We accompanied Mum to church on Christmas morning, and it’s always a joy to see the excited faces and the close-knit community coming together. Christien arrived around lunchtime to spend Christmas with the three of us, which made Mum very happy. We had ordered our Christmas feast from a local farm, and Rachel cooked it to perfection. As is customary on Christmas, we indulged to the point of bursting. We’re not big TV watchers, so later that evening we pulled out the board games, specifically “Rummikub,” which we’ve been playing throughout the year.
Boxing Day was a relaxed affair. We went for a long walk to Houghton, part of a National Trust trail. I’m a big fan of the day after Christmas because people tend to be more relaxed and happy to be out of the house, making for enjoyable encounters on our walks. Afterward, we took a quiet trip around St. Ives. The following morning, we headed north to spend time with Ally and Seb, but also to visit Ally’s family, who are always fun to be around.
We arrived early evening after a drive in the pouring rain, but Seb’s warm greeting and a very excited Arlo made the journey seem a distant memory. Rachel had prepared lamb before we left Hartford (from our farm haul) for Ally, who wasn’t feeling well, and we popped it in the oven before settling in. Mum enjoyed the comfy guest suite, while Rachel, Christien, and I stayed in the lodge.
The next morning, we met up with Seb and Ally at their chiropractor’s, and while Ally waited to be seen, we took Arlo for a walk around the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside. We then found a lovely spa for a coffee break. Christien had also booked a paddle tennis court for a Mum and Dad vs. Sons match. Despite the freezing weather, we had a fantastic time and ended the match with honours even. Later that evening, we were invited to Chris and Lesley’s, where they were hosting the Lomas and Watson families for dinner. It was thoroughly entertaining.
The following morning, Christien left early for his New Year celebrations in London. After tying up some joint business affairs, we followed suit.
A few days into the New Year, Jon dropped Rachel and Jo off at the airport for their trip to Oslo, where they’d explore the fjords up to Bergen, while I took Oz for a long walk and after rendezvousing back at the house we decided to spend a day in the city. We parked in Stratford, hopped on the tube to Holborn, and walked to the British Museum. Neither of us had been there before, and for me, the highlight was an exhibition of Picasso sketches and a reflective display on some of the unsavoury aspects of the British Empire. Afterward, we made our way down Tottenham Court Road to Covent Garden, then into Soho, where we both started our careers in the casino industry many moons ago. Although the casino itself was gone, the sign remained on the building. We finished the day with dinner in Golden Square before heading back to Essex.
Dream Chasers 