Last day of the decade..

Well Christmas has come and gone and just like the snow it is a distant memory. Everywhere is just so damp now and when I go outside the cold and damp really gets into my bones. My knees are especially suffering and climbing up hills and steps is quite painful.

We had a lovely Christmas at my parents house. We actually celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas day - I believe it’s a Swiss / European thing. So as the rest of the country were preparing for the next day, we were tucking into our feast and opening presents. Normally my parents Christmas tree has real candles on it instead of lights but this year my mother we could not get any of the special candles, so we had fairy lights on our real tree. Christmas day was spent pottering and Boxing day we saw some of our friends.

Whilst we have been in London we have been out and about a bit. Seeing friends, going shopping, popping into see colleagues at work and shovelling snow from the front garden.

One of our trips was to Northala Fields in Northolt which is four manmade mounds with earth taken from the demolition of Wembley Stadium. Their purpose is to act as a sound barrier for residents, but is also forms a country park with a few ponds, a visitors centre and a walk up to the top of the mounds. Perhaps it is not the nicest place to walk, especially compared to the wonderful countryside of Wales, however, it is a nice bit of green in between roads and housing estates. The views from above are meant to be good, however, we could not see very far. We walked around the largest of the mounds which was very noisy on the side of the A40, however, on the other side it was quieter. It really does therefore work as a sound barrier.

We have also been to Brentford to see where the River Thames meets the Grand Union Canal. If we decide to come back home via the Thames then we will need to know where to turn left!

There are still patches of ice around the boat and even though there are signs of defrosting, I think it will be a long while before we will be moving her, unless spring comes early (fingers crossed)

As today is New Years Eve, I just want to wish you all a very happy, healthy and stress free 2011!