootsChat.
We watched Doc Martin after supper (turkey again) and then I read some of my Elizabeth George book, which I want to finish by the end of 2020!  Only 320 pp to go.
Hope everyone is well.  With luck, a better year is coming.

[Roobarb]

MH, you always supply me with things to look up  - had never heard of Oldway mansion or a tree dahlia. I see that the former is in Paignton and the latter looks fantastic! Perhaps you could start recycling the photos, go back to the first one and start again.    A tip for buying a Kindle cover- check the exact measurements before buying as some sellers advertise them as being suitable for a particular model when they're not. Also check whether it automatically turns your Kindle on when you open it. You might know all this already but it's worth saying in case you're not.

Diane, hope you don't have too much of a problem with the weather. I love Doc Martin, that little dog is the best actor of all, so funny. Enjoy your book. 

[Caw1]

Annette - sounds like you’ve an enjoyable time in the company if your family either in person or via technology!
 What a lucky lady to be showered with so many gifts... sometimes tge trouble is knowing what to do with them all!

MH - I’ve not heard of a tree dahlia before... a tulip tree we found in Osterley Park when visiting once which we’d also not heard of before either...
You’re very thoughtful sending out pictures to people... they do lift the spirit I have to say...
I’m intrigued by a timberkit piano player.... can’t quite visualise it....
Hope your weather has improved today..

Diana - that’s a shame your snows going to get all mushy with rain... my half brother lives in Wasaga Bay is that considered the Great Lakes basin area... I’m not sure..
Good luck with the jigsaw! My OH is currently doing one of three native Indians in full head dress with the grasslands in the fore ground and dark grey skies... so it’s very hard going... the sky is what’s left and he’s about ready to throw in at the window...

Caroline