I love Boxing Day.
It's a day when all formalities go out of the window.
We stuff ourselves silly with the leftovers - which always taste better cold - anytime of the day.
A walk on the beach - this year a wind-swept, rain drenched affair - where we were glad of our extra layers, our wellies & waterproofs. Tumbling around by the thrashing sea - we felt as if we'd been through a high powered car wash!
Back for more grub
A tin of Roses
Christmas cake
A good film
And the most romantic spouse question of the day:
"Are you having a pickled onion?"
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
Merry Christmas - again!
Would you believe it?
Here I am, celebrating another Christmas.......awesome.
Unlike last Christmas - where I was simply petrified of not making it to the Big Day - I have embraced Christmas this year with joy and a vengeance!
I've thrown myself into anything & everything going on.
Said 'No' to nothing!
Over done it?
You bet!
Over done the Christmas lights on the house - Coca Cola....take note
Over done the pressie buying - worth every penny on seeing my Lily's face this morning...
And Gary's for that matter!
Over done the feasting - too right!
And the Baileys
And the chocs.
I cried at the Queen's speech - I know, I know- I need to get out more
Had Christmas songs on the go all day - a juxtaposition when your 7 year old daughter says "Mum - can't we turn this DOWN a bit??".
When Lily was having a moment around Dinnertime - I found myself saying "Lily - come back to the table please, for Mummy, I want us all together, we just don't know how many more we have".
I'm on borrowed time.
There.
I've said it.
Out loud.
Oncologist in 2 weeks.
So on that note:
Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His hand
Who saith "A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!"
Embrace life dear friends...enjoy your Christmases
And if anyone wants to lend me a few more - you know where to find me....
Under the tree
Where else?
Merry Christmas!
Here I am, celebrating another Christmas.......awesome.
Unlike last Christmas - where I was simply petrified of not making it to the Big Day - I have embraced Christmas this year with joy and a vengeance!
I've thrown myself into anything & everything going on.
Said 'No' to nothing!
Over done it?
You bet!
Over done the Christmas lights on the house - Coca Cola....take note
Over done the pressie buying - worth every penny on seeing my Lily's face this morning...
And Gary's for that matter!
Over done the feasting - too right!
And the Baileys
And the chocs.
I cried at the Queen's speech - I know, I know- I need to get out more
Had Christmas songs on the go all day - a juxtaposition when your 7 year old daughter says "Mum - can't we turn this DOWN a bit??".
When Lily was having a moment around Dinnertime - I found myself saying "Lily - come back to the table please, for Mummy, I want us all together, we just don't know how many more we have".
I'm on borrowed time.
There.
I've said it.
Out loud.
Oncologist in 2 weeks.
So on that note:
Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His hand
Who saith "A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!"
Embrace life dear friends...enjoy your Christmases
And if anyone wants to lend me a few more - you know where to find me....
Under the tree
Where else?
Merry Christmas!
Sunday, 16 December 2012
Hello Santa or is it Brian?
Well - we made it!
Lapland in 2012 was achieved....
But with side issues - mainly the really shite company we travelled with (Transun)...more of that later.
We were incredibly excited...got all our base layers, balaclavas, hats, gloves scarves ready.
Passports ready.
Alarm clock set.
4am on a cold Saturday morning.
Nonetheless - we were 'up & on it' having slept reasonably well and out of the door by 5am.
By 6am we were checked in at Exeter Airport - a small provincial airport an hour away.
Through security.
Boiling hot.
Bloody hell - these base layers are good.
Stripping off
Cappuccinos & croissants for breakfast.
A slight delay - booo
A call for the plane - hurrah
Onto a super Thomson's flight direct to the Arctic Circle. The staff were excellent! Christmas entertainment packs for the kids, colouring competitions, sing-along-carols, looking out for flying reindeers.
We arrived 3.5 hours later.
A perfect snow scene - landing on ice.
Skid on the runway..
Cheers when we finally halted.
And tears from me for reaching an epic goal.
Through security & onto a coach, taking us through the most spectacular snow-bound scenery I have ever witnessed.
It was pitch dark (no sunrise in North Pole) - but gloriously scenic, snow covered trees, the odd Christmas light.
A winter wilderness.
A sheer delight.
Glad to be alive.
We arrived to be suited and booted in ultra-warm arctic clothing and we bussed to our final destination.
Yes...
