Window on the World: December 2010

December 2010

1.12.10: The last month in the year, can you believe it? Also the month when I will be 'celebrating' my birthday. Today was sunny and bright and I spent much of the morning outside with my camera. It was rather cold, but such fun to be part of a white landscape. Had a call from the Eco Centre to let me know that Thursday's lesson is cancelled, also minutes later two calls telling me that all classes in Derby are cancelled for this week. Also a call to say tomorrow's class at Etwall Children's Centre is cancelled and the Christmas Fun Day at Ironville on Saturday. Sadly, I will have lost over £300 this week through cancelled lessons...

02.12.10: A very dull day today with yet more snow. A welcome break in the cloud letting the sun through briefly gave me just enough time to take a photos of the icicles outside.

03.12.10: You can have too much of a good thing and when today came and there was no chance of a thaw or being able to get out anywhere (not even the buses are running) I did feel myself getting a little 'stir crazy' (where does that phrase come from?) A Friday without a trip to the shops... Luckily Graham was home from a week in Plymouth (with no snow) and we made it to Morissons for food shopping.

04.12.10: Went to town as I needed some things, but we went early and had great difficulty finding a parking space. Was rather overwhelmed by the number of people in the Westfield Centre, so came home as soon as we could.

05.12.10. Spent the morning preparing Sunday lunch and persuaded (begged) Graham to take me out in the afternoon. Had hoped to go and take some photos of Heage Windmill in the snow. When we got there, the snow was still so deep there was nowhere safe to park, so ended coming straight home. Came back via Little Eaton, as we drove along Eaton Bank the river was shrouded in freezing mist. I asked Graham to drop me off and said I would walk home. It took me a while, but I managed it, just - Hermione wasn't exactly happy....

06.12.10: Another freezing cold day. One piano pupil managed to come, but none of the others came. Took Graham for a long walk across the golf course to Brackley Gate and home via the road. The trip was notable by the size of the ice crystals we photographed.

07.12.10: There is something always magical about haw frost and this morning even Graham encouraged me to get out with my camera. I paused only to cancel yet more piano lessons...

08.12.10: Still no real thaw, but two piano pupils made it to their lesson - hurray!

09.12.10: Up early and in my car for the first time in over a fortnight. Had to leave at 8.30am to make sure I reached Etwall in time for a 9.30am start. We were expecting 12 adults and 14 under fours, but in the event we eventually had four adults and four children. We made Reindeer bags, snowy branches and an expanding Snowman - none were my ideas. All the samples were made up and I just had to explain how to make them. Came home, had some lunch and then went out to the shops - hurray! Even Hermione enjoyed her day!

10.12.10: Went to Jewellry class at Village, the end of this autumn term. Of the 9 expected, only three turned up - it could have been worse... I'm hoping to run an Advanced Beading Course beginning 14th January 2011 and those there were keen to enrol, until they found out the cost. -Christmas shopping in the afternoon and late home.

11.12.10: My dad's 82nd birthday.

13.12.10: Early start as had meeting in London. Caught the 9.01am train. Luckily no snow in the centre of town now. Made my way to St James' Square and bumped into Christine at the Underground. Outside it was really cold, but inside it was very warm. Everything was going reasonably smoothly until it came for me to update everyone on the website. A comment was made about the look of the website which although not unfair was pretty thoughtless and has made me reconsider my role within the organisation to the point where I am seriously considering 'stepping down'. Caught 5 o'clock train and was home by 7.30pm.

14.12.10: My uncle's 77th birthday. Spent day catching up on website giving piano lessons, washing and packing. Had to forego a meal out with my tap class in favour of attending a fuddle at the Rycote Centre. Was pleased that I did go briefly, a group from my class had made some lovely things to sell as well as making up some of the projects we had covered in class. Also had the opportunity to chat with Philippa - and make plans to meet up in the New Year.

15.12.10: Off on holiday! Left the house at 8.30am and with a delay on the motorway, reached East Midlands Airport at 10 past 9. Arrived at St Marco Airport, Venice at 2.30pm and picked up car and was at the hotel by 3.30pm. Quick trip to the local supermarket to pick up something for tea and set off in a northerly direction to see some sights (in the dark) We were heading for the sea-side, but as Graham was keen to access the internet, we stopped in San Dona di Pieve having driven past a Vodaphone shop. Once on foot we discovered a Christmas market where there was a full size Nativity carved from wood and a Christmas funfair. Both quite beautiful, but oh so cold! Back at the hotel we had bar meals of roast beef, ham and toasted cheese and some warming chips.

16.12.10: My birthday! Up for 8.30am, breakfasted by 9.30am and ready to board the train by 10 o'clock. We spent the whole day in our favourite city, Venice. The morning was mostly sunny, although very cold, I was prepared with my five layers. This time we walked from the station to San Marco along the main shopping street. We saw lots to keep our interest, (even Graham's) and stopped off at a simple but adequate restaurant before reaching the square. It was wonderful to be in the centre of Venice and it be relatively empty. Having walked past the campanile we spent the afternoon in the Palazzo Ducale, somewhere I'd always wanted to visit, but didn't want to have to queue up for hours as they do in the summer. We had the palace almost to ourselves and inside it proved to be as magnificent as I had hoped. Having taken some photos of the canal at sunset, we then walked all the way back to the station. I'm sure we lasted longer and were less tired enduring the cold rather than the heat of summer. That night Graham treated us to a meal in the restaurant, beginning with delicious soup, followed by sea bass.

