Needless to say that December is a busy month, lots of last minute
shopping for presents plus a whole wad of Christmas related events. I
mentioned in my November update that on Tuesday 3 December Gail, Nicola,
Rebecca and myself made our usual trip to Porthcawl to see Mary. This
was followed on Friday 6 December with our annual family get together.
This year it took place at Shenstone Toby Carvery
popularly called 'The Highwayman'. In total 18 family members attended
our 3 course meal. Earlier that day I had my final visit to the dentist
where I had a Gold Crown fitted plus a filling. This treatment had
cleared up well before our family meal and I never gave it a thought.
The following day Gail, Paul, Zena and myself went with the Community Centre to The Blackpole Inn, Worcester
for skittles and also a Christmas meal. On our last visit in October I
had won a prize for highest scoring male, tonight however I narrowly
avoided the lowest score by one skittle! Strangely the same thing
occurred with the highest scoring female from October!
On Monday 9
December Gail, Christopher any myself took the twins to Stratford On
Avon to get a present for Alison. This was the first time Gail and I had
been into the town itself, previous visits had only been to the river
near the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. What a delightful place and
somewhere to go in the summer with my camera.
On Saturday 14 December
Gail went to the Mecca Bingo Club in Kingstanding to meet her old
'Bingo Buddy' Rene. Gail no longer goes to these Bingo Halls other than
the annual reunion near Christmas time. She had a period of excitement
awaiting the outcome of the 'National Bingo Game' where all of the big
clubs throughout the country play this one game. The person with the
lowest number of calls nationwide wins a big prize of several thousand
pounds - the night time game is often worth £100,000. The country is
also split into regions and so if even if you didn't have the lowest
number in the country you might have the lowest for your region and
again win a prize of several thousands of pounds. Gail had called on 47
numbers. Unfortunately the winner of the National had called on 46
numbers, even more unfortunately that winner was also in the same region
and so Gail only won the prize for that particular club.
Tuesday 17 December 2013 and our next event is the Christmas party at Old Oscot Working Mens Club.
Wednesday 18 December is the Christmas Bingo at the Community Centre.
Thursday 19 December is a Christmas Quiz at the Whitehouse.
Friday 20 December - 'Open the Box' at the Community Centre.
Saturday
21 December we visited Christopher and Ali so that we could all go
round to the Village Green in Meriden where an outdoor carol singing
event was taking place.
There then followed a few days of visiting friends and relatives to exchange Christmas presents before the big day itself.
Christmas
Day began with Gail and myself opening our presents, then it was round
to Paul and Zena, followed by a visit to Carl and Heather, Christine,
then Nicola. Following this our Christmas Dinner was at the Shenstone Toby Carvery where we eat Christmas Dinner with Carol and John. This was followed by a drive over to Christopher and Alison at Meriden.
Boxing Day saw another Carvery - this time at 'The Parson and Clerk' Streetly.
Saturday
28 December and it was our turn to be hosts with Carl, Paul and
Christopher plus their wives and families all visiting our house for an
afternoon buffet.
On Sunday 29 December we had to take Annie to the
Emergency Vets due to her stomach having swollen. The vet has given her
some additional tablets to those she is already taking and confirmed it
is related to her heart condition.
On Monday 30 December Paul, Zena, Gail and myself set out to Weston Super Mare with the Community Centre to let in the new year.
Tuesday, December 17. 2013
November 2013 Update
I am a bit late placing this onto my website due to the fact I just don't get much time now that I have retired!
This is not a myth but a fact which can be quickly worked out like this. I used to work a 30 hour week. Now that I have retired Gail and I have Bryony Wednesday and Thursdays - these are both equivalent to 2 x 8 hour shifts - 16 hours.
