A Few Ramblings…
Forty-six year old Christian happily negotiating the world with a wife and three daughters
Festive gathering of relations – 27th December 2011
For as long as I can remember, Dad’s side of the family have got together each Christmas to exchange presents and spend time together. The evening would often include a viewing of various holiday slides taken during the year.
When I was younger, we would occasionally go down to my Uncle Den’s house in Southampton, but in more recent years the event has taken place in Maidenhead.
Last year, with Dad being so unwell, we didn’t meet up – instead, we gathered in the more sombre setting of his funeral.
This Christmas, we were keen to get back to a sense of normality and eighteen of the family met up this evening for tea at my sister’s house, ranging in age from 1 to 88 years old!
My sister had laid on a good tea for us (with some help from Mum) and we enjoyed an excellent evening together.
Below are some photos from the evening:
Tea is served
Uncle Den’s famous trays
Enjoying the food
Mum and Gillian
Uncle Noel tucking in
‘Now what have I got in here?’
Holly giving out presents
Rebekah with a present for Uncle Den
Emily looking at the presents
Refreshments
Shloer bottles
Uncle Den regales another story
Reflections on old family photos
Seven cousins
Mum with her seven grandchildren 1
Mum with her seven grandchildren 2
Christmas Day – 25th December 2011
After the virtual non-event of Christmas last year when we more-or-less went through on automatic pilot following the recent passing of my Grandmother and with Dad so unwell, we were determined to try and enjoy ourselves this year.
Three excited girls on Christmas Eve
Fortunately, although we were woken by Emily at about 6.45am, the girls didn’t appear until 7.15am as per our agreement above.
They were pleased to see that Father Christmas had been and had taken the time to reply to their note for him, left last night and enjoyed opening their stockings before breakfast.
Christmas tree and stockings!
Excitement of stockings!
Sarah helping Emily open her stocking
Holly with her new Zoo Ball and scarf
Emily is keen to investigate her chocolate
Rebekah, with her new scarf, reading the reply from Father Christmas
Once breakfast was out of the way, they were able to open some of the presents from us before Sarah took them around to see her parents after dropping me off at church.
Present opening underway!
Holly with her new Princess blanket
Emily with her Baby Annabell
Enjoying a cuddle
Rebekah with her Moon Sand
Holly with her new Barbie
Rebekah with her new apron
Emily showing advanced childcare skills!
It was good to be able to have Mum to Christmas Day lunch. Last year, she had tried to maintain some kind of normality on what turned out to be Dad’s final day at home with her and had found things very tough.
Sarah cooked a fantastic Christmas dinner which began with our normal starter of melon and kiwi fruit. This was followed by our usual turkey complete with all the trimmings and including Yorkshire puddings. For dessert we enjoyed a choice of Christmas or hot chocolate pudding.
Holly enjoying her starter
Christmas dinner
Candles on the dinner table
After lunch, the girls opened their presents from Mum and we enjoyed a short walk.
Later, we went round to my sister’s for tea. In many ways it was strange being there for tea at Christmas without Dad and Grandma, but it was another ‘first’ that had to be got through and the children playing with their cousins made things easier.
The Christmas tea table
Mum, surrounded by Grandchildren, opening her Christmas card from Ben Forde
Emily
Christmas tree lights
Overall, I’ll look back with fondness on Christmas 2011. We have much to be thankful for. The passing of time eases the pain of the loss of loved-ones. They may be gone, but they are never forgotten.
Dad
Ray Mill Island – 21 December 2011
With a day off work following last night’s Christmas party, we went down to Ray Mill Island this afternoon to look at some of the recent work which has been carried out there.
Details of the improvements being carried out
Although parts of the island were extremely muddy and wet underfoot, due to the recent dredging work that has been carried out, overall we were impressed with the added facilities and the girls particularly enjoyed seeing the new animals and attractions.
Below are a few photos from the afternoon:
New entrance sign
Looking down towards the new fountain
The ‘tidied up’ Maiden with Swans statue
Flooded path
Crocodile!
Rebekah with a swan
Holly finds a snail
Emily and Rebekah on the ducks
Holly and Emily
Emily
Emily enjoying a ride on a cow
The new ‘house’ in the play area
The girls in the ‘house’
Looking out from the cafe
A Few Ramblings... 