Merry Christmas!! And a wonderful Boxing Day to you
all! Okay – so Boxing Day – I have been
told 2 explanations of Boxing Day. The 1st
and the one most recognized is that the aristocrats had Christmas on Christmas
day where they were served by all their staff.
That evening they gave boxes to all their hired staff and gave them the
next day off to celebrate with their families.
Some also suggested (2) that Christmas was all about religion and going
to church and then you opened your boxes the next day. Hardly anyone agreed with that one.
The little manager scene next to the Visitor's Center and
the temple with a full moon on the Angel Moroni.
1. Nice Day!
Saturday’s always seem to take their toll and I really would have enjoyed another couple of hours sleep but still we made it to church on time. It was a very pretty day and the little Christmas program was quite nice but I must admit, after Remembering Day I expected something more.
Sister Marsh had tatted stars for every woman in the ward. Amazing!
We were invited to Orton’s for dinner and it was so nice. She had a baked chicken with rice and gravy, a wonderful tossed salad, wonderful biscuits, and cake and ice cream. We had a lovely time.
We stopped and tried to call a couple of kids and then home for a while and back to try more phone calls. Have I ever mentioned how badly I hate not having internet?
Saturday’s always seem to take their toll and I really would have enjoyed another couple of hours sleep but still we made it to church on time. It was a very pretty day and the little Christmas program was quite nice but I must admit, after Remembering Day I expected something more.
Sister Marsh had tatted stars for every woman in the ward. Amazing!
We were invited to Orton’s for dinner and it was so nice. She had a baked chicken with rice and gravy, a wonderful tossed salad, wonderful biscuits, and cake and ice cream. We had a lovely time.
We stopped and tried to call a couple of kids and then home for a while and back to try more phone calls. Have I ever mentioned how badly I hate not having internet?
2. 3
We had talked about going to London by ourselves and I was more than game for that idea; but we got a letter from 3 saying our account had been turned over to a collection agency since we were 3 weeks behind. Okay, let me get this straight. We lost coverage on November 15th, so we didn’t pay £15 on November 23rd and now we owe £34 on December 20th for having the worst month of my life! Brad was on the phone with them for over 2 hours. Finally we paid £55 pounds and they said we would have coverage. We did get coverage – for an hour and it was off again. GRRRRRRR
We just did all the ordinary stuff, cleaned, washed, ironed, cut my hair and slept.
Mulholland’s invited us to a Christmas FHE so we went over there. I got a huge snub from someone so I was a bit upset. LeeAnn explained how Christmas Carols were the greatest songs on earth and how she wanted to be named Carol instead of LeeAnn. Then she taught us a Christmas song that she sang the verses to and we sang the chorus. They then had President and Sister Johnson and President and Sister Crossland come and we sang them our new song. For treats she had made cinnamon rolls and hot cider and chocolates. It was her birthday so she was very excited about her little celebration.
We had talked about going to London by ourselves and I was more than game for that idea; but we got a letter from 3 saying our account had been turned over to a collection agency since we were 3 weeks behind. Okay, let me get this straight. We lost coverage on November 15th, so we didn’t pay £15 on November 23rd and now we owe £34 on December 20th for having the worst month of my life! Brad was on the phone with them for over 2 hours. Finally we paid £55 pounds and they said we would have coverage. We did get coverage – for an hour and it was off again. GRRRRRRR
We just did all the ordinary stuff, cleaned, washed, ironed, cut my hair and slept.
Mulholland’s invited us to a Christmas FHE so we went over there. I got a huge snub from someone so I was a bit upset. LeeAnn explained how Christmas Carols were the greatest songs on earth and how she wanted to be named Carol instead of LeeAnn. Then she taught us a Christmas song that she sang the verses to and we sang the chorus. They then had President and Sister Johnson and President and Sister Crossland come and we sang them our new song. For treats she had made cinnamon rolls and hot cider and chocolates. It was her birthday so she was very excited about her little celebration.
