Catching up on Christmas
This morning brought another newcomer to the birdtable; a blackcap!
I booked the beginning of last week off work, so I spent the last few days before Xmas in Manchester with the household of saintmaryuk. It's becoming a tradition that I spend Xmas there and New Year in Wales...
I travelled up to Manchester on the friday, the day the snow arrived. I had feared my elaborate plans to avoid being trapped in the snow might have been a little eccentric, but they proved totally justified. The snow was heavy enough in the morning to be a serious hazard, and I was enormously glad I'd left the car right outside the test centre. I made it to Manchester in the evening without getting stuck at any point. The following night Dad did a trip of about 12 miles to visit another preacher on the local circuit, and ended up spending the night on their sofa, having spent several hours stuck en route there and realising he wasn't going to get back home. I felt a lot less eccentric and a lot more smug after hearing that.
I chilled out lots, visited the Imperial War Museum in Manchester, failed to take part in the carols at the party on saturday, and spent tuesday morning building a snow Dalek with Tim and Kev. And on wednesday morning I was up early enough to see the Dalek lit by the sunrise.
And just over the fields from Mary's house is Manchester Airport, so I was able to catch this pic of the sunrise itself.
More pics in the gallery.
The family Christmas (on Boxing Day) went very well, and I have come way from it with Mirrormask and much Blake's 7 to watch on DVD, plus music from Steve Hackett, a new modem router, and an unhealthy amount of chocolate. And among other things I burned a CD for my brother filled with some of the best mashups I've found over the last few years. I look forward to hearing how he enjoyed that.
Shopped for food today and consequently ended up lunching on some rather delicious pizza. And tomorrow I will have a good wander round the sales.
I booked the beginning of last week off work, so I spent the last few days before Xmas in Manchester with the household of saintmaryuk. It's becoming a tradition that I spend Xmas there and New Year in Wales...
I travelled up to Manchester on the friday, the day the snow arrived. I had feared my elaborate plans to avoid being trapped in the snow might have been a little eccentric, but they proved totally justified. The snow was heavy enough in the morning to be a serious hazard, and I was enormously glad I'd left the car right outside the test centre. I made it to Manchester in the evening without getting stuck at any point. The following night Dad did a trip of about 12 miles to visit another preacher on the local circuit, and ended up spending the night on their sofa, having spent several hours stuck en route there and realising he wasn't going to get back home. I felt a lot less eccentric and a lot more smug after hearing that.
I chilled out lots, visited the Imperial War Museum in Manchester, failed to take part in the carols at the party on saturday, and spent tuesday morning building a snow Dalek with Tim and Kev. And on wednesday morning I was up early enough to see the Dalek lit by the sunrise.
And just over the fields from Mary's house is Manchester Airport, so I was able to catch this pic of the sunrise itself.
More pics in the gallery.
The family Christmas (on Boxing Day) went very well, and I have come way from it with Mirrormask and much Blake's 7 to watch on DVD, plus music from Steve Hackett, a new modem router, and an unhealthy amount of chocolate. And among other things I burned a CD for my brother filled with some of the best mashups I've found over the last few years. I look forward to hearing how he enjoyed that.
Shopped for food today and consequently ended up lunching on some rather delicious pizza. And tomorrow I will have a good wander round the sales.