We went Husky Sleigh riding
Reindeer sleigh riding
Tobogganing
Sampled rustic fayre
And took a snowmobile sledge ride into the deep dark forest to find the real Santa.
As promised.
And paid for.
Sounds great doesn't it?
And I sooo want to tell you it was.
But it wasn't.
We were let down BIG TIME by Transun Holidays.
Misrepresentation, false claims, shoddy reps, poor safety - the list goes on.
But their worst offence?
'Come and meet the real Santa in his homeland' their brochure boasts.
The very fake Brian Blessed'esque Santa was BRITISH - for God's sake
And Lily spotted the glue behind the fake moustache
Our dream
Our goal
Shattered by an inept, misleading, greedy Travel company.
We put a brave face on for Lily of course. We joked about the glue - 'perhaps Santa likes to wax his beard to make it pretty' we laughed. 'Nah....he wasn't the real one'. We joked about the inept reps, the lack of elves, the lack of anybody resembling a Finn..
We made her magic for her - Transun couldn't be arsed.
And we focused on reaching a huge milestone in this story of mine.
But it's going to cost you Transun.
We still have to find the real Santa.
In his homeland.
As you promised.
And I WILL make you pay.
Nobody plays such a cruel trick on my Lily and gets away with it.
The wheels are in motion
I've already been quoted in a travel magazine
My letter of compalint is in
ABTA informed
Trading standards next
Then the Red Tops
I'm back for sure....
Watch this space!
You ain't seen nothing yet!!
Lapland in 2012 was achieved....
But with side issues - mainly the really shite company we travelled with (Transun)...more of that later.
We were incredibly excited...got all our base layers, balaclavas, hats, gloves scarves ready.
Passports ready.
Alarm clock set.
4am on a cold Saturday morning.
Nonetheless - we were 'up & on it' having slept reasonably well and out of the door by 5am.
By 6am we were checked in at Exeter Airport - a small provincial airport an hour away.
Through security.
Boiling hot.
Bloody hell - these base layers are good.
Stripping off
Cappuccinos & croissants for breakfast.
A slight delay - booo
A call for the plane - hurrah
Onto a super Thomson's flight direct to the Arctic Circle. The staff were excellent! Christmas entertainment packs for the kids, colouring competitions, sing-along-carols, looking out for flying reindeers.
We arrived 3.5 hours later.
A perfect snow scene - landing on ice.
Skid on the runway..
Cheers when we finally halted.
And tears from me for reaching an epic goal.
Through security & onto a coach, taking us through the most spectacular snow-bound scenery I have ever witnessed.
It was pitch dark (no sunrise in North Pole) - but gloriously scenic, snow covered trees, the odd Christmas light.
A winter wilderness.
A sheer delight.
Glad to be alive.
We arrived to be suited and booted in ultra-warm arctic clothing and we bussed to our final destination.
Yes...
We went Husky Sleigh riding
Reindeer sleigh riding
Tobogganing
Sampled rustic fayre
And took a snowmobile sledge ride into the deep dark forest to find the real Santa.
As promised.
And paid for.
Sounds great doesn't it?
And I sooo want to tell you it was.
But it wasn't.
We were let down BIG TIME by Transun Holidays.
Misrepresentation, false claims, shoddy reps, poor safety - the list goes on.
But their worst offence?
'Come and meet the real Santa in his homeland' their brochure boasts.
The very fake Brian Blessed'esque Santa was BRITISH - for God's sake
And Lily spotted the glue behind the fake moustache
Our dream
Our goal
Shattered by an inept, misleading, greedy Travel company.
We put a brave face on for Lily of course. We joked about the glue - 'perhaps Santa likes to wax his beard to make it pretty' we laughed. 'Nah....he wasn't the real one'. We joked about the inept reps, the lack of elves, the lack of anybody resembling a Finn..
We made her magic for her - Transun couldn't be arsed.
And we focused on reaching a huge milestone in this story of mine.
But it's going to cost you Transun.
We still have to find the real Santa.
In his homeland.
As you promised.
And I WILL make you pay.
Nobody plays such a cruel trick on my Lily and gets away with it.
The wheels are in motion
I've already been quoted in a travel magazine
My letter of compalint is in
ABTA informed
Trading standards next
Then the Red Tops
I'm back for sure....
Watch this space!
You ain't seen nothing yet!!
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