Saturday December 1^st , and first business was to go to the Bell at Winslow over lunch, where we helped Les celebrate his 60^th. In the evening we joined the Grays in going over to dinner at Helene and Jonathan’s. A good start to the month for West Ham, with a 3-0 victory at Newcastle.

Sunday 2^nd December we put the advent wreath together. Well, when I say ‘we’, I mean Tricia J. In the evening I went across to a curry house near Didcot, where I met up with my two brothers for a catch up and a curry. Robbie and Amy went over to Blenheim for the Christmas lights, which they enjoyed as much as we did the previous year. Monday 3^rd was the Brownie Xmas Disco.

Wednesday I went to the football with Bob in the evening. West Ham 3 Cardiff 1. Two wins in a few days, we needed that. During the day Tricia had been across to visit Dorchester Abbey near Oxford with Pat, Clive and Janet. In the evening Tricia went to ‘Wesley Flix’, a film showing at the Wesley Ctr. The film was ‘A Street Cat named Bob’.

On the 7^th, Tricia was at the local church to see the Stewkley Singers. On the Saturday Bob and I were yet again off to London. This time West Ham beat Crystal Palace 3-2… 3 wins in a week! In the afternoon Tricia had been across at Waddesdon to see the lights. She didn’t think they were up to much. The following week Tricia went up to Lincoln to collect Ellie. I finished painting the ensuite. On Sunday we finally got the lights up outside.

Ellie did Christmas dinner for her flatmates before coming back.

On the Saturday we went to a tea house at Bedford with Nikki and Matt. The winning streak continued… Fulham 0 West Ham 2. On the Sunday Tricia went up to the Lights of Friendship service. She took Reg, who was very well behaved in church apparently. Monday evening Tricia was with the Rotary float around North Marston, raising money for the Brownie unit. Tuesday evening I was at the school in the evening with Ellie for her A Level certificate presentation evening. Ellie was by this time, back working for M&S for the Christmas period.

Wednesday didn’t start so well. My breakfast seemed crunchy… seems this was on account of one of my teeth breaking. So I was off to the dentist, who did a fine job in repairing it. The cost of a filling and a new car battery for Tricia’s car was not what was wanted just before Christmas. In the evening I was out with Tricia helping do the Rotary float in Granboro’. Here we have the lights at Waddesdon, Reg out on a walk, Roy Randles as Father Christmas on the Rotary float, the Christmas tree, replete with Pickles the cat… and part of the mass mince pie production!

Thursday evening  I was in a ‘Mummers’ play… something we had been rehearsing for a few weeks, putting on a small seasonal sketch in the Wesley Centre, pubs in Quainton, Oving and North Marston. All went very well, and we raised a few hundred pounds for charity. Tricia was at a girly evening.

Tricia shut up shop in TLC on Friday 21^st, after being flat out for a month. Saturday, Bob and I went off to see West Ham against Watford… hoping to see our 5^th win in a row. But it wasn’t to be. We lost 0-2. Sunday morning I went with Tricia to a spin class. A good workout. Then in the afternoon we went to Cathy and Trevor Lane’s for a Christmas social.

On Christmas Eve Ellie and I read at the local church in the Carol service. Matt came along with us. Then back home we had a Chinese, before Ellie and Matt went up to the pub. Peter York made his customary ‘Father Christmas’ visit. Tricia went up to midnight mass.

Christmas morning I was up before everyone else and took Reg for a good walk. Very peaceful. And then we had a traditional day, breakfast with Bucks Fizz, presents, big Christmas lunch, Nikki and Matt came over, we watched a film and then bed. Boxing Day was similar, I was up early for a walk with Reg, and then there was a lot of prep before we had a visit from Tricia’s family, and Rob and Amy and Nikki came across. A full table. In the evening I went with Tricia to Pat and Clive’s where we had a drink before going up to the pub for the Quiz. Nikki joined us. A good evening.

I took advantage of being at home on the 27^th to go to a spin class. In the evening Tricia and me went across to Bracknell for Scott’s 21^st. Then on the 28^th, I went to spin again. And the 29^th. And the 30^th. Can’t say I didn’t get my exercise in over the Christmas period. Tricia joined me on the 30^th. In the afternoon of the 30^th we went up to London with Robbie and Amy to see the lights at London Zoo. Originally we had intended to go with Pat and Clive, but they were down with some horrible lurgy. Here we have Scott with Tricia and me, then with Mum and Dad… and finally Scott showing off a dreadful Liverpool shirt! And then some pics from the trip to London Zoo.

New Year’s Eve was spent with the Webbs and Docwras … the usual yearly bash, Webbs were hosting. I did a quiz. No Robinsons as they were still ill. Tricia had taken Reg out for a few hours earlier in the day. We got home just after 1, made sure the hound was ok and off to bed. Here we are … nice loud suit from me. 🙂

Today… 1^st Jan. A relatively quiet day. I took Reg out for a good walk. Ellie and Matt had lunch with us… we then played a game called ‘Ticket to Ride’. I am not normally a board gam,es person, but this was quite good. This evening Tricia has taken down the tree and returned it and all its baubles to the loft for another year. Tonight is the World Darts Final. Game on :-).