There may be troubles ahead ...

Plans are being developed for the new 'Garden Campaign'

Does this mean more work for the Garden labourer?

Morning Visitors.

In the growing light this morning we realised that we had visitors ... in fact 5!

They were actually just over the wall in our neighbour's back garden.  We have never seen 5 together before.  Usually we see 3 in our back field and it was interesting to see that 3 did go off eventually into our field, whilst the other 2 went into our front garden before disappearing off to the next valley.

Before they split up they explored all of the garden and our neighbour's vegetable plot.

We then watched as the odd couple browsed their way up the serpentine bed, tasting as they went.

However, no real damage at this time of the year and it is a joy to share the garden with Nature.

Looking for Sympathy

....that we don't deserve. Firstly a Happy New Year to you all. Our New Year has not gone very smoothly so far. On Friday 4th January the car wouldn't start (a catastrophe as far as John is concerned) and it was towed away to the garage late afternoon. We were advised that no mechanics work at weekends so there would be no news until Monday at least. The following morning we got up to a cold house as the boiler had stopped and refused to start. Eventually we managed to speak to our plumber only to be told that he could not come until Tuesday.

We spent a cold, isolated three days huddled around three very inadequate heaters. To add to our misery the temperatures outside each morning were around minus 9 degrees, (normal winter temperatures for us but not ideal when your heating isn't working).

All is well now although it took until yesterday for the house to feel comfortably warm. I reflected that as a child it was not unusual to wake to frosty patterns on the bedroom window and having to wait for paraffin heaters to be lit before starting to feel warm.

We don't deserve any sympathy we're just whimps!!

A Christmas Odyssey

This year we decided to spend Christmas in England and we invited ourselves to our neighbours who winter in Paris, before going on to friends in Surrey.  It meant driving up to Paris and then on through the tunnel.  We did the first stage on the 19th and would have had no problems except, about a mile from our destination, we had a 'coming together' on a roundabout !

Our souvenir of Paris.

Whilst in Paris we went to the Château Vaux-Le-Vicomte about 50 km to the south-east.  The
château was built by the Superintendant of Finances for Louis XIV.  Once the King had seen the
château, his Superintendant was imprisoned for corruption and Louis began building Versailles (he couldn't bare to think that someone had a better chateau than him). He confiscated furniture, plants, the Architect and the Garden Designer from Vaux.  What made our visit extra special were the Christmas decorations, both inside and out.  We began with a tour of the gardens on a golf buggy!

Once we went inside the château we were amazed at the number of elaborate decorations in room after room.

This is just some of the displays, but then we went outside and it was getting dark.

We went into the stables for the display of Carriages ... and even more decorations!!!

We left Paris on Saturday morning, went up to Calais, through the tunnel and on to our friends Paul and Jennifer.
Sunday we all went to Wisley (which pleased Sue), which was also decorated for Christmas.

Christmas eve we went out for a meal, which was interesting as, when we arrived at 7 pm, it was still full of customers from lunchtime who were in a state of inebriation, for example singing "Roll out the Barrel".
Christmas Day and Boxing Day passed in a flash of eating, drinking and laughter before we went to the Panto on Boxing Day afternoon ... Craig Revel-Horwood from Strictly!.... and it was "absolutely fab-u-lous darling".

An additional amusement at the Panto was the arrival next to us of 4 'elderly' people all dressed in Christmas jumpers and Father Christmas hats!

At the interval, a gentleman from the party passed us (on the way to the loo?) when Sue slipped and fell back into her chair.  We commented on the effect he had on women and he claimed that this hadn't happened for years!
The day after Boxing Day we left our friends and went up to see Betty and stayed with her until our return home on the Sunday.  We left her at 7.45 am and got home 10.30 at night, which meant that we could have a nice peaceful New Year's Eve (and early to bed).

And so, that was 2018 done and dusted, but who knows what 2019 will bring?????