17.12.10: The weather was dull outside today and the forecast was for snow. I wasn't keen to stay in the hotel or visit shops, so we hit on a compromise of driving to Lake Garda and hoping that the weather would get better. Unfortunately we watched the temperature gauge get colder and colder and the snow fall heavier and heavier as the day progressed. With the ipad on my knee, I looked up somewhere to head for and settled on the most famous resort of Lake Garda, Sermione - a fortified town with a magnificent castle and large red brick ruins called Catullus' Grotto. We battled our way to Catullus' Grotto in the driving snow and walked around the ruins to get a feel of what it would have been like to live there in it's 'hay-day'. Having studied Catullus's poems for my Latin 'O' Level, I felt it was the least I could do. So I was very disappointed to find out later that Catullus could not have lived there as he died before it was built...! We had something to eat and then headed home in yet more snow that was by now insisting on settling on the motorway. Our mood was not helped by missing our exit turn, getting stuck in a long traffic queue before being able to retrace our steps, prolonging our journey by an hour. (my fault...?)

18.12.10: The next day, the sun was out and the snow as pretty as a picture postcard - just as the forecast had predicted. We breathed a sigh of relief and jumped in the car and headed for the snowy mountains. It was incredibly cold - minus 6, but it's difficult not to be excited and what to get out in it when it looks so beautiful. Again the iPad helped me to choose the town of Cortina to head to. As it turned out, this was the location where the ski chase in James' Bond "For your Eyes Only" was filmed and parts of "Cliffhanger" too. By the time we arrived it was 3.00pm and getting colder by the minute. Although the town had lots of interesting buildings and shops, we needed to find the toilets first, where the hand driers helped me to regain the circulation in my hands and feet. A short way away we found a cable car station and having watching them come in and depart we thought it might be fun to have a ride ourselves. Going up we had the car to ourselves and had to change cars after the first stage. The second stage, after the first gentle incline, travelled almost vertically and I remember wondering how I would cope on our homeward journey. Once at the top, the views were predictably breathtaking, but less predictable was the hundreds of skiers and snowboarders who were swarming over the snowy summit accompanied by a commentator and extremely loud music! We only lasted about 10 minutes before we decided to queue to come down again. I needn't have worried about looking out of the cable car on the way down. We were packed in like sardines and realised that some of our fellow returnees were from the Winter Olympic's Danish snowboarding team! By now it was past four o'clock and almost dark. We had a quick look round the remaining Christmas market stalls, treated ourselves to a drink of hot chocolate (with a dash of rum) bought one or two mementoes and then settled back in the car for a long drive back to the hotel.

19.12.10: Quite a dull day, so lucky we were just filling in time before flying back to the UK. We spent an hour in a shopping centre and then had a fraught hour travelling back to the airport trying to find a petrol station to fill up the car. It will be etched indelibly on our memory that no petrol stations are open on a Sunday or rather they are open but not manned and only accept paper money of which we had none...

We we had been enjoying the snowy weather in Italy, lots of airports in the UK had been closed. Luckily East Midlands was open and we weren't delayed. The only strange thing that happened was that half the airplane was occupied by a Rugby team from Wales...

Back home, it was lovely to collect Lucy from her shopping expedition and the house still be as tidy as we left it.

20.12.10. Graham was due to go to Plymouth until Wednesday, but with new thick snow, he decided to stay at home (very wise move...) Lucy went to Leicester on the train to help out at their Oxfam shop.

21.12.10. Lucy helped out at the Oxfam shop in Derby. Robert came home for the holiday. Took Robert into town, met up with Lucy and did some shopping.

22.12.10. Lucy went to see friend in Lincoln, snow bad so they met up in Newark - Steven drove her. Robert and Graham came with me to Sainsbury's to buy everything we needed for Christmas. Found the whole trip and the weather (yet more snow) quite traumatising... Went for a really long (short for Robert) walk while it snowed gently - to Breadsall and back via Drum Hill.

23.12.10. Took Robert and Lucy to the Designer Outlet at South Normanton. Interestingly very few people there. Bought some shirts for Robert from Gap, his new favourite shop for shirts. 24.12.10 Robert wanted to repeat a walk we did in the summer of 2008 over at Osmaston. Took us ages to find it (I was not happy about being out in my new car on packed ice that no-one had gritted. However, got some stunning photos just before the light disappeared.

25.12.10. Christmas Day. It was perhaps the best Christmas we had had together. Snow on the ground, brilliant sunshine and the family all together. We walked to Morley church over snowy fields and magically someone had brought their 5 month old baby to the service. I was asked who I was and the lady having established that I run ukhandknitting.com promised me a pile of old knitting needles! Back in time to cook dinner and then go for a long walk to Brackley Gate and back. Opening of presents, game of Scrabble. What more could you ask...

26.12 10. Trip to Yorkshire Sculpture Park for some delicious lunch and a walk (the long way) around the grounds.

28.12.10. Off to the parents, taking food parcels with us. Very deep snow and thick fog, much more than we had the first time round. Robert made a snowman (giant) and half an igloo (ig?) Went to see Ted and Chris in the evening and heard about their recent 6 week trip around New Zealand.

29.12.10. Left around 11.30am in very thick fog still and went to Cheltenham. Met up with Graham's mum and brother and had lunch at a restaurant. Not brilliant, but adequate. Went back to Dave's house. Left about 4.30pm and went to my sister's in Solihull to deliver their presents. Home by 8.30pm.

30.12.10. Took Robert and Lucy to Nottingham. Robert and I went to the Gallery (pants) and then round a few shops. Not a brilliant afternoon and when we got back, Robert packed up and went back to Cambridge.

31.12.10. Left Graham busy in the garage while Lucy and I went to Aldi and then Ikea. Collected fish and chips for tea on the way back, which was lucky as we were just tucking in when the electricity cut out. Had a power cut for about 2 hours, coming back on around 8.40pm. We were still watching television when it went off again at 12.50am, so went to bed...