Christmas Day part four

For some people Christmas Day is just the 25th. For us it seems to stretch out forever. After the full day of celebrating, we have had two further family get togethers. Today was the turn of our old neighbour. Presents and a sunday lunch at a nearby pub and a chance to natter filled the afternoon nicely and Lily pigged out on bangers and mash with peas. A pleasant sight after a sore tongue meant she was off her food for a bit. Just one more day of fun to come and we're all done.

The night before Christmas

Traditionally a time to run madly around getting things sorted and buying last minute presents. This year we appear to have got it all sorted well in advance. There are a couple of bits to wrap (but we won't see the recipients till later in the week) some veg needs preparing (naff TV and a saucepan and peeler on the sofa will take care of that) So today we had nothing to do. Into town to see Kims friend Jason, back from Barcelona for a few days. What started as coffee and a cake turned into to wandering round the shops, lunch and a beer!

Another party

During the week it was my big brothers 40th birthday. Today he organised a big get together for family and friends at a nearby pub. As the man would be late for his own funeral I thought I was safe arriving half an hour early to put some balloons up, but no, he was already there!

Brunch date

We had a breakfast date but owing to slightly poor service it became brunch! Lily dress up all autumnally with a funky hat at a cheeky angle. Then wolfed down sausage, bacon, hashbrown, beans and an egg!

Play date

We invited over our friends for a saturday morning cuppa and cake while the girls went out into the garden to play with Lilys new house and playarea. The sand table she got from Kims parents was also a big hit.

Swapping roles

We decided to have a BBQ for a couple of friends yesterday. Normally the men are to be found gathered round the coals speaking in hushed tones about meat. But as the BTCC and MotoGP were on at the same time the ladies were on meat flipping duties while the bloke drank beer!

Saturday night at the bar

Normally at the Gathering we sit around the cars and drink what ever has been brought along. This year we decided to hike up the field and onto the site to Prescotts clubhouse for a cold one while looking out over the rolling countryside. This bunch of loons is the "bottom of the field under Steves gazebo gang"

Very late Christmas presents

Our old next door neighbour Carole, who we still keep in contact with. Is a fan of the daytrip as a gift idea, so stealing it from her we decided for Christmas last year to take her to Highclere Castle, the place where Downton Abbey is filmed. She is a big fan of the series and was very excited by the prospect. Fast forward nearly eight months and we finally had a dry (to start with) free day to go. I use to look after the security system in a former life and have been all over the building, but it was interesting to go back having watched a few snippets of the TV program to see the set.

Making the most of it

With an unexpected free weekend we decided to try and fill it with some fun stuff. We headed over with our Camperjam convoy buddies , Malcolm and family to Jungle Mania. A massive soft play area nearby and had a couple of hours running around like mad things and swinging and sliding around the place.

Weeeeeeee

With a free day ahead and the weather not too bad we decided to meet up with some of Kims work friends at the Thatcham Nature Reserve. After a slightly damp lunch by the lake we headed for the playground for some fun. Lily was all about swings and slides, having several goes on each.

Happy Campers

This picture is slightly cheating, but we've done nothing today apart from break camp and come home to lay on the sofa watching TV. So I'm using this brilliant group shot of all our friends that made this little campout so much fun, it was taken on saturday evening after the mammoth BBQ.

New discoveries

Its always nice to find something new at a place you thought you knew so well. In seven years I can honestly say I've never noticed the Wallingford Castle. We've been across the bridge dozens of times and never seen it poking over the trees. I knew there was a castle, it just never registered to look for it. On a trip into town this morning we spied it, so after lunch, Phil, Lily and myself headed up to it. Theres really not much left of the 11th century building, but we had a fun time exploring the ruins and letting Lily run around.

Arrive, pitch, relax

For seven years in a row we've been camping with an ever expanding group of friends at a site in Wallingford. This year because of the Jubilee we had to move it to accommodate some people. Sadly with poor weather due and a myriad of other excuses the 14 pitch area reduced to just six families. I was a bit miffed to start with, but once we had pitched and sat back to natter the sun came bursting through and it was glorious right through the afternoon and evening. The perfect weather for grabbing a chair, pouring a pint of cider and enjoying good company.

Unwind for the weekend

After a long week at work and not wanting to watch some football match that was on. We invited (well they invited themselves) some friends round for a couple of drinks and a DVD. We devoured a pair of pizzas and a little bit of lager (Yes, I know I'm normally an ale man, but the film we watched was called Beerfest, it seemed appropriate)