Wednesday 25 December 2013

Christmas Eve Shopping Trip and Christmas Day Visit to Westonbirt

Yesterday morning was a lot more clement than the day before - with some blue sky to be seen and no rain or wind to speak of.
Saw the moon opposite the sunrise when I went out with Bella. 
Signs of the previous night's ferocious weather with this felting ripped off a shed roof. 
Nice clouds over the terrace up the hill. 
Even more promising skies as we turned back homewards.
Went down into town to do the Christmas shopping my migraine had stopped me from doing the day before. It was pleasantly uncrowded with lovely blue skies when I stopped by the Abbey.
My eye was caught by this bubble blowing device on display down in Southgate. 
After my successful shopping trip, I went to catch the bus home from the bus station, where I spotted this bus driver coming off shift with his unusual head-dress.
Lovely light catching this church on Manvers Street. 
Up at the memorial opposite the Abbey. 
Outside the Guildhall (note the unusual bike-loops/racks) 
Walking Bella in the afternoon, came across this evidence of more storm damage. 
Lovely light catching the trees against the afternoon sky. 
We went out to the Little Theatre to see a special showing of It's A Wonderful Life - great James Stewart film. Spotted this abandoned scarf on our way. 
Awakened this morning by the dog desperate to go out into the garden for a pee. Crawled back into bed and then Su murmured "Merry Christmas" in my ear and went to make a drink. The morning sky was promising. 
A Christmas morning selfie! 
The remains of breakfast. 
A pile of presents - we opened one each this morning and saved the rest until this afternoon in a fit of unparalleled self-discipline. 
Late morning saw us up at Westonbirt, where the recent storm had regenerated the occasional Westonbirt river. This made Bella extremely happy. 
Her tail was on perpetual motion duty as she chased sticks and brought them back. 
After walking back up to the van for a cup of tea and some chocolates. Spotted this roundabout on my way to the loo. 
Some rather extravagantly decorated rides. 
In the loo, spotted this abandoned hat on a hand drier.
Back to the van past the other side of the roundabout.
Walked counter-clockwise around the top of the site, coming across this rather odd Little Bo Peep carving. 
Su's shadow doing some dancing at what was the entrance to the Enchanted Woodland (where Westonbirt illuminate the specimen collection of trees with floodlights of various colours).
An abandoned umbrella. 
An abandoned baby sock completed our collection of lost items for the day. Then it was time to head for home to make yummy Christmas lunch, which I'm now slowly digesting on the sofa in front of the TV while waiting for Doctor Who to begin!
This day a year ago, we'd stayed in Alcester the night before and then went up to Ben and Lena's in Birmingham for Christmas dinner.

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