Together

My word for 2017 was adventure and what an adventure it has been this year.  We have had such a year, moving house and exploring our new Island paradise we now call home.  Looking back it has been a year long adventure and we are hoping that this will carry on into 2018.   We have a lot of exciting things planned, not least the transformation of our outbuilding.  Already, we are looking forward to planning and working to fulfill this dream together.  So the word for 2018 will be TOGETHER.

Together we intend to start swimming and get ourselves a little fitter.
We plan to work on some projects together.
We intend to read together a little more.
...the list goes on...

Together we wish you all A Happy New Year, wishing you everything you wish for yourselves.

Surprise Visitors

We had a quiet Christmas, spending it on our own.  I began to have a few doubts on Christmas eve, remembering and reflecting on Christmas's past...we had left it too late to drive anywhere, the last ferry had gone and there was no sailings on Christmas day.  That said the Carol service at Church and the fellowship afterwards was a real delight and lifted my spirits immediately.

We had the quiet Christmas we planned and enjoyed every moment.  We had the added bonus of been able to speak/see family with the amazing technology that we have today.  Neighbours popped by to say hello...

...and just as quickly left, strolling down the road together to the next cottage.

We did have human visitors too over the Christmas period, neighbours popping in with Christmas fayre which was a joy.  We feel thankful that we have been accepted into this wonderful community and this has reinforced our decision that this is our forever home.  No white Christmas here, the weather was very mild.  However, we have had a few sightings of snow/sleet/hail but it only lasts a few moments.  Food has been plentiful but I am happy to say there has been no waste and we didn't get fed up with the leftovers.

Eggs and cheese added to leftover vegetables made for a wonderful lunch with cold cuts and pickle.  All in all different is not as bad as anticipated, a different Christmas yes but a wonderful Christmas too.

Hope your Christmas went to plan and that you had the Christmas that you had anticipated?  Once again we have no real plans for New Year and intend to celebrate quietly.

See you soon.

Merry Christmas

It was our last trip out today, as the shops don't open here on a Sunday.  The weather let us down badly by being wet and windy not at all conducive to the stroll that we had planned.  Instead of the the walk around town soaking up the atmosphere it became a mad dash to get the provisions we required and then back home to a warm, cosy cottage.  I did manage to get some photos of the beautiful decor in the shop windows.  It was a delight to see the tree surrounded by the wonderful array of lobster pots so fitting for the harbour.

There were also some wonderful plant arrangements to add to the charm.

Finally, some of the shop windows that were a joy to admire.  The rustic charm of some were a delight and reminiscent of bygone times.

I am now going to get showered and into my pj's so that we can enjoy some carols and a film or two together.

Wishing you and yours a Wonderful Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

I thank you for your friendship, interest, comments and support over the last year.  We have a lot to reflect upon this year and a lot more adventures to plan for next year.

See you soon.

We Are Ready

We are ready, our little cottage is now decorated.  We have had the luxury of dressing the tree and remembering Christmas's past, recalling some wonderful moments with friends and family.  We have ornaments from our travels throughout our marriage so they are always nice to look at and remember some of the places we have visited.

Although we will not be spending Christmas day together with our family, we know that we will not be far from their thoughts as they will be in ours.  We feel blessed that we have each other and that we have some wonderful memories of our recent visit to sustain us.  

I have done some baking whilst listening to some Christmas music and reflected on times when the girls were small and the excitement.  They now have their own traditions and it is a joy to know that some of our own have passed down to another generation.  

Gingerbread men, the cutter was one of my finds from a couple of holidays ago.  Mince pies were made in abundance using two varieties of mincemeat that I made prior to going away.

We intend to have a stroll out tomorrow into town to soak up the atmosphere and look at the Christmas decor in the shops.  We do indeed feel blessed, we have good food on the table, a roof over our heads and family that love us.  How are your preparations going?

See you soon.