Now add on Fridays with the Twins starting at 7am and by the time we get back home it is 7pm - that's 12 hours. Total now 28 hours. I have previously mentioned we also have the twins round either Mondays or Tuesdays - OK Chris is also with them but that takes us well over the 30 hours I used to work. On top of all that I used to only go out to the Working Men's Club on Tuesdays, Community Centre on Wednesdays and the Quiz on Thursdays twice in a four week period, Now it is every week 4/4. It is easy to see already why I have less time than before to do things like managing this web site, Photography, reading and so on.
So What have I been doing with all this extra spare time (ha ha) - A quick check of my Calendar shows Various Dental appointments During November. I now have a Gold Crown in place of my upper left incisor, Gail has a new set of dentures.
Various trips to the Vets with Annie. She is now on heart tablets for life. Friday 15 November and we were at an 18th birthday party at the Community Centre. Saturday 23 November - Open the Box at the Community Centre. Saturday 30 November was a trip to Bath Christmas Market with the Community Centre. On our way we stopped off at a Carvery in Worcester for an 'All you can eat Breakfast'. That was absolutely fantastic - so much so that our organizer Niel immediately booked us in for another one as we go down to Weston Super Mare at the end of December for our mini break at a Hotel to let in the New Year. Just slightly touching December (I will summarize December next month) on Tuesday 3 December Gail, Nicola, Rebecca and myself made our usual trip to Porthcawl to see Mary. On top of all this Our First of Many Christmas meals was held at the Whitehouse on Thursday 28 November, Gail, Carol, John, Pete, Karen and myself.
Megan went from crawling to running in the space of a week, Basically just got up and walked across the room and within a few days you would have thought she had been walking for months. All 3 granddaughters are copying words and I don't think it will be long now before they are all talking. Rebecca has found out that her baby due in April will be a boy and has been busy preparing, decorating the 'nursery' and getting various items such as pushchairs, clothes and so on.
This is not a myth but a fact which can be quickly worked out like this. I used to work a 30 hour week. Now that I have retired Gail and I have Bryony Wednesday and Thursdays - these are both equivalent to 2 x 8 hour shifts - 16 hours.
Now add on Fridays with the Twins starting at 7am and by the time we get back home it is 7pm - that's 12 hours. Total now 28 hours. I have previously mentioned we also have the twins round either Mondays or Tuesdays - OK Chris is also with them but that takes us well over the 30 hours I used to work. On top of all that I used to only go out to the Working Men's Club on Tuesdays, Community Centre on Wednesdays and the Quiz on Thursdays twice in a four week period, Now it is every week 4/4. It is easy to see already why I have less time than before to do things like managing this web site, Photography, reading and so on.
So What have I been doing with all this extra spare time (ha ha) - A quick check of my Calendar shows Various Dental appointments During November. I now have a Gold Crown in place of my upper left incisor, Gail has a new set of dentures.
Various trips to the Vets with Annie. She is now on heart tablets for life. Friday 15 November and we were at an 18th birthday party at the Community Centre. Saturday 23 November - Open the Box at the Community Centre. Saturday 30 November was a trip to Bath Christmas Market with the Community Centre. On our way we stopped off at a Carvery in Worcester for an 'All you can eat Breakfast'. That was absolutely fantastic - so much so that our organizer Niel immediately booked us in for another one as we go down to Weston Super Mare at the end of December for our mini break at a Hotel to let in the New Year. Just slightly touching December (I will summarize December next month) on Tuesday 3 December Gail, Nicola, Rebecca and myself made our usual trip to Porthcawl to see Mary. On top of all this Our First of Many Christmas meals was held at the Whitehouse on Thursday 28 November, Gail, Carol, John, Pete, Karen and myself.
Megan went from crawling to running in the space of a week, Basically just got up and walked across the room and within a few days you would have thought she had been walking for months. All 3 granddaughters are copying words and I don't think it will be long now before they are all talking. Rebecca has found out that her baby due in April will be a boy and has been busy preparing, decorating the 'nursery' and getting various items such as pushchairs, clothes and so on.
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