Monday 28 December 2009

Winter Wonderland



I hope everyone had a magical Christmas. I was going to post about mine but decided other people's Christmases (much like other people's children) are interesting only to those closely involved. Suffice it to say, it was great - way, way better than last year's when I was skint (through not reading my contract), as this year I'd done the (unusual for me) b-thing and Budgeted!


Elle and The Doctor were here, the outlaws weren't, friends came from all over the place - and we had a lovely, lovely time. And that's about as much as I feel I should bore you with. So, for this post-Christmas pre-New Year blog I thought I'd post some pretty festive pics of last week's wonderfully seasonal weather instead...

It does go to prove that a heavy snowfall can transform even the most mundane landscape into something completely sublime. Our estate (council) and the terrace (basic) and the green (pretty but functional) were suddenly turned into images of Larkrise-to-Cranford-cum-Disney-via-every-Dickensian-Christmas-card-scene ever published... I took all these from our house in a state of childish excitement (not a new emotion for me, I must admit) at the sight of Proper Snow.

Fortunately The Toyboy Trucker eventually arrived home late on Christmas Eve after two weeks away battling through the ice, snowdrifts, and disgruntled unfestive customers who'd ordered their Christmas presents on t'internet and expected them to arrive the same way - i.e. through the ether without the interference of lots of Real People, Real Vehicles, and Diabolical Weather Conditions. When he got here it was like one of those heartwarming 1940s films with Daddy making it home just in time for Christmas... it was really romantic and old-fashioned and just - well - lovely...





And now, according to the weather forecast, we're going to have a snowy, arctic re-run for the New Year. Great for me being snug and warm and happily typing. Great for the cats all snug and warm and hogging the radiators/fires/beds. Not so great for The Toyboy Trucker and everyone else out there working to keep the country ticking over. Thinking of you - you're all stars.

Oh, and here's to an amazing, safe, happy, successful and peaceful 2010 - just in case I don't blog again in 2009 (no sorry - still can't believe it's over - where did it go???)

Happy New Year!!!

17 comments:

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

What beautiful photos. We only had one day of 'proper' snow, and that didn't last very long.

Glad TBT arrived home in time to celebrate Christmas and here's to a wonderful 2010.

Christina Jones said...

Debs - thank you. I bet your snow looked gorgeous though... Hope your Christmas was brilliant and that 2010 brings you everything you could ever wish for. C x

Jan Jones said...

Glad you had a fab Christmas, Chris!

Our snow was beautiful the first day... but the novelty wears off the more you have to go out in it.

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

Great photos. We've had so much snow for so long I've forgotten what the place looks like without it. So pretty - but such a pain to drive in.

Have a terrific New Year.

Jayne said...

Gorgeous photos Chris!! I got to see lots of 'proper' snow and of course it makes for a very busy time in work too, what with all the road closures and accidents! Looks like we have more forecast from tomorrow too, just in time for me going back to work in the morning! Great! hehehehe
Wishing you a happy, healthy and successful 2010 :) xx

Colette McCormick said...

Glad to hear you had a good Christmas.
Here's wishing you and yours a great 2010.

Christina Jones said...

Jan - thank you - I took your very good fiscal advice after last year's - um - cock up and it worked!!! Agree about the snow - fab to look at, hell to get about in...

Suzanne - thank you - I hope you have a great new year too - and reluctantly have to agree - snow is magical when it's new but it can become a pain when you need to - well - do stuff...

Jayne - good luck with the snow and work!!! And I hope 2010 brings you everything you've ever dreamed of. C x

Christina Jones said...

Colette - thank you - hope yours was really great too - and here's wishing you a brilliant new year.

Martin said...

Great seasonal photos Christina. Very best wishes for 2010!

Pat Posner said...

Glad you had a good one, Chris.

If I wrote my thoughts on the snow, I'd be struck off blog-land!

Healthy, Happy 2010 to you and yours
xxPat

Christina Jones said...

Martin - thank you. And thanks for your blog-friendship - and I hope 2010 is wonderful for you too.

Pat - oh, I KNOW... but it is pretty... hope your Christmas was fab - and here's to an amazingly successful 2010! C x

alzamina said...

Great Pictures - we still have a little snow up here but is now mostly ice. The farmyard is like a skating rink - On Monday I was carrying 2 large buckets of feed for 2 heavy horses who were insisting they were absolutley starving and never fed. As I neared their paddock, one leg went left and the other right and my feet went the opposite way to everything else! I did a wonderful Bambi impression across the yard and I'm sure that the ruddy Clydesdale and Shire were laughing as their feed was almost delivered by airmail! The Shire nearly got his in his ear - which is not bad considering he is about 18.2hh (over 6') at the shoulder and much much taller with his head in the air and I am only 5'5"!!!!

I promise not to order too much online so that TBT does not have to deliver to the frozen north!!!!! :-)

Christina Jones said...

alzamina - thanks, as always, for making me laugh. Long may laughing continue for both of us in 2010! Hope you and the horses are fine. TTT is back at work, no snow left much down here now - just Noah-type rain, rain and more rain...

Chris Stovell said...

So true about other people's children and, yes, Christmases too. Keep telling it like it is, Chris! Thanks for all the entertaining and refreshingly honest posts this year. Here's wishing you many more successes in 2010.

Christina Jones said...

ChrisH - and thank you for understanding and for not being offended by any of it. Will keep on being honest as long as I'm allowed to be... I hope 2010 will be your best year ever, ever, ever.

ptasia said...

Happy New Year! Snow is fab this time of the year. We had quite a lot before Xmas and it snowed 2 days ago, but unfortunately Christmas Eve was cold and grey and Christmas Day was warm and wet! And I supposedly live in a country where you might expect it to be all white at least 3 months a year (well, maybe it did long, long time ago... way before global warming...). Right now it's perfect Winter Wonderland, like in your pics.

Christina Jones said...

ptasia - so glad Poland is white and wintery and wonderful at the moment - I, in my total geographic ignorance, think it's always snowy there - will get there one day and find out. Always wanted to go. Happy New Year to you - white or wet - and thanks so much for everything.