Monday, 27 December 2010

Christmas Day

Well, what a day it was.  With both of us not feeling very well, it was pretty much a last minute decision that we would make it to pick up my father-in law and go out to the planned Christmas lunch.  Nigel had not been well for a couple of weeks with bronchitis and although I had been given a flu vaccine, I certainly picked up some bug a couple of days before the 25th.  Thankfully once we had driven off the estate, the main roads had been salted and driving was not too bad.  Sadly, on arrival at my father-in-law's there were no Christmas hugs or kisses, as we were too scared of passing our bugs on to him.  We had a very quick phone chat with family in Australia and then went off to lunch in a nearby village.  It was a pub that my father-in-law knew well but as it had just changed hands, we were not sure whether the special Christmas lunch would be up to the high standards of the previous owners.
The snowy fields en route, taken from the car.

We drove past Silbury Hill.  Silbury Hill is an artificial chalk mound near Avebury in the English county of Wiltshire. It is part of the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the tallest prehistoric human-made mound in Europe and one of the largest in the world; it is similar in size to some of the smaller  Egyptian Pyramids of the Giza Necropolis. Its original purpose however, is still highly debated, though various suggestions have been put forward.

Arrival at my father-in-law's; there was certainly less snow here than at our own house.

and at the pub where we had booked lunch - hopefully not at the tables in the garden!!

My father-in-law and myself

and with Nigel.  My father-in-law is quite an amazing man who is due to turn 90 early next year.

Looking across the countryside on the drive home.  We did not hang around for too long after having had an excellent lunch, and too much to eat!   We were both feeling like it was time to get home and fall back into bed once more; we only surfaced at mid-day the following day!!  We are both now on the slow road to recovery and I have to say we are more than grateful Nigel is off work until the New Year.

57 comments:

  1. Hello Diane.. so pleased that you did make it down to Nigels fathers , ok not good that you were both feeling so lousy .. but good for his dad :-) I do hope the pub lived up to the previous owners name and that you had a great meal.

    Now Silbury!! I don't think I have seen it .. apparently no access to it either ... and what is it for?? I have googled it , but no one can come up with an answer, and it has no burial in it apparently ..

    Hope you get better soon and we can meet up , mind you I have the cold now .. :-( xoxo

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  2. Being sick at anytime is unpleasant, but to be sick during the holiday is downright unfair. I'm glad you were able to salvage at least some of the day and spend time with that amazing old gentleman. I hope you are feeling better after that long sleep. Try to enjoy the remainder of the holiday. Blessings...Mary

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  3. I should never have said I was jealous of your snow....we have 30" of the stuff now and are completely snowed in... can't even take the dog to the park today. The great thing is the quiet... no cars just laughing neighbors shoveling away. Looks like a great Christmas for you, feel better!!!

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  4. Anne I am sorry that you now have a cold, at least I am not guilty of passing it on to you!!

    There used to be access to Silbury Hill but people were walking paths in to it and causing erosion. Also I gather that it was becoming dangerous. Where they had been doing exploratory diggings a hole was appearing in the top of it! They have I think sorted out the danger side but the paths would still be a problem. As you say they still have no answers as to why it really is there, a mystery of history!!

    The food was very good and we would be happy to return to The Black Horse.

    Get better soon. Diane oxo

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  5. Mary what with the weather and not feeling well it has not been the best few days for us. I am recovering quicker than Nigel, but I think he has just had so much stress recently that it has all got the better of him. Take care Diane

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  6. Your Christmas day looked like ours did last year up in Michigan. This year I was lucky to have good weather so we could eat out by the pool, because I didn't have enough chairs to fit everybody around my table. Good thing it's casual here in Florida. It's been so long since I had Christmas dinner at my house.
    It's nice to see a picture of Nigel, and your father-in-law looks amazing for 90. Nigel looks like his dad. You look gorgeous! I see you have your Christmas cracker crowns on. We usually spend Christmas with our friends from So Africa, (we both usually have family out of town during the holidays) so we incorperate both traditions and make our own...hence we always have Christmas crackers too!

