Sunday 6 December 2020

Sunday

 A resolution.   Today I shall start writing my Christmas cards.   They have been sitting in the box since delivery and I have a lot to do - because I have moved a few times - Lincolnshire, Lichfield, Wolverhampton, Yorkshire Dales - because I have taught in several different schools and made lasting friendships - because I was involved in the musical life in the Midlands for many years - I have made many lasting friendships.   Now most of them - other than relatives and local friends - live far away, our only contact usually is at Christmas when it is nice to catch up.   So letters to write too.


Yes, I could send an e card.   But it is not the same as holding a card and a letter in my hand and I shall continue to resist the temptation.

So what else to tell you today?   Well it has been raining heavily all morning so far (10.40 now) and it is cold and wintry outside.   I suspect I would not go far up the Dale before the rain turned to snow. It looks so pretty as long as you are not driving in it.   One of my carers  comes through from higher up the Dale and it can be tricky this time of year, either with snow or - if there has been heavy rain for a prolonged period - with flooding.   If we get tw o days heavy rain the Ure can rise up to twenty feet in that time and the road becomes impassable.

Our Dale is called Wensleydale (after the village) but most Dales are called after the river which runs through them - Swaledale, Aire, Calder for example.   Our Dale used to be called Yoredale after the River Ure but changed many years ago.

I shall now go and prepare the second of my meals which Virginia from NewZealand sent for me so kindly.   It is Beef Bourginon and I shall serve it with the vegetables left from yesterday (and resist the temptation to add the sticky toffee pudding.)


Until tomorrow...


 

24 comments:

Tom Stephenson said...

Yes, ecards are not the same. Did you really get sent a dinner from New Zealand?

JayCee said...

Today is a good day for a comforting meal such as Beef Bourginon.
I went for my usual Sunday morning walk and had to drive along a very icy, slippery road to meet up with my friends. I was almost tempted to stay at home but the blue sky and sunshine tempted me out.

Derek Faulkner said...

I'm curious, why is somebody from New Zealand now supplying your meals.
Christmas cards have always seemed a pain in the butt to me and quite pointless, every one recieved , simply means one you feel obliged to return.

Debby said...

This is the first time in many years I have been able to send cards. I have always worked such long hours at Christmas that I never had time. I think it is a lovely gesture, nice to know that you have been in someone's thoughts.

Heather said...

Great minds think alike - I have just written my Christmas cards! The Beef Bourgignon sounds delicious. I am having chicken curry this evening.
Why resist the sticky toffee pudding?!! Enjoy.

Marcia LaRue said...

My cards are finished and they will go in the mail next week. I don't send very many anymore.

Susan said...

No e-cards for me either. Writing a card feels right and I continue the tradition to wish people well and make a yearly contact with many I do not see regularly. Your meals and desert from Virginia of New Zealand sounds so good. She chooses well...Beef B. and sticky pudding...perfection!

The Feminine Energy said...

It feels good to get the Christmas card chore done. I finished mine up last evening and they'll go in the mail tomorrow. ~Andrea xoxo

Carruthers said...

Still got to send Christmas cards here. I love Christmas but always find it hard to get the preparations going!

Bonnie said...

You are doing great to start your cards! I seem to always be behind on things like that but I need to get moving. It sounds like you will have a busy day and a wonderful dinner. Enjoy that Beef Bourgeon!

Jules said...

I love to both give and receive Christmas cards but, sadly, the tradition seems to be falling out of favour with many, so now I seem to send fewer and fewer each year. X

The Weaver of Grass said...

Virginia in New Zealand somehow contacted my local lunch supplier. It was meant as a get well geture and was much appreci.ated

Derek - I have lived in differerent places and made friends there -- I love catching up with them at Christmas and don't resent sending a single card.


Thanks everyone.

Joanne Noragon said...

That lunch sounds scrumptious.

Ellen D. said...

I love getting and sending Christmas cards. An easy way to keep in touch with old friends (and new)!

JanF said...

It's silly but I love it any time you mention my hometown of Wolverhampton! Somehow we rarely hear of it. Have you seen the wonderful videos of the Bin Men of Wolverhampton performing? They work in Penn where I grew up. I was amazed to learn about them.

Cro Magnon said...

My cards are all sent by Email these days, which is probably why we receive so few via the post.

Librarian said...

I love exchanging Christmas cards, and usually keep the ones I like most and use them again for decorative purposes. Handwriting does not come easy to me - I mean, writing in a way that others will be able to read it! - so every card I write is a labour of love. There are a few friends who get an ecard, but paper cards are so nice to put up around the room, something you can not do with an ecard.
This year I have only written 5 so far, plus the ones I send to my clients. Many more will follow in the course of this week. As I was not able to see my family and friends in Yorkshire this year, their cards will be more like letters in order to catch up.

CharlotteP said...

I made the same resolution...but only did 3. When did I become so expert at procrastination?

Sue said...

I did my cards yesterday and got them straight in the post, there that's done, a huge sense of relief and like you I have a couple that I send to people from the various villages we have lived in. When you move as often as we have you have friends all over the country, it's nice to keep in touch.

I think you should have that Sticky Toffee Pudding now, maybe rather decadently INSTEAD of a lunch or dinner rather than as an oh too filling dessert :-)

Virginia said...

I'm so glad the meals have helped Pat. And so relieved that the company was one whose food you knew and enjoyed. From the far end of the world it was a real performance working out how to get anything practical to you. I first tried one of your local restaurants - Campbells of Leyburn, but their kitchen was closed and Jo kindly suggested Fairhurst.

We have 'lowered the standard' and send mainly emailed cards, with an annual catchup. We appreciate keeping up with old friends who we rarely see, and news of their year, and their children and grandchildren is lovely.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Jan - no I haven't seen the video. I didn't recall you lived in Wolverhampton. We lived in Finchfield for seventeeb years.

Thanks to you all. x

angryparsnip said...

We have been so busy with sick gud dug and me also. I am so late with my cards. I couldn't get the cards printed right plus the hand fold is not working.... But I love to send them out. Then I have to add the international travel time so I must just mail them out soon.
I always look forward to your cards.
xx

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks to you all - keeping me going through my convalescence.

Terra said...

I agree with you, and love to send and receive cards. I have mailed about 10 cards so far, the first I mail are ones with a distance to go, to other countries. I enclose notes too, little catch up messages. Cards are much warmer than an email, I think. You are well on your way in your recovery journey, I am happy to hear.