Goodbye to 2010

After having 12 hours alone, Brigitte arrived in Exeter for the New year. Paignton Zoo was a fantastic almost wet weather trip. We saw the usual suspects but also tigers and lions, we walked over the wobbly bridge, we saw a flamingo orphan in the nursery, Ali rode on a toy elephant and we ended up spending the whole day there. In the evening we had our traditional 3 course dinner that takes hours and hours with breaks in between, including Just Dance 2 breaks to digest. Then it was midnight, we said goodbye to 2010 and hello to 2011 watching hundreds of chinese lanterns fill the sky.

High School Musical party

This might be turning into a tradition but Sal and the girls visited us on Boxing day for the second year in a row. According to my mum, if you do something twice, it's a tradition. While the girls went for a walk along the river and Caitlin was attacked by a swan (I'm not sure she will be the same again), I got the High School musical party ready with party food, balloons and decorations. We dressed up, Liv in a High School Musical uniform, Sal in her hen night dress and then it was time for the fun to begin with pass the parcel with the christmas presents, balloon games, musical statues, musical bumps and wii just dance. By the end of the day, I was shattered while the girls were still wide awake! The next day we went to Haldon Forest but unfortunately the ice thwarted any expedition, as well as our inability to find the start of the trail so we really just visited the toilets in the forest. Unfortunately, Sal and I had a conversation about how we hate the smell of camp toilets and that's what they were like, we didn't realise a man was next door!

Last Christmas in Exeter

A few days before Christmas day, we found out that this will be our last Christmas in our Exeter flat so we were going to make the most of it. Traditionally (after only one year of doing this, it's a tradition), we opened our presents on Christmas eve after blitzing the flat for the family visits from boxing day. Ali had her prawns, and I had my thai green curry (also going to be a tradition now I've had this 2 years in a row).

Christmas morning started earlier than most, at 4am with Ali being sick :( We opened our stockings, and fed the swans on the now frozen River Exe. I love the way they belly flop to break the ice. It was Christmas lunch for one (although i filled 4 plates of food (I think i'm destined to have 2 children, I always seem to cook for 4) and then a lazy afternoon playing Wii Just dance 2, and watching santa movies. All in all a fantastic last christmas in Exeter (apart from the food poisining).

Ali is not snow deprived anymore

After an eventful weekend, Ali on Friday saying she was snow deprived, and then having being snowed in in Essex, me missing the family christmas meal, and then Ali taking 6 hours to drive back from Essex...she is definitly not snow deprived anymore. I woke up early to get the train to Bristol but to my suprise, I looked through the balcony onto 7 inches of snow. It was only supposed to be foggy last night, but instead we are in a winter wonderland. Ali didn't need any persuading to go outside and walk in the snow. Swans fed, and a leg workout...done.

My first friend's wedding

John and I have always had these weird coincidences, and our engagement was no different. At our first geography field trip, we were told to find a friend so I found John. Or John found me. Either way, to break the ice of knowing people, we had our geography friends for the next few years. Coincidentally, we both lived in Bristol. Number 1 coincidence.

Then, John went to America for the 2nd year so in the 3rd year he lived in halls. The same halls and flat that I lived in! Coincidence number 2.

When Aunty and I were at the V festival, we were walking by the climbing wall and who should be there. John! Coincidence number 3.

When travelling to Hungary for my regular trips, I thought I recognised the head 2 seats in front of me on the plane. Guess who it was? John on his brothers stag do. Coincidence number 4.

Then at the checkouts in sainsburys, where we both were, John told me he got engaged. I told him I got engaged. Us in a hot tub, him in a swimming pool and we were both getting married in December! However, him in 2010, me in 2012. Coincidence number 5,6,7 and 8.

Weird weird weird. So, on a freezing cold saturday, full of snow, John had all his friends meet in the pub by the church before the wedding. It was so moving, Vicky's dad had to hold back walking down the aisle because of his tears. I could only stay for the first section because of getting to Essex but it was such a great day to see my first friend get married.

Work Christmas meal

Due to our great christmas meal, I have finally visited Cabot Circus, only 2 years after it opened. I was quite proud to be a Bristolian that has never visited Cabot Circus but alas, I have now visited. The evening started with our homemade crackers, including snaps, jokes and hats. Dinner in Carluccios was gorgeous and I haven't laughed so much in ages. Christmas is well and truly started. After 5 christmas meals in a row, I'm ready for a bread and water diet.

Windband Christmas 2010

As always, windband christmas was as eccentric as ever. However, there was a slight twist this year. Nobody had to cook and nobody had to wash up because we were to the pub. Someone in our group must of looked slightly masculine becuase the waitress made that usual mistake in saying that someone was male in the group. Then it was back to Al's for secret santa and cracker tasting. Some of our group were feeling slightly delicate from the Bath Christmas market the night before but a very merry time was had by all.

Santa steam train

I do love a good steam train, like father like daughter, like both like niece. So, off we went to Bitton to see Father Christmas on a steam train with Olivia and Caitlin. We had our picture taken with Father Christmas before we boarded, and then we were seated in the old fashioned carriage set up before Santa arrived with christmas biscuits and the presents. The girls faces when they saw him was a picture. Unfortunately, the presents were slightly older than the girls are. Olivia had a DVD game that I would struggle to play! Great day out though, felt very christmassy.

Running Santa's through Exeter

I do really love whacky British traditions so you can imagine my delight when I found out that there is an annual santa race through the streets of exeter. The runners all dress in santa costumes and then run the mile course through the centre of Exeter. Ali must have been feeling the Christmas spirit because she agreed to get up early, on a weekend to go and see it. It was just surreal as we walked up the high street and saw lots of santa's walkting towards us. As the race started, 500 santa's in their beards and redness ran pass us, including one team that leap frogged the entire course. We moved to the finish line to clap the santa's return, we didn't know anyone, but we definitly got in the christmas mood ready for tree shopping at Haldon Forest.