Farewell 2010

I know that I have written before that I'm not a great fan of New Year's Eve. I think its the arbitrary nature of it. Every and any day could be New Year's Eve surely? Although it was the Roman's who started celebrating 1st Jan (or near equivalent some days after the winter solstice basically) as New Year in the British Isles, so it goes back a fair few years.

I'm not against New Year's celebrations though; I've had some lovely New Years', some raucous (I'm thinking of the 2 I spent in Weston Super Mare!), some boozy and cosy spent in Doncaster usually with my friend Lorraine watching music videos after the pub. I've had a couple of lost New Year's Eves in Nottingham one involving being dressed as a goth (although I really resembled a French mine artist) and the other a rolling stones tribute band called the Rolling Clones. I've also been lucky enough to have spent some beautiful New Year's Eve's with Jase last year at Hampton Court and the year before that in central London but away from the crowds. (our first 2 new years were spent at home watching fire works over the roofs.)

This year will be like the latter, we will be seeing 2011 in from our new home. So that will be very special and quiet although I do want to try a Drambuie and champagne cocktail, so maybe not that quiet!

The seemingly never ending onslaught of unpacking, acquiring new pieces of furniture for our new house continues. My office/study is nearly ready. Its so good to have my own space to work in. Ginny Wolf knew how important it was to have your own space, and she was right!

Before Christmas our dining table was delivered and there is a picture of it below.

Here's a picture of it with the runner and place mats which arrived yesterday. The colour scheme in the dining end of our kitchen diner is green and blue - quite a deep sea green and bright blue.

Well it just leaves me to wish everyone who reads my blog a very merry New Year's Eve and may 2011 be peaceful, joyful and bright! Cheers!

Boxing day

My parents visited today - Boxing day, and we went for a lovely walk in the snow with Millie the chocolate Labrador. Above is a photo of my Dad and Millie. Below is a picture of my Mum an me before I took a tumble on the ice.
Whilst on the walk I took a picture of our house and our neighbours from across the first field.

We had a lovely Christmas day yesterday, with a lovely dinner, very quiet and peaceful. It's so nice to be settled in to our new house for Christmas. Most of my office furniture arrived on Christmas Eve and we, well I mean Jase built it for me so I spent a little bit of time unpacking stationery yesterday. We still have quite a lot more to do but we're getting there.

Cold December

The cold weather has continued - we were so lucky that the weekend we moved happened to be in a hiatus to the weather. This weekend we had snow as I mentioned in the entry below. In the end we had about half a foot of snow which now has compacted somewhat and is about 4 or 5 inches deep. There are much deeper drifts of course. Today we went for a walk into Biggleswade across the fields in the snow. Although I was wearing wellies I found it really hard going. My back was killing me. In town I bought a pair of German snow boots, fleece lined and waterproof. They are the most snuggly, comfy boots ever. I totally love them!

In town we had a nice meal at the Maltings in Biggleswade which is really cosy and the food and wine were lovely and as a converted brewery malting house it is rather historic inside.

Below is a picture of Rookie contemplating the snow.
We also went back to our rented house today, the one which had all the spiders in the garden. We found these on the back gate. Very beautiful webs I just wonder how the spiders are faring.

You can find some more pictures here on my flickr page

House move and Christmas preparations

Above is a picture of my cat Rookie who has come back to live with me now that we've moved in to our new home. Rookie is an elderly cat approaching her 18th year. Apart from from being very thin and a bit arthritic she is well and very happy to be living with us again. When I moved in with Jase 3 years ago she went to live with my Mum and Dad in Yorkshire because Jase's flat didn't have a garden. Anyway she seems very happy to be back and seems to like our back garden. Rookie is a talkative cat being part Siamese, she likes to miaow at every opportunity. For example like many cats she miaows when she wants food but she always says thank you after her food as well!

