Sunday, December 29, 2013

Happy Christmas & New Year

Hi there!

So I haven�t been blogging or reading blogs for the past week +. Can�t stay away long though!

I went away for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Boxing Day � we booked into a hotel for the 3 nights. It was a lovely little hotel in the New Forest � Carey�s Manor & Spa in Brochenhurst. Every year when I�m at home I try to fit in so much entertaining of my family, cooking, shopping and general over the top hard work that I wind up knackered, beyond cranky and hating Christmas, so this year, with the working away thing, I just refused to go there.

My Mum & her OH, A, visited us on the 21st and stayed the night. I had plans that involved being out and about, but the weather disagreed and it peed down all day long, so we all drove to Loch Fyne for lunch and spent the rest of the time sitting chatting and watching tv, which was possibly more relaxing than the local tour I�d been planning. They headed home on the Sunday and I started a marathon of laundry to get us ready for our trip.

Brockenhurst was beautiful, even in the rain, and it was lovely to see the New Forest ponies and donkeys wandering around the village looking muddy and annoyed at the rain Winking smile

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On Boxing Day we popped into the village to buy a few bits and bobs in Tesco and saw a bunch of them apparently queuing up outside the coffee shop waiting for breakfast � brilliant!

The food at the Manor was amazing and I was about 80% GF (couldn�t resist a couple of dinner rolls and a fruit scone on the first day, or free canapes) The deal included afternoon tea (hence the scone), champagne reception, dinner (not drinks) in the Zen Garden Thai restaurant, 3 full New Forest breakfast buffets, Christmas Lunch and a seafood buffet, and a Gala Dinner (black tie) on Boxing Day. Every main meal (not breakfasts obviously) was preceded by free champagne and canapes. We discovered an excellent cocktail called a Frosty Jack, and had several over the few days.

It was a really relaxing break, and I even managed one visit to the gym.

Now we�re back, and back to slightly real world. Tomorrow M�s parents are coming to visit and staying over the New Year. Not 100% delighted as this will be a bit more effort for me, but we�re eating out once or twice so that will help.

I have a cold brewing, and a mouth ulcer, and backache. Apart from that I�m not too stressed by things. I�ve been far from good at the old diet so far, but not as bad as I usually am. I have drunk more than I planned to and the New Year visit is going to extend that, but no hangovers so not that excessively. I�ve had a few walks around here, not very long due to the back pain which I am trying to fix before I go back to work.

So how have your Christmas�s been? Hope everyone is enjoying the festive season!!!

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