Inspiration for the start of a brand new year

Deep peace of the running wave to you,
Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the shining stars to you,
Deep peace of the shades of night to you,
Moon and stars always giving light to you,
Deep peace of Christ, the Son of Peace, to you.

Celtic Prayer

To all my blogging friends and visitors, I wish you peace in 2010 and beyond.

Jo XX

Inspirations to take us up to New Year

' For hope grew round me, like the twining vine'


SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE

Inspiration as we head to the New Year

Dear God,

Be good to me:

the sea is so large,

and my boat so small.

Breton Fisherman's Poem

New Year coming into focus

We went off to Peebles Hydro Hotel for Christmas a day early. We were supposed to leave on Christmas Eve but the snow was so bad and the forecast even worse, that we thought we would make a run for it. I am glad we did even though it was a bit of a rush at the end. The snow was even worse there than it was here, and on Christmas Eve it snowed up there quite a lot. What a relief to get into the hotel, unpack and sink our teeth into the best mince pies ever ( and I mean that- fabulous!).
We stayed til today, the 27th. We ate, drank and were exceedingly merry. We all had a great time ( my mum, teenager, other half and I were all there) and a good rest. It has been such a challenging year, and it was good to chill out and take stock. It all went really well. The rooms were lovely, we had lovely views, the food was delightful, the staff cheery, and the company very good. We made some nice new friends, a family with three boys who teenager got to know, and hung around with ( in the pool, table tennis, pool room etc). All in all, it was great.
And it made me start looking forward to 2010. I feel like making some plans. I feel my energy renewed and my resolve returning.
Looking forward to hearing about all your New Year resolutions, and I will share some of mine this week.
Hope you all had a lovely Christmas!

A family weekend to celebrate the festive season

Lad and Dad

Teenager and his cousin

Me and my lovely niece

Teenager and two of his cousins. Proudly wearing his Newcastle United top.

Hope you enjoy these photos taken at our weekend trip to see other half's family in Ashington, Northumberland.

We had a great time- it went so quickly, but all the presents are distributed.

We are now back in the freezing snow laden Cumbria...........wrapping presents and doing last minute festive jobs.

Progress

I think we are making some progress on the festive front. Tree is now up and a few more presents are bought, and some even wrapped. Cards are still not done but I am not intending to send too many. No point getting stressed about that....
I can't believe how quickly December has gone... it is evaporating!
I am feeling a little more festive. Still lots to do and progress to be made on many fronts but I think things are heading in the right direction, and I am looking forward to the Christmas break.
We are seeing family in the North East this weekend and going to see the mighty Newcastle United play Middlesborough at St James on Saturday. It will be freezing- snow forecast. Thermals will be needed!!

Hope your holiday preparations are going well and I wish all of you a very happy time.

Christmas? Really?

My three kings - aren't they brilliant?

Advent candles from our Church- St Mary's Church Windermere.

You just wouldn't think it was the festive season in this house. My Christmas plans have ground to a halt. Nothing done yet. Well- very little. A few mince pies in the cupboard.

Tomorrow, finally. we will get our tree and we will decorate it. A lovely family evening is planned. This time tomorrow night it I will be admiring my fairy lights.

It's the school carol service tomorrow afternoon. I go to lunch with my pals first at Pizza Express. It is always very atmospheric, and it means teenager starts his holidays.

Christmas shopping progress will be made on Saturday, my aunt and uncle are coming on Sunday for a festive dinner and presents exchange. It will be very jolly.

And best of all, we are going away to Scotland for Christmas itself. We arrive on Christmas eve and leave on December 27th. Mum, other half, teenager and I. A lovely big Scottish hotel in the Borders. Big log fires, comfy lounge, fabulous views, a pool, gym and snooker for teenager, and being waited on hand and foot. Heaven. I just can't wait. All I will have to think about is what to wear, what to eat at dinner, and what to wear.

Ho Ho Ho and the Snow Ball

Hi folks
Long time no blog ( again). Here is a picture of teenager just before he went to the Christmas Snow Ball at school tonight. An annual tradition and much loved. He is back now with his pal, and they had a great time. Doesn't he look great?
They have one week left at school- Christmas lunch, Carol Service, and lots of fun before the holidays start on Friday.
Meanwhile we are struggling with a plague of problems. My mum is living in self catering accomodation because her flat is flooded. It is very disconcerting for all of us. She is coping brilliantly as ever, but I know it's very stressful. Especially at this time of year. Carpets ripped up and no bathroom. Uncertainty with the insurance. Let's hope to make some progress this week.
I usually have my tree up by now but there is no chance until next weekend.
Work is busy and we are running a training course for four days this week. I have been cleaning the office and preparing a few decorations. We have water damage in both the office and our new training room which is very behind schedule because of this. We are trying to get carpets done and electrics finished, but we need the builders to sort out the leakages. Sigh.
Tomorrow I am going to have coffee and lunch with my girlfriends. I don't have the time to be honest but I am looking forward to the laugh I must admit, and it will be the start of Christmas.
Ho Ho Ho

Insurance Companies

My mum's bathroom is no longer. It is a shell. A serious leak developed on Saturday and finally it has been identified as a leaking pipe under the bath. The damage is very serious. The bathroom is now gutted. She has insurance of course, but predictably the insurance company is already starting to play hard ball. Such as ' ....well just because she has no running water, no toilet, no bathroom facilities.... doesn't mean the place is uninhabitable does it?'.
I ask you. Not to mention the fact that the hall is ripped up and soaking?
The builders have said all the fittings are damaged and can't be replaced. The insurance company are saying they want proof.
Looks like its going to be a long week folks. I'll keep you posted.
I have had much unpleasant experience with insurance companies. I have an extremely low opinion of them. Nothing that has happened today has improved it thus far.
I don't want anything special. Just fairness. Just what has been paid for. Courtesy and helpfulness would be great ( but unlikely).
I feel so sorry for anyone who has been badly flooded and who is dealing with them now.
If anyone out there in the UK has a recommendation of a good insurer please let me know.

