New Years day and those Waxwings again

After much more lashing of rain, the sun puts in an appearance at last hurrah. Our normal New Years day birding trip has been cancelled due to most places being flooded out. We decide to go over to Dinton Pastures where we know we can walk relatively dryly, however the wellies are packed and a good job to as a fair amount of wading was called for.

We had a good walk but far too many people about for my liking. Children screaming and dogs jumping in the lake to "fetch" sticks. Sometimes the noise was deafening as mothers shrieked loudly after over exited children, and hungover fathers trailed rather greenly behind.
We meet up with one of our birding friends and following his advice we go to the Jubilee river to see if we can spot the elusive Waxwing. Now the parking is going to be tricky, but lucky me got a space straight away. Just a couple of hundred yards down the path the little beauties were sitting proudly in a tree just feet from the path. Mr F managed to get a few cracking photo's before they flew off.

We got a good few ticks on our list today and had 2 good walks into the bargain. Great start to 2013.

Christmas 2012 – Peasenhall revisited.

Friday 21^st of December once again the car is stuffed to the gills, with champagne, presents and a Christmas pud! We have a very good journey but arrive 2^nd at White Sheep cottage, only 9.30 am though, the holiday starts here. Well after a bacon sandwich it does.

 You may remember that we spent Christmas here last year, we enjoyed it so much that we decided to do it again. Could have been a mistake but we had the best Christmas and have got the whole process off to a tee now. That is with the exception of the cheese purchasing!

After unpacking the car and stashing away the goodies, and deciding that we actually need a real tree. We head for Saxmundham and Waitrose. It is not too busy and we are soon stocked up with Christmas goodies and are on our way to the Christmas tree farm not far away. I am concerned as I ordered the tree by phone 2 weeks ago from what appeared to sound like a rather young child. Upon arrival the aforementioned young lad, who offered us a delicious mulled spiced apple juice that was really lovely and welcoming, meets us. The barn was chock full of decorations (didn’t know about this place last year) and we nearly bought a bronze stag but at £1025 bit pricy & too heavy for the car.

Anyway I am taken to the barn across the way, hidden in a corner is a tree that has been specially saved for me. It looked a bit wonky but hey. He told me that he had kept it safe and it was the only one left. So sweet. We purchased a few decs and stuffed Ian & the tree into the front of the car.  The poor thing needed a good drink after that and the tree needed about 5 pints of water as well.

Later on we decorate the tree, and opened a bottle or 2.

Saturday we go to Mr Creasy’s the village butcher and collect our meat for the week, then we go into Aldeburgh for Fish & Chips which were really delicious. The same cannot be said for the weather , it is lashing down, we admit defeat and go home to decorate Santa’s grotto.

Sunday – Here’s the thing. One of us (me) has to go back to work on Thursday so we decide that one day is not long enough to play with our presents. We decide after much deliberation to have Christmas day today, Sunday.  Up we get, get the turkey ready (a fabulous crown boned & rolled) so no work to do apart from a bit of butter S&P and bacon. Bacon sandwiches are also prepared and soon we are into the presents and Champagne.

Father Christmas was very good to us all and a few hours later we have trashed the living room and added to the bottle bank collection. Dinner is delicious, and we did not overdo it either. Anne had made a delicious ginger stuffing which I can highly recommend. The Vanilla Pod Pud went down a treat helped by a Waitrose Maury and a dollop of crème fraiche. 10/10.

Monday it is still raining so we take to doing a jigsaw puzzle, well Ian watched NUFC DVD”S (yawn) and A, J & I battled it out with the WASJIG. It took 2 days but was well worth it and kept us out of trouble.

It was so wet we did not manage to get to any of the RSPB reserves that are around here, only managing a quick walk locally and a lovely one in Southwold on boxing day in the sunshine.

Now don’t you worry about what we did on Christmas day, for we had ourselves a real treat. It was a bit of a gamble but I kinda knew Mr Creasey would not let me down. We had bought a joint cut from a haunch of venison. Being a bit frightened that it might be high or too strong, my fears were soon quashed as the delicious aroma filled the kitchen. We had roasties and red cabbage to go with it and after much creativity by Ian a delicious and rich gravy was produced. Thinking about it now we should have had some Yorkshires, or is that being greedy. However we did not miss them at the time.

Boxing day  - after the lovely sunny walk we enjoyed a beer & a mulled wine in the pub and at home had cold roast meats and chips! Yum.

Thursday - All too soon we had to leave Anne & Joyce to tidy up as we hurtled homeward or rather for me workward L Left Peasenhall at 7.20 ish & was at my desk by 9.30. but had more cold venison to look forward to for dinner.

We are already making plans for next year, but somewhere entirely different. Keep posted!