December 1st
As usual I forgot!
December 2nd
Christmas meal out in Peterborough with the team from the PCT, a very nice evening shame about the brussel sprouts ... they really did not go with salmon.
December 4th
Too the gym nice and early for our usual Sunday class ... new instructor and that changed it all, not so much fun!
Half an hour in the sauna and then into to town to look round the "Traditional Christmas Fayre" not great all the usual suspects, apart from Bob the Towel Man, were there selling their stuff. Nice Venison Burger for lunch.
December 10th
Decided it was time for a quick trip to France.
Spent a fortune in the shops looking forward to a night in what looked (on the web) a nice old fashioned hotel with a nice restaurant. Ha!
Avoid the Hotel du Guindal, Marquise if you want a nice night.
It looks old but is fairly new. The rooms are cold, the door opened straight
into the outside world, the showers are tiny. the Restaurant was closed for a
wedding, thanks for telling us when we booked (NOT).
December 11th
Up very early (too cold) and then across the freezing courtyard for the 7 Euro each breakfast, 1 glass of juice 1 coffee pot (2 cups each), 15 cm of bread, 1 pain au choc, 1 croissant and a hard boiled egg for 7 euro .... not my idea of value!
Wine shopping, visit to a Christmas Market.. why can't we do them like that .. a real community thing?
And then rush home, to find the rehearsal had been cancelled!
December 12th
Works Christmas Lunch part 1, White Hart at Godmanchester pretty good food there chaps.
December 14th
Works Christmas Lunch part 2, the Chequers, Fowlmere. Really good English grub, must go back and try the Pheasant Burger Rossini!
Interesting e-mail asking for our opinions of the Hotel du Guindal ... now that will be fun to fill in later
December 16th
Christmas Dinner Part 3, The Inn on the Green, Great Staughton. Nice food here too I enjoyed the horseradish mash immensely!
Evening out to a 40th Birthday party, good fun evening
December 17th
Just to prove I'm not easily impressed with Christmas meals Saturday Night at Millio's in Peterborough was total crap, the food was cold and tasteless, the dinning room far too crowded and the atmosphere I suppose was alright if you were out of your tree by the time you arrived. Sorry, no I'm not, I am never going back again! I feel sorry for the person who organised the event, try aiming higher next time.
Evening saved as we slipped away for drinks at John and Ann's House.
December 18th
Out for lunch at Gaye and Nigels, nice afternoon spent chatting about nothing as you do, drove home sober then had a quiet glass in front of the TV before bed. Just so civilised.
December 19th
No Christmas Lunch ..... just as well the trousers are getting tight again! Phone call from big Sis Annie about Christmas Eve Lunch to compensate ... got that sorted without consuming extra calories anyway.
What is with peoples Motorway driving ... when did the law change to say you must stay in the middle lanes? I thought we drove in the left hand lane apart from when overtaking ...... I feel a rant coming on... I'll just collect a few pictures to support the argument and write it up over the break.
December 21st
I finally got around to sending out my Christmas card for 2005, by email ...
only 6 rebound
addresses.. so if you didn't get a card send me your new e-mail.
December 22nd
Close run thing .... real cards arrive by snail mail from Jimmy Da Ant and Kiwi Jeff ... at least I'd sent them before I had to add them to the oops pile.
December 24th
Down to Kent to visit Jeanette and Brian, big sis Annie drops in with her kiddlies, they are all in the pink and the kids are certainly ready for the big day.
Dreadful Journey home through patchy fog that got progressively thicker throughout the drive. Glad the traffic was really light and that I wasn't driving!
December 25th
Halls decked with hunks of holly etc ....
Nice quiet day at home, opened all the pressies then I was given an extra special extra present.. A rather nice electro-acoustic guitar. It could be I have a lot of fun with this, certainly gives some options while playing with Generation Gap.
Don't complain about the number of guitars I have now, Kiwi Jeff claims to have 7, Chris Jnr from the band has more than that (or so it appears) so I've got fewer guitars than either of them!
Everybody else seemed pleased with their presents too, so combined with a nice meal. an excellent bottle of wine and a nap after lunch, all in all an excellent Christmas day. (I must admit the special Christmas Box of choccies from the Chocolate Tasting Club were, despite being close to the straw that broke the camels back, an wonderful finale)
December 26th
What is this strange swollen thing around my middle? It can't be my belly can it? It is! Arrrrrrgh time to start exercising it off, Walking is going to be this years thing next year (yes it does make sense, just) So out for a walk we go. 20 minutes at a good pace the book says (week 1 of the 6 week plan) so we walk around town for about an hour at a moderate pace....I hope it's going to work.
The new guitar plays nicely, I'm looking forward to trying it out in a couple of songs where the electric guitar really isn't right, the Beatles stuff, and the Creedance Clearwater Revival numbers leap to mind.
Cold Turkey and Pickles for lunch, I'm betting we don't Turkey curry again this year, maybe if I ate less each meal we would get to the curry stage and wouldn't get so fat ........ I'll think that one through later!
Just as we were dozing off in burst "Minimum" to tell us it's snowing
December 27th
Yep, it was snowing. It snowed off and on all day between quick thaws. Took a snap just to remind myself of this rare event. I've no idea who the little boy is, but he was having fun making snow balls so .....
Later on went for a walk around town ended up in Homebase to keep out of a snow shower and found a frame to fit a picture that Maximum and Minimum brought back from holiday in 2004. Well it was an awkward size and shape, but it is framed ready to hang as soon as the Chrimbo decs come down
December 31st
Last day of 2005, the snow is disappearing fast, decide to go on a walk along the beach at Brancaster. Get lost in Norfolk, finally get to Burnham Market... it can't have been busier in the days when it was a market! Four wheel drive lorries parked along both sides of every road and the shops full of really rude people... not a thank you between them. If this is how the upper crust act what hope is there for the lower orders?
Moved on to Brancaster, bitterly cold wind, (the old kite still wouldn't fly so I binned it) middle of winter, (still snow around out of the sun) and a party day ideal for a quiet walk on the beach ....... fat chance! I didn't see them overtake but everyone from Burnham Market had got on the beach first with the rejects from the "Hound of The Baskervilles". It was quieter the day we came canoeing!
Bought some pheasant on the way home. Then stopped in Hunstanton and had a coffee and a nice bowl of soup in a very nice continental style cafe/bar. I've forgotten the name but the bill is around, Chives I've just been told it's called Chives, and we plan to go back so it will be in the Restaurant guide eventually!
Got home casseroled the pheasant (served with Horseradish Mash and fresh vegtables) had a nice bottle of wine, planning to go to the pub, when the fresh air overwhelmed us and we went to bed instead!