3. REALLY????
Early shift this week and we both needed to be there ready by 8:30 AM. Truly, I should have never gone. I was standing in the office and Brother Adkins opened the door and took out my elbow and hip. Then I walked past a Sister that I absolutely adore and she proceeded to tell me how I was the worst person on earth for about 30 minutes. She twisted some things I said/did that I actually had said in honoring her and she took it as a cut. Good Grief. I did everything I knew how to get her to calm down about it but she will have nothing to do with me. I went to the temple with a headache and boy did it get worse. I tried to work myself to forgetfulness and it was going okay but at the end another sister let me have it because she had put something where it didn’t belong and said I watched her do it so I knew all along. Actually, I wasn’t there but she never let me get that out. I came home and just exploded. To help matters out we called 3 and they said they had cut us off because we hadn’t paid. Brad said he had paid, they put us on hold and never came back.
This was not my favorite day!!!!!!
Early shift this week and we both needed to be there ready by 8:30 AM. Truly, I should have never gone. I was standing in the office and Brother Adkins opened the door and took out my elbow and hip. Then I walked past a Sister that I absolutely adore and she proceeded to tell me how I was the worst person on earth for about 30 minutes. She twisted some things I said/did that I actually had said in honoring her and she took it as a cut. Good Grief. I did everything I knew how to get her to calm down about it but she will have nothing to do with me. I went to the temple with a headache and boy did it get worse. I tried to work myself to forgetfulness and it was going okay but at the end another sister let me have it because she had put something where it didn’t belong and said I watched her do it so I knew all along. Actually, I wasn’t there but she never let me get that out. I came home and just exploded. To help matters out we called 3 and they said they had cut us off because we hadn’t paid. Brad said he had paid, they put us on hold and never came back.
This was not my favorite day!!!!!!
4. Christmas Eve
We got up early and headed to the store with Mark Blake. They invited us to dinner but we said we would buy the turkey. Well, the only ones left were turkey crowns and they were £54. I nearly died but Brad just said Merry Christmas and we put it in the trolley. I was looking for hash browns and found this freezer filled with frozen turkeys for only £25. We changed quickly. We found everything but shrimp cocktail sauce and headed home.
At noon there was a luncheon and I had Covert Garden tomato soup. It was a very nice spread and we had lots of good food. I got another huge snub. She is making quite the art of it. At 3 PM some went to listen to a choir on the radio but we opted out.
Blake’s were going to the hospital to see Brother Roger’s and we asked to go along. The ride to hospital is quite a drive. The first thing I should explain is that Roger’s had booked motel rooms on the coast for both their mums. No show – still pay! And their mums were very excited so Sister Roger’s went by herself because Nigel was in the good hands of the hospital. Well, Nigel’s leg is not a pretty sight but he is still rather entertaining. We played one go of toss up and then headed back home.
At 6 PM and some though 6:30 PM we had another FHE. It was fine but I really need to start having some fun. Instead I got another snub. I came home and had quite the cry but I did manage to chop all veggies for our shrimp cocktail drink and bake a buttermilk pie.
We got up early and headed to the store with Mark Blake. They invited us to dinner but we said we would buy the turkey. Well, the only ones left were turkey crowns and they were £54. I nearly died but Brad just said Merry Christmas and we put it in the trolley. I was looking for hash browns and found this freezer filled with frozen turkeys for only £25. We changed quickly. We found everything but shrimp cocktail sauce and headed home.
At noon there was a luncheon and I had Covert Garden tomato soup. It was a very nice spread and we had lots of good food. I got another huge snub. She is making quite the art of it. At 3 PM some went to listen to a choir on the radio but we opted out.
Blake’s were going to the hospital to see Brother Roger’s and we asked to go along. The ride to hospital is quite a drive. The first thing I should explain is that Roger’s had booked motel rooms on the coast for both their mums. No show – still pay! And their mums were very excited so Sister Roger’s went by herself because Nigel was in the good hands of the hospital. Well, Nigel’s leg is not a pretty sight but he is still rather entertaining. We played one go of toss up and then headed back home.
