Christmas 2019
We got off to quite an early start on 23rd December - having Amanda and Sam to help me pack the car was a real help. We arrived about 2 pm and after a cup of tea I walked to the High Street and picked up the turkey and a few bits and pieces to go with it. There were no queues, and although Wildmoor was busier than usual they had a good system with 2 tills so that no one queued for very long. What a contrast to Amanda's experience where she had to queue down the road for about 2 hours to pick up the turkey I had ordered at Macken's. Tim came round in the evening and we spent about 3 hours having a good practice at ringing spliced surprise minor.
On Christmas Eve we went to Midnight Mass at Chudleigh in the hope of finding more joy and goodwill than the usual fare at PPT these days. It was lovely - everyone was very friendly and the sermon was most uplifting and joyful. A much nicer experience all round and worth having to drive there and back. Mike started the Cat jigsaw which Jayne and I did earlier in the year.
Christmas Day was beautiful - cold clear and sunny. We went ringing at Bovey - Mike was whisked off to Bickington first. Graham was his usual unengaging self - he turned up for the traditional prayer but the Bickington contingent had not arrived. He wasn't sure if he would come back and pray for us because he had to defrost his car! He did in the end. Mike went on to Lustleigh. Lunch was a success - accompanied by Chateuneuf du Pape. Cooked the turkey according to the pamphlet that came with it - upside down for an hour then turn it over. The butcher had provided a pop up stick to insert into the breast to tell when it was cooked. Very useful and took the guesswork out of it. Cooked everything else while the turkey was resting. Trisha had made us a little pudding which was delicious - nicely complimented by Mike's brandy butter and a white sauce.
We had a lot of nice presents
In the evening we watched The Magic Flute from Glynebourne - quite a marathon. Neither of us had seen a whole opera before. I was amazed at just how good the singing was, especially when the singer was "acting" at the same time. We finished the day with a Talisker whisky.
Later in the week Mike took all the meat off the turkey and I made soup, bolognaise, casserole, korma and jalfrezi with it!
Jayne meanwhile was celebrating Christmas on the beach with the children in the hot sun!
And it was somewhat surreal to get photos from Amanda of the kids and Carolyn in Acton park!
Mike rang a peal at Newton Abbot on Boxing Day morning and in the afternoon we went over to have mince pies and tea with Ann and Douglas.
We had another go at the 41 minor - losing it after we had rung all the difficult stuff and with just the Cambridge 12 to go! We also had a couple of handbell sessions with Peter but although we got close to getting a QP of London Wells and Cunecastre we never quite made it. However the peal of Ipswich was finally scored.
The fig tree sprouted a leaf!
We went back to London on New Year's Eve, stopping off in Somerset for Mike to ring QPs organised by Jay at Horsington and Pitcombe with lunch at The Smithy in between (very slow service).
On Christmas Eve we went to Midnight Mass at Chudleigh in the hope of finding more joy and goodwill than the usual fare at PPT these days. It was lovely - everyone was very friendly and the sermon was most uplifting and joyful. A much nicer experience all round and worth having to drive there and back. Mike started the Cat jigsaw which Jayne and I did earlier in the year.
Christmas Day was beautiful - cold clear and sunny. We went ringing at Bovey - Mike was whisked off to Bickington first. Graham was his usual unengaging self - he turned up for the traditional prayer but the Bickington contingent had not arrived. He wasn't sure if he would come back and pray for us because he had to defrost his car! He did in the end. Mike went on to Lustleigh. Lunch was a success - accompanied by Chateuneuf du Pape. Cooked the turkey according to the pamphlet that came with it - upside down for an hour then turn it over. The butcher had provided a pop up stick to insert into the breast to tell when it was cooked. Very useful and took the guesswork out of it. Cooked everything else while the turkey was resting. Trisha had made us a little pudding which was delicious - nicely complimented by Mike's brandy butter and a white sauce.
We had a lot of nice presents
Later in the week Mike took all the meat off the turkey and I made soup, bolognaise, casserole, korma and jalfrezi with it!
Jayne meanwhile was celebrating Christmas on the beach with the children in the hot sun!
Mike rang a peal at Newton Abbot on Boxing Day morning and in the afternoon we went over to have mince pies and tea with Ann and Douglas.
We had another go at the 41 minor - losing it after we had rung all the difficult stuff and with just the Cambridge 12 to go! We also had a couple of handbell sessions with Peter but although we got close to getting a QP of London Wells and Cunecastre we never quite made it. However the peal of Ipswich was finally scored.
The fig tree sprouted a leaf!
We went back to London on New Year's Eve, stopping off in Somerset for Mike to ring QPs organised by Jay at Horsington and Pitcombe with lunch at The Smithy in between (very slow service).