So the house below isn't our new home ;-) its actually for sale in our local bakers for £20 if I'd had means to get it home I would have bought it! A real gingerbread house is something I've always wanted! it was very Christmassy in town today, there were carol singers in the market dressed in Biblical fancy dress, there seemed to be more than 3 wise men but the more the merrier I suppose. I got a cup of free mulled wine when I bought a freshly made pancake. Even outside ASDA the Lions club had their Santa's sleigh parked and blasting out Christmas hits. As it started to snow I felt very festive even though it was absolutely freezing.
We moved into our new house last weekend - in the hiatus between snow and ice so we were very lucky. The move went really smoothly everything done in one day. Of course it was stressful and it felt like the packing and the boxes would never end. Now it feels like we've lived here forever. We still have a lot of unpacking to do but there's no rush. Below is a photo of our front door with trees I've bought and the light and number Jase fitted today before the snow came.
As below shows we have had snow here in Bedfordshire, after largely missing it last time its quite a novelty to have snow. It's still falling and we have about 2 inches which has fallen in about 2 hours.

Biggleswade Christmas Lights

Last night was the annual Christmas lights switch on in Biggleswade town centre. The Mayor said that this was a spectacle which has been celebrated since 1962. It appears that the lights themselves date back to that first "switch on" as well. You can see some grainy pictures I took of the lights and towns folk last night.

As with the summer carnival, a fayer was present in the market square, and the Sea Cadets and choral society treated us to carols and Christmas tunes. I particularly enjoyed singing O Come All Ye Faithful and O Little Town of Bethlehem. The Sea Cadets rendition of Frosty the Snow Man was also a treat.
Staunch atheist Jason, didn't really enjoy one of the local vicars, Pastor Trevor, asking everyone to pray for the lights and Christmas in general. But the Mayor soon brought the focus back to consumerism by asking everyone to contribute towards the Chamber of Commerce's Christmas Lights fund! Everyone was then encouraged to stuff their faces with candy floss, hot dogs, chips and to scream if they wanted to go faster on the waltzers.

Jase and I beat a hasty retreat to the Stratton House Hotel to have a quick dinner. When we arrived everything was set out for Christmas dinner! I was ecstatic! There is a picture below of the Stratton's Christmased up restaurant and me looking ecstatic (and like a plump farmers wife, I think.) We got the only spare table, as the rest of the restaurant was given over to a 70th birthday party. I'd had my turkey dinner and Jase his steak before the 70th birthday got going though so we didn't witness the fun!

Today I've been mainly packing ready for our move. This time next week we should be - fingers crossed - safely moved into our new house. Today I packed books and ornaments. I'm glad I've bought so much wool lately as it has been invaluable for padding out boxes!

Met Police Disability Independent Advisory Group

One of the projects I have been working on for the last few months has been with the Metropolitan Police. So I am very pleased to announce that today the Met have launched their recruitment drive for their Disability Independent Advisory Group. More information and how to apply are below. Good luck!

Advert for DIAG

Metropolitan Police Service, Disability Independent Advice Group:

Members

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) are recruiting a new Disability Independent Advisory Group (DIAG) and are seeking around 12 members.

The DIAG’s role will be to provide independent, strategic and specialist advice to the MPS on how disabled people of all ages and backgrounds are affected by the policing of London. We are looking for committed, enthusiastic people who can work well as part of a group but who can also express their views, specialist knowledge and experience as an individual at a high level within a complex organisation.

Your views and advice will support the MPS in making London safe.

The MPS will seek advice from the group through two methods: on line or through pre arranged meetings.

This is a voluntary role without payment. However, reasonable expenses will be paid and reasonable adjustments will be accommodated.

To request an application pack, please contact us:

Email : disability@met.police.uk

Tel no: 0207 161 2719 also for further information

Deaf and deafened people using a Textphone (minicom) should use the 18001 Text Relay prefix and dial 18001 0207 161 2719 or

SMS text: 07920768425

Closing date: 24th December 2010

All applicants will be contacted early in the New Year