Welcome to my two new followers, Chars and Karen.
Yesterday,
despite it being -2 Celsius with quite a strong wind, we donned double coats, hats and gloves
and went for a long walk. We walked for an hour and 5 minutes and
probably around 4 miles. Didn't take too many photographs as I
couldn't feel the camera through 2 layers of gloves and was most
reluctant to take them off.
In
the distance we saw these marvellous trees, all in a row.
DB stepped
under them and took this – their branches twisted in all directions
with a beautiful blue sky as a background.
We
came home, had a hot cup of tea and a couple of those biscuits made on
Saturday. Washing had been put on the line and gathered back in after a
few cold but sunny hours, almost half dry. They finished off in the
front room overnight.
Our
2nd plates of roast dinner were re-warmed and enjoyed in the
relative warmth of the front room. The wood burner was not yet lit,
but soon would be, as the temperature was falling quickly outside and was around 12 C in the room.
Yesterday
was also the first Sunday in Advent. We 'inherited' this lovely
German Advent roundabout from a German friend called Martin, who was
a prisoner of war over here and married a local girl.
He also had loads of mistletoe growing in his garden and used to give big sprigs to everyone (now I have my own and always think of them when I look at it). They
are both dead now but we admired this one Christmas and he boxed it
up and gave it to us. What a lovely gesture.
Having
lived in one place for so long now, we are slowing losing the friends
we made when we first arrived (mainly because they were in their 60's
when we met them). Having 'worked' in our local school for many years
(DB more than me), we have seen a lot of the children we helped, now with
their own children and others we only see every now and then as they
too have moved on from this area.
I love your ornament. I treasure a Christmas bell from Oberammergau, given to me by a dear elderly lady when we moved away from London - she said "I have no children to pass this on to - and I know you will love it, and think of us each Christmas" - and I do. Such gifts are precious, because of the love and affection behind the giving. Blessings xx
ReplyDeleteSuch gifts are indeed precious particularly as you don't expect them.
DeleteWasn't the sky beautiful yesterday? That's such a lovely gift and a lovely memory of your dear friend. x
ReplyDeleteThat is what I like about memories, they build with age.
DeleteI went for a 3 1/2 hour cycle ride yesterday, taking in some winter sunshine.
ReplyDeleteThi Christmas roundabout is a common thing in Germany. I`ve got one too. My mum lives near where these things are hand crafted. They can be quite elaborate in design. We love ours as it was given to us when the kids were small. That and my family airloom crib I can not have Christmas without.
Getting candles to fit it is a slight problem but we pad them out with melted wax or occasionally blue/white tack.
DeleteIts lovely that a Christmas ornament can hold such special memories :0)
ReplyDeleteI have bought my children a special Hallmark ornament every Christmas since my eldest was born (she is 21 years old just before Christmas), and every year when they are unpacked it brings back lovely memories of when the children were little. Hopefully they'll become family heirlooms.
I think you were very brave walking about in -2oC, I don't think I could (by contrast we had 30oC + here on Sunday) :0)
We bought a lovely glass ornament the year we were married then bought one for J. when he was born (unfortunately not in glass).
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