I'm Still Here

I've been quiet lately.  Saving money for my next adventure and planning ones I did not expect.
I've been back in the UK for three weeks now and it seems like yesterday I flew in.  The jet lag was non existent this time, either I am getting used to this flying thing or the sleeping pills Danny gave me before I left really helped.  I slept for 5 hours during the return trip, waking up in time for breakfast.  The flight home was a challenging one, I first had to fly to Dublin, then Munich and then on to Toronto.  Once I got home, Leah wanted us to go to the park to see the Christmas lights and ride a horse drawn wagon through the park.  Her reason seemed sound enough, "there might not be more snow and it makes everything so much better".  After almost forty hours of consciousness my head finally hit the pillows.
Christmas was wonderful with all our usual traditions.  We had Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve (that was new). We had our gingerbread decorating contest, Christmas breakfast, another Christmas dinner with Jim's family and my mom (that was new too), I made Chocolate Crinkles and then New years with wonderful friends.  With only two weeks to enjoy I kept a low profile and visited only with my family.
It was hard to say goodbye once again but this time I have the knowledge that it is the last time.
The thought of leaving here is killing me.  I have a great job.  I've had the pleasure to get to know my family, and my friendships that I've made mean so much to me.

Leah had my big tree up with all her decorations and I have to say it looked beautiful.

Amy joined us.

Off to Waterloo park to see the lights in the snow.

Ohhhh Canada.

Leah and Matt.

Leah had my little tree set up in the house too but when we were leaving one night I stole it.  I won this one from the Maycourt Ladies one year and I love it.  It looked like the perfect tree for my Welsh decoration, the Welsh dragon wishing you a Merry Christmas in Welsh of course.

I forgot how much I missed the little things like my stained glass snowman.

This is what I live for, my family altogether.  This is our gingerbread decorating contest.   The shops were sold out of houses by the time I got home so we made do with trains.

Andrew's girlfriend Meghn.

Stepdaughter Jen and son Lucas.  Lucas ate the roof before we had a chance to join it to the building. Not sure if he's a good competitor or not but he did add Cheerios, something I had not thought of.

Andrew and Meghn's train.

So luck would have it we had a giant snowfall on New Year's Day.  I insisted we go for a walk.  Funny thing…. everyone else in Waterloo was inside staying warm.  Once we were out in it for a few minutes I realized how ridiculous my idea was.  When we got into the bush a bit we were protected from the wind and it was beautiful.

I entered this one and the one below in a competition at the camera club and this one placed 8 out of 50.  I called it Stumped, it is the bottom of Laurel Creek.

We only got in one skating session.  I can't wait to make this a regular thing once again with Lexi.

Always looking forward.

Getting that "Christmas Feeling"

We  went to Chatsworth House today.  Located in the heart of England and home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.  It was built in the late 1500's and was all done up for Christmas.  The theme was from Wind in the Willows story books with the main character of Mr. Toad.  The trees were incredible and the gardens were vast.  If you think you have seen this building before than you probably have, it was Mr. Darby's home in the movie Pride and Prejudice (2005).  It was also mentioned in the novel Pride and Prejudice.
It was a great warm up for Christmas.  In less than two weeks I'll be setting up my own tree for the first time in three years.

This is the Crooked Spire which graces the City of Chesterfield.

It was intended to be straight but the wood warped before it was finished.

The front of the house.

Much of the ornamentation is gold leaf, even the gates sparkle.

I was so caught up in the characters that I was overlooking the beautiful art work.

Graham pointed this one out to me, this is the early inspiration to the body works sculptures.

A library/music room for Maureen.

Loved this chandelier.

The Beautiful cascading waterfall.

The back of the house.

The coal tunnel running from a pit to the house.

The maze was too difficult for me today, I quit after 20 min we still had not found our way in.  I couldn't imagine how long it would take to find the way back out.

Even the plastic chairs were classy.

As beautiful as this was it won't compare to home.