    Hope you all stay healthy the rest of the year and thanks for sharing! Happy New year!

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  7. lostpastremembered we have been watching the weather in the USA and I can see that you have had more than your share of snow!!! As long as you have plenty of food in the house best to just stay put and sit it out. Sure your dog is not happy though - no walkies!! Take care and keep warm. Diane

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  8. Lyndsey, eating out by the pool, that certainly sounds like our SA Christmas lunches, I am so jealous.

    You are so right, Nigel now looks like his Dad when I first met him, so I know exactly how Nigel is going to look as he gets older LOL.

    The Chrismas crackers were exceptional, Nigel had a magnifying glass, his Dad had a pack of cards (he has just taken up bridge again!) and I had a clip on calculator. Hope you have a good 2011. Diane

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  9. So sorry to hear you were ill for Christmas. Do take care and stay in and enjoy some rest. Nigel's dad looks incredibly healthy and handsome. Both of you take care and happy holidays! Susan & Neil :)

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  10. Hi Diane, Hope your feeling better. My mom always tells me to always have chicken soup in the winter to stave off colds and I think it works! It is still raining here in California but no flooding yet in my neck of the woods! Thank God for that!
    Keep warm and Hasta Pronto as we say in Spanish!

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  11. Hi Neil and Susan, hope that you had a good Christmas despite all the demolition going on! I am certainly on the mend, but Nigel is very slow despite a course of antibiotics, he has been ill for far too long now!! He needs some sunshine. I hope that 2011 brings a better year for him. You also take care and I wish you everything you wish yourselves for 2011. Diane

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  12. michelangelo my mother always told me chicken soup as well, perhaps it is time I listen to our Mums!! I will be making chicken soup tomorrow. We have been having masses of pumpkin soup as I discovered all my pumpkins had frozen in the garage where I had stored them!!

    I hope you do not get floods, they do so much damage and certainly not good for the health :(

    Hope that you had a good Christmas and I wish you all the best for 2011. Diane

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  13. Sure glad deep snow didn't keep you from your lunch date with your FIL. He's quite a handsome man, but then so is your Nigel. Nice to have longevity in the family. And time off to get better. Hugs!

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  14. Gaelyn I also think the men in my life are pretty good looking:) FIL's mother lived to 94 so yeas there is longevity in the family.

    Nigel seems to be going down hill again so another visit to the Dr could well be around the corner:( Diane x

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  15. I have just got my chicken soup in ..I don't make mine , just by Knorr Chicken Noodle soup .. one of the best for the cure . Just google it ,, Knorr Chicken Noodle soup for colds .. :-)

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  16. I'm sorry to hear that you and your hubby haven't been feeling well, Diane. I'm glad you got to have a wonderful Christmas lunch though. Hope you're both on the mend and feeling better in no time!

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  17. Hi Anne, yep I see knorr is top of the list:) I am just not fond of bought soups as I find I am up all night drinking water because most of them have too much salt. We cook with herbs in preference to salt. Whatever I do I will have to go to the shop as the only soup I have in the house at the moment is pumpkin soup!! At least it is getting a bit warmer:) Diane oxo

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  18. Thanks Faith, I really hope that Nigel gets better soon as well, he has been under the weather now for far too long! Hope you have a good New Year. Diane

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  19. Both of you take care and get well soon. Bummer being sick. Take meds and keep each other warm. Lovely photos of the countryside.

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  20. Becca you are so right. I don't like not being well at any time but somehow Christmas just seems worse :( Hope you had a good Christmas with your family and we wish you all the very best for 2011. Diane x

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  21. Your father in law looks a splendid chap. You all look remarkably well to say you are so ill! We are making a slow recovery too - what a bloomin wash out!! xxxxx

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  22. Hi Diane, so glad to hear that you made it even though you were feeling unwell. I am notorious for getting unwell on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve or the first day back at work. I bet you can guess which one I'm hoping it is this year!

