Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 17 December 2023

After another few hours, we began to rock about a bit! The ship was crossing the Bay of Biscay, which can be choppy, and the remains of the storm were still evident, even though the worst of it had passed. It got worse, and we didn't fancy a meal in the main dining room, so we ate a snack in the buffet and went to bed. As we plunged up and down, we found we slid across our beds!! My OH took some travel pills, and cursed the fact that we had gone in winter.

We were heading for Norhern Spain, which wasn't on our original itinerary. 

LINDA – Your cousin must be somewhere in northern half of Aus. Adelaide is expecting 21 C today. Those Irish towns with pastel buildings are so attractive. Ugh, don't like the way your travelogue is heading.

Shhh. I prefer no lights on χmas trees.

Food shopping this morn. Note that we have the usual pre-χmas argument about hours/days shops are open. I was amused that Someone wrote a Letter to Editor that people are busy shopping for food for 20 days although shops are only closed for 12 hours.

Well, I think everyone must be busy today doing pre Christmas things!!!!

Thanks for the travelogue Lindy. You have left us in the middle of a stormy sea!!!!!!!

I have been to Shrewsbury today on the train with a friend. We went to see the exhibition of Christmas trees in the lovely Georgian St Chads Church. It’s a bit of a tradition with us. We had lunch in our favourite cafe (hot turkey bap with stuffing, cranberry sauce and pigs in blankets!!!!!) YUM. Finally we had a little walk in the lovely park leading down to the river before catching the train back.

St Chads Church

A couple of views of the trees which were donated and decorated by local organisations and businesses. Some of the decorations were really imaginative.

OG – I miss you and your chatter. I hope you are OK in your hibernation or isolation or whatever you may name it.

HEATHER – I hope they “let you out” for Christmas. If not to your own home, at least to the “protective custody” of your family.

RUSTY – What a delightful way to celebrate Christmas. St Chad’s is impressive. I Googled it and I like their motto – “open doors, open hearts and open minds”.

I have worked through my pre- χmas To Do list, now only one phone call, cleaning and last minute cooking to do. That’s plenty!!! Dau has been busy with the Trio home for summer holidays, plus MissL has a strange summer virus - lack of energy, lack of appetite. I wish we lived closer and I had more time to help. I heard from AgedCare people that a builder has been chosen to install our bathroom rails. . . but they close for χmas. I hope they don’t take the traditional 3-week January holiday.

St. Chad sounds like he's a cool dude - the patron saint of surfers? (Just kidding)

When I was very young I was told there was a saint's day for every day of the year - I was at an Anglo-Catholic boarding school. So I looked at the list and discovered 'my' saint was St Chad. Of course the only 'Chad' I knew about was the wartime cartoon - for those too young to remember (and I only knew about it way after the war!!), you can read about it here en.wikipedia.org/.../Kilroy_was_here

I remember Chad, Pat!! We even drew him on the wall underneath our wallpaper in our last house, for the new people to find when they redecorated!

I'm very busy, working through my To Do List. First thing today, I wrote a really long post here and then found it wouldn't post, however I tried... Grr. Not got time to repeat it, now - maybe later....

LINDY Why is it that only the long posts misbehave???

Never heard of Chad.....must look him up.

Hello everybody, just read quickly through all your news - lovely to hear what you have been up to.
Dau finally finished for the holidays and has gone into town to do some last minute shopping, I have my Christmas
shop being delivered tomorrow. 2 days on our own and then up to Manchester to see my brother on the 27th.
Son and DinL taking us out for dinner tonight as they will be in Bristol over the Christmas period - going to a rather posh Chinese restaurant near where they live.

Do hope that you are all keeping well and hope that those who are suffering will soon feel better. Blessings for the coming Season and a Peaceful New Year to you all.

Chad? Kilroy?. . . . no, no, he is Foo.