Happy 2020 y’all!
On New Years’ Eve we did just what like to do, hibernate! We did hear fireworks at midnight, but didn’t see them. On New Year’s Day John and I went on a 2 mile walk around our town, then another 2 miler with friends on the “fens” of Holmes preserve. John had the day off. The fens are flat areas with very rich dark earth that are fabulous to grow things. The land used to be very wet and boggy, but was drained by someone from Belgium, where they know how to do this kind of thing. Anyway, it was drained a very long time ago, and the land has sunk about 20 feet. Interesting. So we went walking with these friends who live near the fens. The trails were foresty and wet, and I wouldn’t have wanted to get lost, each part looked just like another. I wore wellies I had purchased in Virginia, and John borrowed some from our friends. He has since ordered his own wellies, and they should arrive soon, which will allow us to do more footpaths rather than just roads. We stayed for dinner with the friends, I brought sausage, and biscuits and butter. They made rice, black eyed peas and salad. We decorated lemons to look like pigs, with clove eyes and tin foil tails. We were told it was a “thing” to do on New Years.
Last Friday I was invited to lunch by the mother-in -law of a church friend, and her friend. They were both named Susan. They love to get lunch out, see some country houses etc, and may be people I can visit with. Anyway, nice lunch with them, then I met John at a car place to get my new-to -me car. Its a Honda Jazz, in dark blue. Tiny and cute. I expect to enjoy it as I get out there and drive! I’m still practicing around town, but hope to drive to church this weekend. Would have done it last Sunday, but I wasn’t feeling great…so it seemed a better idea to pass.
We booked 2 nights in Oxford for MLK weekend. We will also stop off in High Wycombe either coming or going to visit the town I lived in while in high school. The base and school are no longer there, but the train station, park and town are all there. A somewhat of a trip down memory lane! I’m trying to decide if we should take a tour of Oxford while we are there, to get an idea of the must see places. I’m tempted to book one of the Endeavor/Morse/Lewis tours….as we have seen every episode of each of these murder mysteries. We’ll see. We have been given names of pubs etc that we should eat at, by John’s co-workers.
We were tempted to add the Cotswolds to this trip, but hiking in January seemed a windy, cold, probably rainy idea. Another time! At least in
Oxford if the weather is bad, we can duck into a tea shop, or book shop ...
I’m still enjoying my mostly solitary trips to town, through town, from town etc. Its so very quaint and charming! I try to get at least 6 miles of walking in per week. Easy to do, the best grocery is 2 miles round trip!
I’m doing a little sewing these days; a duster vest of my own pattern, midi length with 1 button, and I’m about to start a grayish pink sweatshirt with rabbits on the fabric. It will be accented with black fabric.
I put away the Christmas things, which took very little time. I do miss the festive look, but I like the pared back feel of the rooms. I still have little of piles of things to find “homes” for, but really there is plenty of room here.
I hope and expect to visit both Atlanta and Northern Virginia perhaps in May, John can’t come, as he doesn’t have the time off, but I plan to spend about a week each place!! Does that sound like fun???
Let me know if there are any weeks that are terrible for me to visit. I do hope to see some of my grandkids exploits while there — ninja, tumbling, baseball and ballet. I will try and fit in everything I can.