Our Very Special Time

The highlight of our time away was catching up with the family and seeing for ourselves the progress our Grandchildren are making.  They truly bring us so much joy and this visit was no exception.

Daisy started school and has settled well now that she has got used to the longer days.  She was keen to show us her work books and was able to read a few pages of her book to us.  We had so much fun catching up with some craft projects, chatting and giggling together.

We had great fun with our designs and our little parade showing them off to Grandad.  We also had fun continuing on the craft front at a pottery shop, designing and painting some Christmas ornaments.  The perfect Christmas gift, made with love.

Even Mickey was included in some of the fun and enjoyed the run of the garden chasing the girls around.  It really was a wonderful visit but all too soon was over.

Bertie has grown so tall and celebrated his 6th birthday the week before we arrived.  He is still the bubbly and thoughtful little boy that we all love.  We had a lovely time catching up with all his news and playing game after game.  That boy loves a board game.

Honey loved Granny's shoes and make-up bag.  We did laugh about how much she is like her Mum, her Mum used to do just the same.  She was always up to mischief , Honey is the same.  We were fortunate to be able to attend her first ballet class with her, she loved it and looked gorgeous in her pink tutu.

We did do a little Christmas shopping, where Bertie spent his pocket money buying an advent calendar for Mickey filled with doggie chocolates. 

Mickey says a big thank you Bertie, he thinks of you every day.

We were fortunate to be able to visit Santa with Wilbur and Hector, it was a joy to see their faces of wonderment.  We strolled through the Winter Wonderland and enjoyed every moment together.  Wilbur started school this term too and has settled well.  He too has come on in leaps and bounds and loved showing us his classroom and his new found skills.  He loves to read to us and to his brother, it is amazing how quickly they learn.

A very special time that we can remember and reflect upon, giving us some wonderful memories that we can recall and chat about on a Winter's afternoon.  FAMILY a true gift.

See you soon.

Holiday Memories

Thank you so much for your warm welcome back to blogland and indeed home from my travels.  I am so glad preparations for Christmas started so long ago as tiredness seems to have taken hold.  The Christmas tree is up now and so I can take things easy and look forward to this wonderful time of year.  I have a little baking that I want to do but I am looking at this as relaxation as it is something that I enjoy.  We are enjoying the process of looking through the photos and reflecting on some of our recent adventures. 

The perfect time to visit the parks was after Thanksgiving, we were able to enjoy all that was on offer with no crowds and soak in the amazing atmosphere.  The Christmas decor was in abundance and a real delight to see.  Seaworld had some spectacular  Christmas celebrations, each one amazing in its own way.  It was also a joy to learn about some of the habitat and conservation.

The dolphins a particular favourite.  Antarctica, empire of the penguin was amazing the ride was joyous ending with the icy world of the penguin.  The cold certainly did not encourage any loitering.

The winter wonderland on ice show was sheer wonderment with world class skaters performing in front of the dazzling sea of trees as they illuminated the lakefront.

O Wondrous Night was another spectacular show, a twist on the Christmas classic as it was told through the eyes of the animals.  The 30 or so carols were a delight with the artists having amazing voices and audience participation actively encouraged.  Intermittent snow flurries were a joy as was the classic Shamu show.

Added to the shows and the nerve racking rides the decor was a joy to behold.  Food stalls dotted throughout the Christmas market added to the atmosphere.

Busch Gardens were also a delight with another Christmas town and a wide range of spectacular shows.  We certainly had fun wandering around the animal habitats.  Gerard had fun hanging out with the gorillas.

Santa was the star of one of the traditional Christmas extravaganzas with singers and dancers filling the stage.

We also had the perfect weather for some relaxation at Aquatica, the water park.  The beautiful white sands were a delight to sit and watch the wave pool.

The dolphins the stars and a magical moment as you glimpse them on the lazy river.  All in all a wonderful holiday with memories created to last a life time.  Hope all your Christmas preparations are going well and that you find time to sit and relax.  Take care.

See you soon.