Christmas & New Year 2018

With Brexit dominating the news 24/7, it was a refreshing change on the 28th of November to get out into the Leicestershire countryside for a ramble with John. I had plotted a circular route from the Royal Oak in Great Dalby into my GPS using some new software. The app had indicated the distance as 9.9 miles, but in reality, it turned out to be just over 12 miles! Fortunately, despite the weather forecast predicting foul conditions, we had a relatively easy journey, with only a brief shower. A strong wind even assisted us up several steep inclines towards the latter end of our trek. Lunch was most welcome and was washed down with a very unusual plum porter.

The following day, our central heating boiler decided to give up. It’s covered under a service contract with HomeServe, and I was pleased to learn that the contract provided a free boiler, with only the installation cost to pay. A fitter came a few days later to survey the site and provide us with a quote for the installation. Wisely, I had already asked a friend (who owns a local building and heating company) for a quote to replace the existing boiler, and I was surprised to find that the two quotes were exactly the same, except for 60p! One included a ‘FREE’ boiler, and the other did not. Of course, the ‘FREE’ boiler could only be fitted by one of HomeServe’s accredited fitters, but I preferred to pay for a new boiler and have it fitted by a company I trusted, rather than risk being ripped off. I made my thoughts clear to HomeServe when they asked why I had chosen another option.

Sadly, on the 1st of December, Pepper passed away. Pepper was Charlotte’s cat, and it was on the same date that her other cat, Murphy, passed away a few years ago, though in much more tragic circumstances. Pepper was loved by all in the family, and his rasping growl would always greet you and let you know when he was hungry. In his later years, he spent much of his time indoors, preferring cuddles and sleep to venturing out into the world. I shall miss that skinny little bundle of fur.

Now that Charlotte is on the road to recovery, we’ve started to resume our usual habits. On the 4th of December, Sue had a U3A walk cancelled due to muddy conditions, so she joined Charlotte and me for lunch at the Red Lion in Clipston. Though Charlotte’s not driving yet, she’s been catching the bus into Harborough to visit friends and, of course, her mum and dad.

On the 7th, the Rothwells came over to Harborough for ‘Late Night Shopping’. This annual event is popular in the area, mostly for street entertainment, free mince pies, and mulled wine, rather than another opportunity to purchase late Christmas presents. It didn’t seem as busy with people or entertainers as in previous years, but the shops and stalls appeared to be very popular. The following day, I attended the annual Christmas luncheon at the rugby club, catching up with old friends and the latest rugby gossip. It was a pleasant, quiet meal, and for once, I arrived home early and under my own steam. How life changes as you get older (and wiser)!

Lucas celebrated his twelfth birthday on the 10th and met up with his friend Hamish from Newark to mark the occasion.

On the 15th, Sue drove to Tenbury Wells to meet Philippa and exchange Christmas presents. They stayed the night at Sheila’s and celebrated Philippa’s birthday with a meal at a local hostelry on Saturday evening before returning home on Sunday. That Saturday morning, I had an early appointment at the Eye Clinic at the Royal in Leicester. I caught the 6.40 am bus from Harborough, as driving after an eye injection wasn’t an option. Annoyingly, I lost my long-distance glasses during the journey. I had only brought them in case they needed to be checked, and ironically, they weren’t. Fortunately, a replacement pair only cost me £15.

My second Christmas dinner of the season was on the 20th with my Thursday night pool-playing friends. We took a taxi to Loddington and dined at The Hare. It was another quiet affair, surrounded by good company in pleasant surroundings.

On Christmas Eve, the family gathered to kick off the festivities. Unfortunately, Sue had contracted the chesty cough that was making its rounds through the town. While the Rothwells went for their traditional afternoon walk into town, I stayed behind with Sue to keep her company and make sure she stayed warm and off her feet. Sarah, Lee, and Mia arrived after work later in the afternoon, bringing with them a pre-ordered selection of handmade pizzas from Asda, which were not only tasty but also incredibly filling. After munching through their personalised Italian Cibo, Charlotte and Sarah got busy preparing the vegetables and turkey for the following day’s meal. Sue, however, took to her bed to rest.