    I hope you continue to get better and enjoy your holidays. x

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  23. Even though you were both unwell, it seems you had a wonderful time!
    Your father-in-law is amazing!!
    I truly wonder how your South African friends manage in SA! I hope life is not too difficult...
    Yes, investing in a proper photo equipment is very expensive and we are waiting to be in Oz to buy the right stuff! In the meantime, prices will have gone down and performance will have increased... hopefully!!
    Take care and good luck with the weather!
    XXXX

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  24. Diane as you say is was a wash out. I am feeling very much better but Nigel is in slow mode so far as recovery is concerned. Amazing how a bit of make up can make you look so much better than you feel!!! Hope that you also get well soon. What a waste of a holiday period :( Diane

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  25. Happy Fog and I, I hope for your sake if you are going to get one of the bugs floating around, it is when you go back to work, no point in spoiling the holiday as we have done! I have just spoken to a friend in Paris and he was also laid up in bed with bronchitis, He said he was very sick. He has his own company so I guess for him it was better to be ill over a holiday but..... Take care, Diane

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  26. Noushka he is an amazing person, he still walks to the town to do his shopping and apart from a few minor problems he is remarkably healthy.

    I think SA is what you make of it; my friends all seem pretty settled. I have to admit I love the country, but I could not go back to living behind electric fencing again which was what we were doing before we left!! I feel so safe in France they are complete opposites.

    When I win the lottery I will buy myself a good camera LOL guess I will be waiting a long time!!! We want a greenhouse first in France :) Diane

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  27. Hi Diane,
    I hope you kill your bugs really soon:) By the way, you look beautiful on the photo. When I am feeling unwell, I look like a frog.
    It is lovely that you had such a good and cheerful day together with your family.
    Thank you for the photos. The landscapes are beautiful and calm.

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  28. Olga thanks for the comments, but I find makeup can work wonders most of the time! As for looking like a frog that is not so bad, look how good The Happy Frog always looks LOL.

    I have to say I am glad that we did make it on Christmas Day despite the weather and the 'bugs'.

    Take care. Diane

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  29. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Sending only positive thoughts your way to feeling better soon.

    It was quite snowy! Living in Florida, I am always enchanted with other people's snow. :-)

    Happy New Year!

    Velva

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  30. You did a really nice coverage of your Christmas day. Wonderful sunny photo of the pub where you had lunch. Thank you for the info on the chalk mound, it's very interesting and I don't remember ever seeing it.
    Hope both of you are feeling better now.

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  31. Velva, thanks for the good wishes. I would also be enchanted if it was other people's snow LOL. I saw snow twice while we were in S.Africa and that was quite enough!!

    Happy New Year to you as well. Diane

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  32. JM it was surprisingly sunny at mid-day and certainly brightened the day up. Silbury Hill is quite well known to us as we drive past it on a regular basis but it is not as well known as Avebury. Diane

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  33. Hi Diane! You all look great, so happy you had a good time, hope flus and bronchitis are gone for good and you can keep enjoying

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  34. How terrible to be sick at Christmas! I am glad you both are on the mend. Your father-in-law looks wonderful; it is hard to believe he is almost 90! I know driving in the snow is not fun, but it sure makes it feel like Christmas when the ground is covered in snow. We had a brown Christmas in New Mexico, but we are suppose to get snow tomorrow.

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  35. Pamela I am certainly feeling much better but Nigel is very slow recovering! Thanks for the kind comments. Diane

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  36. Linda my father-in-law is great and as you say he certaily does not look his age. I agree snow looks Christmassy but I could have done without it!!! Take care. Diane

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  37. I'm glad that you got to visit Nigel's dad, who doesn't look anywhere near 90! Love the gold crowns on your heads. We have very little snow, as it all fell east of us by a very small distance!

    Happy New Year, Diane and Nigel! Hope you're both feeling better.

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  38. Thanks Margie for the good wishes. Glad you have missed the snow. A very Happy New year to you and your family not forgetting Thor of course. Diane.

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  39. Thanks Margie for the good wishes. Glad you have missed the snow. A very Happy New year to you and your family not forgetting Thor of course. Diane.

