A Few Ramblings...

A visit to Father Christmas – 1 December 2012

After the success of last year, we decided to take the girls back up to Cliveden again, for another visit to Father Christmas. This year we also took Mum along with us.

We walked through the same route, via the long garden and round to the back of the house.

Like last year, Father Christmas had been secreted, with his helpers, in the room under the back terrace. This year we were less impressed with the ‘performance’. He seemed less chatty and the whole conversation was a little stilted.

Holly and Rebekah decided to swap their gifts afterwards – Rebekah had been given pink fairy stickers and Holly received some vegetable seeds. Emily seemed happy with the book which she had been given.

The Long Garden

Holly and Rebekah racing

One of Father Christmas’ helpers

Meeting Father Christmas

Talking to Father Christmas

Emily receiving her present

Holly receiving her present

Rebekah being given her gift

Tags: Christmas, Cliveden, Emily, Family, Father Christmas, Holly, Mum, Rebekah, Sarah

Maidenhead Christmas lights – 30th November 2012

With torrential rain forecast and the fireworks for the evening cancelled, we decided not to go into Maidenhead for the official switching on of the Christmas lights this year.

Instead, we ended up going down a few days later to enjoy a McDonalds and walk around the town to see this year’s festive illuminations.

The highlight seemed to be the multi-coloured offerings in the trees outside Maidenhead Library, which were new this year. The majority of the other lights appeared much the same as they had been for many years.

Chasing the moving snowflakes

Emily after her McDonalds

Holly

Lights outside Lloyds Bank

Queen Street

Trees in St Ives Road

Multi-coloured lights

Pink lights

The fountain outside the library

Rebekah with the Christmas tree outside the Town Hall

Coloured lights and a corner of the library

Christmas lights in Maidenhead High Street

Inside the Nicholson’s Centre

Four girls

More Christmas lights

Baubles

Santa’s ‘Grotto’

Suspended decorations

The Christmas tree

Tags: Christmas, Christmas Lights, Christmas tree, Emily, Family, Holly, Maidenhead, McDonalds, Rebekah, Sarah

An afternoon with Jenson Button – 29th November 2012

Following on from my plea for help earlier on in the summer, today was the fruition of this request.

Those people at work who had succeeded in reaching their target of £100 via text donations for their chosen charity not only had the satisfaction of knowing that this would be doubled, but were also able to take part in a celebration also attended by Jenson Button.

Below are a handful of photos of Jenson from the afternoon. I was also able to obtain his autograph for my nephew, Hugh.