By 8.30 pm, all the prep work had been done, the vegetables were scrubbed, chopped, sliced, and seasoned, and we set off (minus a sleeping Sue) to Kettering for an evening of ten-pin bowling. This was an activity we had enjoyed every Christmas in the past, but it had been put on hold when Lucas and Ellis came along, as it made for a very late night. We bowled until 11.30 pm, having a great time with plenty of family fun and light-hearted wind-ups. However, I was surprised to see that the majority of lanes were empty. In previous years, the place had been packed with families and groups of friends, and you’d have to book months ahead for a lane. The bar was open, and food was available, but where were the good people of Kettering?

Returning to Harborough, we went straight to bed, though Ellis did take a moment to check his tablet for Santa’s current location from NORAD. He confidently announced that Santa was presently in Spain, so it would be a while before he arrived. That was a relief, we wouldn’t want to miss him, would we?

I have it on good authority that Mr Claus had arrived before 5 am, but Sue and I didn’t rouse ourselves until 8 am when all the family gathered around to marvel at the mound of presents surrounding the tree. That must be some sleigh Mr Claus has! You really have to feel for Rudolf and the team; they certainly earned their carrots this year.

After breakfast, Suraj and Ellis took on the roles of the delivery elves, efficiently distributing presents without anyone being left short of things to unwrap for a good hour or so. It was clear that we all received what we had wished for, and more besides. While the suppressed excitement of unwrapping a brightly coloured festive parcel is hard to beat (even when you already know what’s inside), it’s the joy of watching the curiosity and surprise on others’ faces as they open their gifts that truly captures the spirit of Christmas. And, of course, we mustn’t forget the birth of baby Jesus, the true meaning of the season!

The rest of the day unfolded as follows: Sarah and Charlotte, with occasional observations from Sue, cooked a splendid Christmas lunch while the rest of the family enjoyed their presents. After a satisfying feast, with pots, pans, and crockery washed and temporarily put away, toys, gadgets, and electronics were once again perused and ‘sorted out’. Late in the afternoon, all except Sue took an invigorating walk around the Farndon Fields estate, giving Mia some much-needed exercise and helping the passage of freshly digested turkey and trimmings. After preparing and enjoying the evening meal, the family gathered to watch the film Mowgli on the lounge cinema system, a very enjoyable movie. Later, Sarah, Lee, and Mia departed to travel to Lee’s parents in Nottinghamshire to celebrate his birthday.

From my observations, the majority of households in our neighbourhood (at least those with children) seem to follow the same tried and trusted routine for the holiday season. It’s hard to beat. Only 364 more days until we can savour it all again!

Boxing Day began with an appointment for Sue at the walk-in clinic at the local hospital. The diagnosis was that the cough was viral, and antibiotics wouldn’t help; it could take a couple of months for a full recovery. Chesty cough remedies were recommended.

Afterwards, we drove to Peterborough Greyhound Stadium to continue the festivities. We had pre-booked a couple of tables to ensure we wouldn’t have to stand for the afternoon. At £30 per table, it’s pricey, but there’s always the hope that our winnings might cover the cost, though it hasn’t happened so far, and it didn’t this year! Suraj and Lucas were the only ones to show a significant profit; the rest of us crashed and burned to varying degrees. As usual, we took advantage of the bar and fast food outlets to top up our already inflated bread baskets. There was a little excitement early in the afternoon, as during the second race, the hare repeatedly refused to be chased by the six eager greyhounds. Eventually, after much cajoling from the technical staff and plenty of practice runs, he got with the program, and the afternoon ran smoothly. As usual, he didn’t get caught, despite wearing a bright orange jacket that seems to upset the canine population; he’s far too fast.

