A belated happy New Year to one and all. Our festive break back in Blighty was highly enjoyable. 3500km of driving, 4 different beds, 2 football matches and 12 days of overeating & overdrinking - it all passed in a bit of a blur. Perhaps I should have cut down a bit on the last mentioned excess...
We really started the festivities the penultimate weekend before Christmas, celebrating la bienheureuse's birthday with a 2 day break at Meribel. Sunshine, plentiful snow, near empty pistes - hard to beat. There was rather a bitter east wind (la bize) though, and the cold snap continued into the following weekend. For the drive up to Calais on the Friday morning the autoroutes were lined with trees covered in hoar frost. A beautiful winter wonderland without the snow. We had a good journey - empty roads until guess where? The M25 and the Dartford crossing of course. Is there a campaign for tolls in British motorways I can join?
Nonetheless got to Cambridge by early evening, in time for a pleasant evening chez Mr G and his rhyming lady. Equally enjoyable following day, witnessing the red forces of good triumph over the dark side of north London, then a drive up to chez la belle-mère in Cheshire, our base for the Christmas section of the holiday.
Sun 23rd - shopping in Chester completed relatively painlessly, apart from lengthy queue for park & ride bus in pouring rain.
Christmas Day - passed as enjoyably as usual chez le beau-frère, famille et chiens. Ate too much, drank enough, demonstrated average Pick-up-Sticks ability, failed to venture outside.
Boxing Day - visited frère numéro trois, belle-soeur, 2 nièces, 2 neveux, 2 chats & 1 chien. Rats now believed deceased. Spent most of the day Wii-ing. Whacked (accidentally) niece & sofa through over-enthusiasm with Wii-wotsit...
Thu 27th - ambitious family gathering at a pub near Northwich started inauspiciously when 2 brothers, 1 girlfriend and 1 sister were 2 hours late. Traffic jam on M6 and getting lost to blame respectively. Nonetheless a very enjoyable meal & couple of hours, after which those family members sans enfants returned to west Cheshire base, where la belle-mère had generously and foolhardily offered to host a subsequent family meal in the evening. Ate & drank too much again.
Fri 28th - spent morning in Chester with siblings in pouring rain, most of it in a pub, then joined la bienheureuse and her family back chez le beau-frère in N Wales. Ate too much again, failed to venture outside again.
Sat 29th - drove to a rendezvous near Frodsham with brother no 3 to pick up nephew no 1, then drove through pouring rain to watch Everton - Arsenal match. 1-0 down at half time, totally outplayed, nephew displaying scant signs of enjoying the experience - wondered whether this had been such a good idea. However, a couple of long balls and 4 goals can change everything. Nephew perked up, the evil red Mancunian empire suffered defeat to the Irons, the right team on top of the league, and all was well with the world.
Sun 30th - drove up to the northern Lakes, met up with the Wigs at the house of their friends who weren't there, Mr G, the rhyming lady and Harry turned up later, ate too much Cumberland banger & mash, drank too much. Good evening apart from losing at Trivial Pursuit to JeB.
Mon 31st - provisions purchased, walked the length of Thirlmere and back in the lengthening gloom and lowering mist. Harry enjoyed it anyway. Excellent evening meal, ate too much, drank much too much, lost an interminable and unfathomable card game called Phase 10 to the only sober person present. FCD Sogs, we salute you.
Tue 1st Jan - nursed hangover while la bienheureuse drove most of the 500km+ to Bexleyheath. Spent the evening nursing hangover chez les Docteurs C & sons.
Wed 2nd Jan - caught ferry at 10am, drove home. 850km in a day. Autoroutes empty apart from a constant stream of camions from Langres south.
