Month: December 2009

Rhys and I were a little sluggish most of the day but we bucked up for the evening when the boys were getting very excited about Father Christmas coming. The boys decorated their stockings to hang on the mantelpiece.

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Lou and I went to Costco and Asda in the morning. As our Christmas presents had all been delivered to Cardiff, Mal and I spent most of the afternoon wrapping the presents. River and I then made lasagne for dinner. We all started having a Christmas drink. The time seemed to go very quickly and then there was just Rhys and I left. Whoops, it was 5.00am when we both went to bed. We had a lot to catch up with!

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I did manage a lie in until 5.00am! What gloomy waether news there was. It seems that most local councils were “caught out” by the snow, so the gritters weren’t out. When are they ever prepared?? My sister had to abandon her car and walk five miles in the snow to her daughters. Her other daughter had taken her children to the panto and the 3 miles was four hours in the car and then a 15 minute walk! I did hear that High Wycombe branch of John Lewis opened their bed department for the travellers who were unable to get home…good for JL!!

After listening to the travel news on the radio, we had to make the decision (sadly) that we have to miss our today’s visits to see Scarlet, Jack and Karen and also Marion and Bryan and head straight for Cardiff.

Torin called from Poland (-20 degrees and everything functioning well!) to say that he doesn’t know whether he will get home for Christmas because of the backlog in the UcK airports. We were trying to do an “airport watch” for him. This country is always the same whatever “weather” there is, they can’t cope with it.

Mmm, yes I know for those reading in the TRNC that it is 20 degrees there!

We packed everything up and headed for Cardiff. It took us seven hours to get there. The Severn Bridge was shut because of falling ice! Plus fog, snow and ice on the way, not a great journey at all.

BUT it was lovely to see all the boys, Rhys and a blooming Lou.

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I woke up at 4.00am (obviously still on Cyprus time). It did seem cold in the caravan, so I put the heating on and it was fine when it warmed up.

Mal and I went out in the morning to do some last minute shopping, we came back to the caravan, had some lunch and as Mal is not the best at shopping (just moans), I went back to the shops for some birthday presents. It was horrendous at Westwood, gridlock to get into that car park and so I thought I would park in Sainsbury’s and walk. I did. That was fine until I wanted to leave and it took me an hour to get out of the car park. Obviously when they built the Westwood centre, they didn’t consider the roads and the affect of all that traffic. Mal cooked dinner and I wrapped presents in the evening. I heard from my sister in High Wycombe (who we were due to visit the following day.) She had to abandon her car because the snow was so bad and walk 5 miles to her daughters house where she has to stay the night. Her other daughter had taken her children to the panto and after three hours still hadn’t arrived home. We will have to ring for a weather report in the morning! I also heard from Bev who said Manchester airport had been closed. I think Gatwick and Luton had too. Torin is in Poland working at the moment, so I wonder if he will get back home!

Jill and I booked our flights at completely different times but then discovered we were both on the same CTA flight. She came to pick me up for the drive to airport at 4.45am!! On the way if one dog ran out in the front of the car, there must have been a dozen. Poor Jill did extremely well avoiding them as each one lunged at the car.

We checked in OK and we left 20 minutes late. I think I had the most squashed seat on the plane with my knees under my chin, for some reason mine was pushed further forward. We were in row 13 which wasn’t a good omen. So, after the turbulence just before Antalya, as it was pouring with rain there, we decided we would try and change seats when we stopped. Jill then moved across the opposite side of the aisle and at least I could move my legs then. But this seat I had moved to (still both in row 13) the back had broken and so flopped back, much to the annoyance of the lady who sat behind me from Antalya on. She then proceeded to tell us in her croakey voice that she had laryngitis…..great! I certainly didn’t want any germs with our new grandchild arriving on 29th! Our meal arrived and this caused the toddler behind to be sick and the lady with larangytis to start heaving along with him. Then the people surrounding us all started coughing and sneezing and blowing their noses!! Nightmare.

We arrived at Stansted to a very picturesque scene, as we descended everything was covered in snow. We collected our baggage and then I went to collect my hire car. As I drove towards Kent there was less and less snow. It was lovely to see Mal and he had cooked a really good roast dinner but I did feel tired.

Much to Mal’s delight Hammers kept Chelsea to a 1-1 draw!

I woke up at 4.00am and couldn’t get back to sleep, so got up. No electricity. Another power cut.No rain! That was a surprise but it was soooo windy! Rosie and I went up to the mountains and delivered a few Christmas cards on the way. It was enjoyable not getting soaked.

Back home and still no electricity. I went down to see Gwen as she has been so busy and I haven’t seen her for ages. The electricity didn’t come on until 10.30 and then it took me half an hour to get internet. Whilst I was out I bought Cyprus Today. The PM has pledged to get title deeds through “in days”. Well, that would be a huge improvement!

The UK seems to be having it’s fair share of snow at the moment.

I spent the rest of the day cleaning as I was off to the UcK the following day. I took Rosie over to the kennels in the afternoon. She has plenty of company over there as they are rather busy. We have friends staying in our house over Christmas but they are not dog lovers, so Rosie is much happier where she is and the house will also be looked after.

I did watch the Man U game, very dissapointing, they lost 3-0 to Fulham. I think they have so many of the team injured.

Rosie and I waded our way through the mud and makeshift waterfalls again but at least it cleared up later. We saw David on our way who told me that Kenny has been to have an eye operation in Istanbul, they were unable to operate here. He is now back home and has to rest, oh dear what a way to spend Christmas. We wish you well Kenny.

In my role as Wedding Planner (with the help of friends), Margaretha and I went up to Bellapais in the afternoon to book Lou and Rhys’s wedding for next summer. We arrived at the car park and were asked for 3tl. I gave him the money and then he went to wander off, so I called him back and asked for my ticket…..I wonder what would have happened to the 3tl had I not asked for a ticket? We then went to Kybele and booked the wedding but no one could give us prices but they would email me tonight. Of course I had to leave a deposit even though I had no prices. One thing booked and at least now we have a date.