Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all my readers. If you've stayed the course, you will have read 232 posts during my first year of retirement. Of course, I couldn't have manged it all without my technical advisor Poppy, who is keeping half an eye on me as you can see.
Until tomorrow...and 2010...

Happy Poppy

Terrible picture - too much sunshine on Christmas Day!
Here's Poppy with her new Sony Walkman.














Contented.














Take these photos as a tribute to the wonderful 'We Three Cats' blog.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my blog readers!

Few minutes late

If I'd got up a few minutes earlier the morning sun would have been just right illuminating SWMBO's nativity scene.

Missed one?

There's always one decoration left in the box when you think you've finished.

£120 parking fine!

Merry Christmas from the City of Westminster - please pay this £120 parking fine, and by the way, if you don't pay up at once, it's £180!














This was all a bit strange because SWMBO has never taken her car to London - and especially not to Marylebone Lane in Westminster. Luckily, due to the wonders of modern technology I was able to access the City of Westminster's website to view the 'evidence'. Doesn't look much like a Renault Megane does it? The 'error' has occurred because the halfwit (polite) who issued the ticket cannot distinguish between a 'V' and a 'Y'. In any case, surely when they accessed the details from Swansea they should have seen that it was a green Mini Cooper and not a blue Renault Megane? I have duly followed the appeal process and hope to receive an apology in due course - don't go away...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Not venturing out much in this weather!

BBQ today?

I think not!














Maybe to The Cricketers then?














And/or the Holly Bush?

Alford Arms

We went for a walk around Frithsden/Potton End on Sunday lunchtime before enjoying a truly excellent meal at The Alford Arms in Frithsden with eight friends. We had a 'quick one' before we set off on our 1.94 mile walk and returned exactly on time for our 2:30pm booking. The bridleways were a bit muddy in places but nowhere near as bad as the previous Sunday when we had tried out the walk. The food and service were faultless (as usual) and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It is really amazing how well they cope with serving two sittings in the restaurant, and supplying numerous bar meals as well. Charming, enthusiastic and efficient staff must help I guess? Recommended without hesitation!

Huntingdon trees

Some of the Christmas trees at the Huntingdon Methodist Church's festival - they were a bit squashed in, so overall not quite as good as the festival here in Redbourn.

Advent (not Christmas?) rose

O.K. not a great specimen, but not bad for 10th December!

Knitted Santas

Great display in a solicitor's window in Huntingdon last weekend.

St. Mary's Christmas Tree Festival

This year I was 'roped' into helping decorate the bellringers' Christmas tree for the St.Mary's Christmas Tree Festival. They had to be decorated on a Thursday afternoon when most people were at work and the children - who would have enjoyed it - were at school. Well, you could have decorated your tree during the evening but no-one seemed to be taking up that option.
Surprisingly, the tree is covered with bells and has bell rope around the base. SWMBO made the 'Five Gold Rings' with the bellringers logo in the centre. We now have the tree at home after fun and games getting it into the car!
If you click on the picture you can enlarge it...

R.S.P.B. - Sandy, Bedfordshire.

Some interesting - and probably highly poisonous - fungi...

December looms...

December tomorrow and definitely time to start your Christmas shopping - if you haven't done so already?
What about this excellent book written by a former Trustee at our Museum.
Just email me using the link on the right or post a comment giving your email address and I'll be only too happy to post you a copy - and it's only £15.

Bit of colour...

This orchid just keeps on flowering - maybe it's the special orchid food I keep giving it? We have another two orchids which are also reliable 'flowerers'.


























This is a Clivia (Amaryllidaceae). These grow wild in Madeira and I think this one is Clivia miniata(?).

Car insurance sorted

I've now sorted out the car insurances for the coming year. We have gone with Bell, who are a subsidiary of Admiral (who I've at least heard of!). The compulsory excesses have been reduced from £500 to £60 and I've saved over £100 on the premiums. Plus, we are both covered for business use for when we are doing voluntary driving for the Redbourn Care Group.
Well done CompareTheMarket.com.
It's a bit of a worrying time changing insurance companies as you have to hope you don't make a claim during the time between cancelling one policy and starting the new one. If you then go back to your old company they will treat you as a new customer and charge you more as you have recently made a claim, and the "deal" you have just made with the new company assumes you have not made a recent claim.

Moving Stella - The end of the rainbow

This is our second night's mooring in Oxford - now on the South Oxford Canal. The lock you can see through the bridge is Isis lock which links to the Thames via Sheepwash Channel.














After about three hours cruising we arrived at the end of our journey in Thrupp.
We were greeted by a nice rainbow.














Our last night was spent in the canalside Boat Inn where we enjoyed a very good meal. Next day, we were met at lunchtime by the couple who were taking Stella to Stockton Top Marina which was her final destination for the year.














I hope you have enjoyed your trip!