At 6 PM and some though 6:30 PM we had another FHE. It was fine but I really need to start having some fun. Instead I got another snub. I came home and had quite the cry but I did manage to chop all veggies for our shrimp cocktail drink and bake a buttermilk pie.
The Christmas Eve tea.
Sister Brown asked us to smile so we gave her a top pose!
5. Christmas Day
I woke up exhausted and furious. I needed to send out a birthday card to Ardith and a few more Christmas cards and of course I had to go to dungeon to do it. I got up and put the ham in the oven and headed out. I was stomping across the parking lot when these lights flashed me and then the security truck zooms towards me. I was already so angry and I couldn’t imagine what I was doing wrong so I was ready for bear. It was Brother Beer and he yells, “Its snowing in the highands.” That goes way back to him being winded up when he was in the army and announcing weather conditions. Then he proceeds to tell me they just caught a terrorist at the temple grounds. He shows me this knitted man from a nativity scene that he took and made little fuses look like a suicide bomb and cut out a little gun and had it strapped on this stuffed knitted man. He was laughing so hard that I had to join him. He was placing the guy in front of anyone out walking and just having the best time. Really? 6:30 Christmas morning? Brother Beer’s is a hoot!
I got my emails finished and headed home to get our breakfast ready. We had been asked out by Blake’s but had to cover Mulholland’s and Orton’s. We had Mulholland’s to breakfast and Mulholland’s had Orton’s to dinner. I had wanted to have them both over for soup and rolls that evening but they wanted to leave the evening open for family calls so we got an early start.
Our breakfast started with shrimp cocktail drink, which they both said they liked. We had baked ham, fried potatoes, eggs and fresh baked bread. It was pretty nice. We opened our dominos and played about 3 rounds before they had to leave to start their dinner.
We had a fun morning running back and forth to Blake’s doing this and that’s.
Dinner time – and English Christmas dinner: Pigs in blankets, cabbage, carrots, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, swede, dressing, gravy, Yorkshire pudding, and I had roasted the turkey. We ate and ate and ate and then we opened the crackers, put on our hats, read our jokes and served the buttermilk pie. I truly thought I would explode. Oh and of course all this was happening with about 3 drinks of different sparkling delights. It was so nice. We love their children. We got the dishes done in no time and just had a lovely day!
We all came to watch the Queen give her 3:00 PM speech and she was wonderful. Of course, she spoke of Jesus Christ which is so touching to us. She was beautiful and it was easy to see why the English love their Queen. After the Queen’s speech, Blake’s gave us an after Queen/tea present of hot Chocó mugs filled with candy which is Yvonne’s family tradition. So Fun!
We spent the rest of the day trying to call home and we finally got all the children but no siblings.
Oh, for Christmas Brad got a new watch, a new camera, and some books. I got a new pair of temple shoes that were too big so we have to return them and a set of dominos.
Brother Beer's pulling me over at 7 AM to show me his arrest.
This man knows how to laugh.
Picture in light to show his arts/crafts ability.
I woke up exhausted and furious. I needed to send out a birthday card to Ardith and a few more Christmas cards and of course I had to go to dungeon to do it. I got up and put the ham in the oven and headed out. I was stomping across the parking lot when these lights flashed me and then the security truck zooms towards me. I was already so angry and I couldn’t imagine what I was doing wrong so I was ready for bear. It was Brother Beer and he yells, “Its snowing in the highands.” That goes way back to him being winded up when he was in the army and announcing weather conditions. Then he proceeds to tell me they just caught a terrorist at the temple grounds. He shows me this knitted man from a nativity scene that he took and made little fuses look like a suicide bomb and cut out a little gun and had it strapped on this stuffed knitted man. He was laughing so hard that I had to join him. He was placing the guy in front of anyone out walking and just having the best time. Really? 6:30 Christmas morning? Brother Beer’s is a hoot!
I got my emails finished and headed home to get our breakfast ready. We had been asked out by Blake’s but had to cover Mulholland’s and Orton’s. We had Mulholland’s to breakfast and Mulholland’s had Orton’s to dinner. I had wanted to have them both over for soup and rolls that evening but they wanted to leave the evening open for family calls so we got an early start.