One week on...

Where does the time go? I have been tuning in to read a few blogs but haven't got round to posting myself.
Started the Christmas shopping today by buying some wrapping paper at M and S. Wow- I can tell you are impressed!
We sussed out a PSP Go at Game for the teen. He can't decide on this or money. Sigh. It's all gadgets these days, up market smellies and clothes.
I also bought some thermal socks. The sight of the snow on the Lakeland Hills and the frozen car this morning, made me realise its time to wrap up.
Cumbria is still staggering out of the flood crisis. The enormity and impact of what has happened here, and especially in Cockermouth, is just starting to become apparent. And it is totally shocking. Every day we hear a shocking story about a life which has been ripped apart. Please pray for the people of Cumbria who have been so badly affected.
We have another busy week ahead. Mum is holding the fort while other half and I go South to create new chances for work in the New Year. Its really tough out there but we are staying focussed.
Hope you are all well and happy out there!

Other half and I

Other half and I went to an awards ceremony on Friday night. It was at the lovely Netherwood Hotel in Grange Over Sands. We were celebrating successful businesswomen in the North West, and particularly the Lake District. The awards were run by LBN ( Lakeland Business Women's Network) and were really well organised. The theme was black and white. I really enjoyed my first real night out for quite a while.

The week the rain came down

This is Bowness on Windermere harbour. As you can see there has been extensive flooding.

I am sure a few of you who are looking at these pictures have got a boat from Bowness harbour. Bowness on Windermere is the English Lakes most visited place, and the boats are the most popular tourist attraction we have.

The swans are having a great time. They are very vain and currently have lots of visitors and people feeding them chips!

This ugly monstrosity of a building is currently shut because of the floods. The views are amazing from here but the architecture is appalling. Apparently it won an award in the seventies. Do I believe this???

This is the view from outside the tourist information centre. Now closed

Apparently the lake hasn't been this high for fifty years plus.

It is going to take a long time to clear up, and this is just the start of the winter.

Our prayers and thoughts go out to everyone who has been flooded in their home or business. It must be devastating.

A policeman died when he was swept to his death when a bridge collapsed in Cockermouth. Very sad. Everyone in Cumbria mourns for his family. Thursday was a very bleak day.

Getting silly now...

Remember my Noah post earlier in the week? Things have not improved ladies and gentlemen. Check out the link - news from our local paper the Westmorland Gazette. We dropped our lovely Aussie off at Manchester airport today. The weather conditions on the way there were atrocious. Once we got there I started to get texts to say 'come home- all the roads are closing'. We did manage to get back but it was a bit touch and go. The road conditions are atrocious. Fields completely flooded and looking like huge lakes, road covered in water, the lake creeping over the road, rivers bursting their banks. I feel so terribly sorry for those with flooded homes and businesses. Happily our house is on a little hill which keeps us out of trouble. The office though maybe in more trouble. We are on the first floor which is good, but as the building is right next to the river which has burst its banks, we think we might find trouble tomorrow.

So it has been an unsettling day. Lovely Aussie has gone home. Floods here and no sign of dry weather. My lovely friend Maria awaiting a very big operation tomorrow in Scotland. Please pray for her folks. I would really appreciate it.

Noah

Ok-this is an unashamed 'Brit about to talk about the weather' post. I just need to have a rant and rave about how damned awful it is. It is lashing down with rain and we have a severe weather and flood warning for the North West of England. I really have had enough.

We have had wild winds, a couple of unbelievable hail storms, rain rain rain, dark skies, freezing cold.... and the occasional five minute burst of sunshine -enough to tempt poor walkers and shoppers outside just long enough before getting soaked to the skin by a sudden squall.

Enough.

Our wonderful Aussie exchange student is going home on Thursday. We are all very sad about it. We are all begging to come back with him. Apparently it is very hot in Oz. Sigh.

Special request to Busy Bee Suz. Please send us some sunshine over asap. Thanks

A Phoenix From the Ashes!

Well, I feel so much better! I have slept, lazed and generally chilled out (with mum looking after me in splendid fashion) and now I feel great. Other than coughing, sneezing and laughing which still hurts I am very much on the mend. Keyhole surgery is brilliant! I am so glad the surgeon was able to do it.

The ward I was on was impossibly disorganised. In fact, it would have been very funny if it hadn't been quite serious. Hospital does certainly bring out a certain sense of humour and camaraderie develops between patients which is second to none. Old or young, rich or poor, everyone sticks together and looks after each other.

It was when the sister in charge turned up to tell me my son would be turning up in ten minutes to collect me that I finally realised she had lost the plot. I started to point out that wouldn't be possible. She started to argue saying she has spoken to him on the phone for ten minutes. I then pointed out that he is fourteen and would be at school. " WHO HAVE I BEEN TALKING TO THEN?" She shrieked. I told her I had no idea....

Turns out her conversation had been with the son of the lady in the bed opposite, who had been told that she was staying in for the rest of the week. Oops.