First big event is Feelie swimming 5k to raise money for the school.
Can just make out the sheep.
Looks ok when enlarged.
Taken the girls to the BFG at Stratford.
Did a visit to East End seeing old friends. The quarry looks quite neglected which must be a haven for wildlife.
Marie and Fritz.
Sunday 21st the longest night of the year and the children are cooking lunch for their parents.
The three little alcoves are my effort at decorations.
We didn't do the annual one of me and the kids as we had all that earlier in the year.
That is 200 lengths. She raised over £1000, amazing.
Misty morning after torrential rain yesterday.
And here is an attempt at photographing a web.
Effie at her singing event.
The pheasant which saw all other males off is now king in my garden but alone.
The view from the living room. It's not cold.
Then had lunch at Burford garden Centre where in the art exhibition I noticed that large acrylic paintings of flowers were in abundance.
Cousin Marie turned 80. Had lunch with Jane on Dad's birthday.
After torrential rain on 18th brilliant sunshine and about 9 degrees on 19th.
Plenty of seagulls wheeling then settling on the flooded fields.
Here is the beautiful menu Otis created.
Helens worksheet for the mill. Because the water is so high the wheel is turning and turning but of course no grain yet.
Xmas eve was counted as Xmas day for
present giving as Forbes all gathering in Ham for perhaps last time there now that Ron has moved to Guernsey and Anthea follows.
Chris Rea died so playing his cd Road to Hell.
I painted wrapping paper this year and so will experiment with different papers in the future.
On the world stage
Trump is seizing Venezuelan oil tankers
More Epstein files are released
Government has U-turned on Farm inheritance tax
A massive shooting on Bondi beach on Hannuka
While we carry on planning holidays and enjoy each other's company though Robert hasn't been in touch but hope he is happy and not lonely.
Had a peaceful happy time with Lisa, Darcey and Alex.
A Heron with hundreds of seagulls feasting this sunny morning.
Having astonishing sunny weather though temps in single figures but if you didn't know that you could be far away in a hot place though of course bare trees.
Snowdrops popping up and even the odd tulip is breaking ground.
Lisa gave me at my request the Penguin Cafe Orchestra cds, don't know how I missed them in the 80s and 90s, wonderful synthetic / technology mixed with real instruments. I love it and it can join my small selection of music, Irish, leonard Cohen, mozart, Chris Rea and Simon and Garfunkel that's enough.
Two rather poor photos of a post Xmas party.
Apart from Brigette Bardot dying nothing else to report today.