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  40. What a different Christmas you have had to us here in Australia - so hot here - and they are predicting 40 tomorrow!!!

    Happy New Year to you and Nigel!! Look forward to having you visit again in the New Year!

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  41. Oh my, your husband and father-in-law are two very fine looking men. Nigel's Dad looks at least as sprightly as my newly octogenerian dear Dad. Despite the nasty colds and cold weather it looks like you all had a great time.

    Happy New Year!
    'tis just after midnight here on the 1st of January 2010 - Zebby is snoring (nohing new) and I can hear yells and cheers plus fireworks from outside. Sending care and huggles from us both, Michelle xxx

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  42. Cate we would be more thn happy with 40C. It is so dismal, grey damp and cold here. We are totally fed up. I remember our first Christmas when we lived in Mafikeng, S Africa, we were the hottest place in the world at 42C on Xmas day!!! Happy New Year to you, we still have a few years to go! Diane

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  43. Michelle Nigel says he will send you a cheque in the next post LOL!!

    We still have a few hours to go until we make 2011 but I am sure we will have sleeoless night !!

    Wishing you and Zebby a very healthy 2011. Hugs Diane xx

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  44. It is good that you could take your father-in-law to the pub and enjoy some cheers, you look very nice in the picture. I wish we had a nice pub in our area but we would have to drive a long way… My husband went to buy the black eye peas and rice I need to make the traditional Southern good luck meal for New Year. There was a bit of snow when we came back on Monday but today Atlanta is back to 19 degree C. All my best wishes for a great 2011 with much happiness and many great posts.

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  45. That was sweet of you to take your father-in-law to lunch when it sounds like you both should have been staying in. Nigel's father looks like a handsome, happy chap.
    The Black Horse Pub looks like what I would expect an English pub to look like - glad you ejoyed the meal.
    Now take care, and stay warm.

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  46. Vagabonde thanks for your kind comments. I would be soooooo happy with 19C we are around 4C at present but at least no snow for the time being. Diane

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  47. Mya it was a lovely little pub. One I had not been to before. I would be happy to return there anytime. Diane

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  48. Cute pics! Happy New Year to you and yours..

    I hope it's a wonderful year and I'm looking forward to reading your blog from CR in just a week from now...
    Leesa : )

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  49. Thanks Leesa, looking forward to reading about your trip to Costa Rica. What a pleasure to get away from the cold!! Diane

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  50. Hello Diane!
    Your comment about the Bee-eaters on my blog raised my attention!
    I don't think you saw European Bee-eaters in Zimbawe! They live in northern Africa and southern Europe as their name says!
    In Zimbabwe, there are 4 species of which the Carmine, the Swallow-Tailed, the White-Fronted and the Little Bee-Eater!
    Which one did you see?... That is the question! They all have similar habits and lay in steep cliff holes!
    It would be interesting, if you have photographs!!
    Cheers, Diane!!

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  51. Noushka my Roberts Bird Book of South Africa states European Bee-Eater - Distribution, Southern Europe to Southern Asia, migratory in Africa right down to Cape Town. Breeds in Southern Africa but whether these are the same individuals that breed in Europe is unknown. Habits: arrives in Rhodesia in September-October and stays until mid-March rarely until May. Quite a common bird.

    At the time I was working for the wild life research officer and this was about 40 years ago. I remembering him telling me what they were. I did have some very old movie camera films of them but when I left S.A I dumped all the old 8 millimetre films as the old projector had died many years previously! Hope his helps. Cheers Diane

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  52. You definitely got a white Christmas Diane.

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  53. chubskulit, no doubt about it!! Diane

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  54. Enjoyed seeing the photo of Silbury Hill in the snow. A few years ago I completed the Ridgeway Walk from Goring on Thames to Avebury. This was on a May Bank Holiday so no snow luckily. Lovely photos.

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  55. Hi Dolly and thanks for the visit. You are energetic, I am happy to cycle most places but walking - my shinns object!! Diane

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