Christmas etc

Set off for the Christmas break early on Christmas Eve, via a flying visit to Gail and Rob’s to throw a bag of presents in their direction, before heading off for Cheddar to have what had been intended to be morning coffee with Ruth’s grandmother. In the event, as, inevitably, we were a bit late, it ended up being lunch: Ruth’s father had arrived the previous day to spend Christmas with his mother and had booked a table for lunch at a local pub, so we all went along there where we had a not bad meal.

Pistyll Farm and holiday barns

After lunch, we headed off again and arrived a couple of hours later at Yew Tree Barn, one of two holiday properties at Pistyll Farm in Boughrood, rented through Brecon Beacons Holiday Cottages. Pictures here of our Christmas stay. Mum, Dad, Dave and Hazel had already arrived; Hannah and Ben drove over from my parents’ house early on Christmas Day and bedded down in the living room for the night, before heading back Londonwards with a van full of Hannah’s stuff. We went out for a couple of shortish walks, one on Boxing Day where some of us visited Boughrood’s Bridge End Inn, and one the following day with Dave and Dad, which turned out to be probably one of the muddiest walks I’ve ever taken – footpaths literally lakes. The River Wye was in splendid spate though. On the afternoon of the 27th, Mum and I drove Ruth over to Tregoyd Mountain Riders for an hour or so’s hack, while we went on into Hay and had a browse around followed by tea at The Granary.

Slightly wet underfoot

We departed early on the 28th and drove to Lambourn, where we had a roast beef lunch with Ruth’s aunt. Mrs Spence appears to have turned the formerly quite pleasant suburban garden that came with the house into one enormous vegetable patch – it’s not entirely clear how many vegetables one quite elderly lady requires, but I guess after living her whole life in large farmhouses she finds it difficult to downsize. Rather sweetly, she again presented me with two tins of anchovies as a Christmas gift, which I will certainly make good use of. We went round to Ray’s in the evening for dinner before he departed on a 10-day holiday to Tenerife. As I write, he is still there and I gather from texts that the weather is lovely.

Received a Christmas newsletter this year from my University of Durham friend Melanie – didn’t receive one last year but apparently Melanie “needed a break” at Christmas-card sending time last year, one of several veiled references to unspecified issues. While I remember Melanie as a decent person, we have been in only sporadic contact over the last 20 years, most of hers consisting of sending me her family newsletter every few Christmases. Always have urge to scoff at family newsletters, though I’m sure they are well meant – additionally, as Melanie is of an evangelical Christian turn of mind, much of hers is taken up with references to the Good News of great joy, looking forward to another year together in Christ, etc etc. Half-tempted to respond with a newsletter of my own, though I fear that might result in a hastily-convened prayer session at the other end.

The Grosvenor

Boycotted New Year’s Eve as per usual; Ruth roasted a chicken and we probably watched some stuff on TV, though I’ve already forgotten what. Despite manky weather on New Year’s Day, Ruth obligingly came out for a walk with me up through Bugs Bottom and Gravel Hill and back through Caversham Heights. We stopped for a drink at The Grosvenor, a large pub on Kidmore Road that I had never been to; it appears to have had one of those makeovers in the style of the Next Directory, but quite nice.

Bunny rescue

Since Ruth took the door to bedroom 3 off its hinges to strip the paint, we have had an awkward situation whereby we have had to put a board over the door to the room to stop Harley going in, given that since the removal of one of the chimney breasts the shaft that ran down to the dining room fireplace has been exposed. Too small to be a danger to us and it’s in the corner of the room anyway, but given Harley’s seemingly intense curiosity, we had been a bit worried that he could fall down it. On Monday evening, while I was sitting relaxing over a herbal tea and an episode of ‘Sherlock’, he duly did – urgent call from Ruth of “We have a problem” followed by inspection with a torch from above (apparently fine if slightly grey-looking bunny looking up at us) followed by Ruth having to dig a wad of stuff out of the dining room chimney to release him. On release, he wriggled out of Ruth’s arms and scampered straight back upstairs, where I pursued him shouting something along the lines of “Have You Learned Nothing!” Board over door now wedged tight with a chair – evidently a fatal gap must have been left.

We celebrated Ruth’s birthday on Tuesday with breakfast at the faux-rustic Bill’s, where I had a divine Eggs Benedict. After Ruth had done a few jobs and I had browsed the shops for a bit, we took the train to Oxford and after our now-customary purchase of calendars for the year at Blackwell’s Art and Poster Shop, headed to the Ashmolean for a browse around. I left Ruth looking at the Egyptian stuff while I went to admire the Cycladic figurines in the 'Aegean World' gallery.

Arrived back in Reading late afternoon and went for a drink at the newly gayed-over Rising Sun on Forbury Road - quite nice, but one wonders how it will do - before going for an early dinner at Nino's. Old Nino appears to be still on the premises and taking orders; my food was lovely though Ruth did appear to be spending quite a bit of time picking bones out of her sea bass. Always the trouble with fish.

On the train back from Oxford, I passed the time by downloading the Buddha Desk app to my phone and then had a mildly embarrassing situation when I couldn't work out how to turn off its incessant chanting, eventually resorting to wrapping the phone up in layers of scarf. Did figure it out eventually, but as a meditation tool it has limitations, partly because with the free version, ads flash up at the bottom of the screen inviting you to win an iPad2, etc - not the best way to get into a calm, unworldly frame of mind. Would be interesting to know if it'll catch on among monks, but I suppose they're not allowed mobiles.