As usual Boxing Day was quite quiet – a lie in, dog walk (meeting lots of people on a traditional Boxing Day walk), and then I collected Dad from Lutterworth, and we went to visit my sister in Kettering. Chantal stayed at home, since Steven and Sherry were due to return to London with Keith on Boxing Day evening. With Rob in bed with a heavy cold, and Simon and Matthew away, it was a much smaller gathering than normal, just five of us including my niece Megan, for dinner, chat exchange presents and games.
After getting home soon after 10pm, I took the dogs for a walk on Croft Hill, returning to find Chantal with her head down inside the recycling wheelie bin, surrounded by wrapping paper, packaging and bottles. Steven and Sherry had got home but were unable to find their tickets to see Cirque Soleil, and a thorough search of our house had been fruitless. That left just one place to search, by the light of the security light. No doubt Chantal had to keep wriggling her bum in the air to keep activating the light sensor as she burrowed into the detritus of a family Christmas. Her persistence paid off, and the discarded tickets were retrieved, crumpled, but fortunately unstained by wine or beer. Chantal will be keeping them safe until our trip to London.
Claire, Si and the girls visited us over the weekend – more details in a day or so.
Technically we live in Oaktree House, but sadly the tree had to go.
We now have a thriving Oakstump at the front of the house.