Due to the delay, it was a late return to Harborough for tea and another evening film session. Ashton joined us briefly to say hello and confirm that she would be joining us for tomorrow’s traditional Christmas Pantomime celebration.

After breakfast, Sue and I looked after Lucas and Ellis while Charlotte and Suraj took advantage of the sales and did some shopping. Later in the morning, Lee and Sarah arrived, and we added Mia to our shepherding duties while they also went off in search of bargains. We all met up again at 5 pm at the Lighthouse Theatre in Kettering to watch the pantomime Aladdin. It was by far the best production we have seen to date. An absolutely magical evening that captured the festive fun of Christmas perfectly. The flying carpet routine left us mesmerised. How did they do it?

We returned home to traditionally finish off the rest of the turkey with the obligatory chips and salad. You can’t beat yuletide food!

On the 28th, everyone left. Sarah and Lee were preparing for their move to Newbold Verdon on the 7th of January, Jamie and Ashton for their move to Desborough on the 24th of January, and the Rothwells were looking after Mia for a week in practice for acquiring their own dog in the near future. I believe they might be homing a greyhound, as I saw Charlotte picking up a few leaflets about retired greyhounds. We shall see how the dummy run with Mia goes. Owning a dog is life-changing, and not just for Christmas (so the advert says).

Over the next few days, Sue struggled with a worsening cough, bouts of coldness, and high temperatures. Early on New Year’s Eve day, she had an appointment with her GP, who confirmed an infection in her right lung and prescribed antibiotics and rest. Upon returning home, she took to her bed and remained there for the rest of the day.

The Rothwells celebrated the New Year at home, watching the London fireworks display on TV. Sarah and Lee travelled to Cotgrave, while Jamie and Ashton booked into a hotel in Nottingham to party there. Sue and I, as in past years, were in bed and listened to the ‘friendly fire’ detonating outside.

New Year’s Day brought no improvement for Sue (but no worsening either), and she remained wrapped in her quilt cocoon, letting the medication work its magic. We were both supposed to travel to Rothwell for lunch, but Sue wasn’t well enough, so I went alone, bringing back a plate for her to eat in bed. The Rothwells had been looking after Mia for nearly a week by now, so I wasn’t surprised to learn they had already picked out a replacement for when Mia returned to Sarah. Pinned to the kitchen door was a poster of ‘Mate.’ Mate is a retired sandy-coloured greyhound, soon to be re-homed in the next two weeks in Rothwell. Charlotte informed me that his racing days are over because he ‘looked at’ the other dogs during his last race. This is a big ‘no-no,’ as it puts the other dogs off. A pretty good tactic, if you ask me, a dog who has learned to psych out the opposition should be kept and raced, not re-homed. I didn’t know, but greyhounds are trained not to look at other dogs. I guess their telepathic skills must be amazing. Perhaps Charlotte, Suraj, and the boys might have just invited a canine psychopath into their home?

This year, I received a Google Home Mini as a Christmas present. It’s a fascinating piece of technology that, I’m sure, will soon infiltrate society, whether for better or worse. Being one of the ‘good guys,’ I don’t anticipate having to worry about the little sphere sitting in the lounge listening in on what’s happening at the Palmer home (no matter who’s secretly in control). But, I certainly wouldn’t have one near me if I had criminal tendencies. However, based on my experience, most wrongdoers aren’t the brightest cookies and would probably possess one anyway.

On January 2nd, Sue started to feel a bit better and managed to leave her cocoon to come downstairs. We had the central heating on and lit the wood burner in the lounge to warm her as she moved around the house. During the morning, we stripped the Christmas tree, and I dug out the large suitcases from the loft to pack in preparation for our (fingers crossed) imminent cruise. Frustratingly, we’re still waiting for the cruise tickets to arrive. I’ve emailed scanned copies of the tickets, but the actual ones were sent by special delivery and should have arrived by now. I feel a critical review may be on the horizon!