Our breakfast started with shrimp cocktail drink, which they both said they liked. We had baked ham, fried potatoes, eggs and fresh baked bread. It was pretty nice. We opened our dominos and played about 3 rounds before they had to leave to start their dinner.
We had a fun morning running back and forth to Blake’s doing this and that’s.
Dinner time – and English Christmas dinner: Pigs in blankets, cabbage, carrots, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, swede, dressing, gravy, Yorkshire pudding, and I had roasted the turkey. We ate and ate and ate and then we opened the crackers, put on our hats, read our jokes and served the buttermilk pie. I truly thought I would explode. Oh and of course all this was happening with about 3 drinks of different sparkling delights. It was so nice. We love their children. We got the dishes done in no time and just had a lovely day!
We all came to watch the Queen give her 3:00 PM speech and she was wonderful. Of course, she spoke of Jesus Christ which is so touching to us. She was beautiful and it was easy to see why the English love their Queen. After the Queen’s speech, Blake’s gave us an after Queen/tea present of hot Chocó mugs filled with candy which is Yvonne’s family tradition. So Fun!
We spent the rest of the day trying to call home and we finally got all the children but no siblings.
Oh, for Christmas Brad got a new watch, a new camera, and some books. I got a new pair of temple shoes that were too big so we have to return them and a set of dominos.
Brother Beer's pulling me over at 7 AM to show me his arrest.
This man knows how to laugh.
Picture in light to show his arts/crafts ability.
The Blake's came for our shrimp cocktail drink before Christmas tea.
Christmas Dinner with the Blake's:
Mark, Yvonne, Anthony and Christine Blake
I loved the napkins!
6. Boxing Day!
We did get to sleep in and sleep in we did. I had been up earlier but went back to bed and crashed big time. Brad got up around 9 AM but I didn’t move till 10:00 AM.
At 12:30 we headed back to Blake’s for the second part of Christmas tradition – bubbles and squeak. Now this is interesting. You take all the left over veggies – potatoes, parsnips, swede, carrots, cabbage and whatever else you may have cooked, -- mash it all together, form it in patties and fry it. We had so much left over she just baked it (which I liked). Then you put it over the leftover meat, and pour the left over gravy over it and you have a wonderful second meal. It was great. I do not get bubbles and squeak out of it but they say it could bubble over the pan as you cook it (they must have added the gravy to that pan) and the cabbage either squeaks when you blend it or cut it. Who knows, but it is just wonderful. We had more crackers, jokes, and hats and sparkling drinks. I could get use to this!!!
Another group had a pot luck spread over in the accommodations center and then wanted to play games. Betty Crocker wanted me to come and play games but Brad was not going so I went alone. Most everyone went to watch movies so we only had a few for games so it didn’t quite work, but we did a bit and that was nice.
We did get to sleep in and sleep in we did. I had been up earlier but went back to bed and crashed big time. Brad got up around 9 AM but I didn’t move till 10:00 AM.
At 12:30 we headed back to Blake’s for the second part of Christmas tradition – bubbles and squeak. Now this is interesting. You take all the left over veggies – potatoes, parsnips, swede, carrots, cabbage and whatever else you may have cooked, -- mash it all together, form it in patties and fry it. We had so much left over she just baked it (which I liked). Then you put it over the leftover meat, and pour the left over gravy over it and you have a wonderful second meal. It was great. I do not get bubbles and squeak out of it but they say it could bubble over the pan as you cook it (they must have added the gravy to that pan) and the cabbage either squeaks when you blend it or cut it. Who knows, but it is just wonderful. We had more crackers, jokes, and hats and sparkling drinks. I could get use to this!!!
Another group had a pot luck spread over in the accommodations center and then wanted to play games. Betty Crocker wanted me to come and play games but Brad was not going so I went alone. Most everyone went to watch movies so we only had a few for games so it didn’t quite work, but we did a bit and that was nice.
Bubbles and Squeak.
Mark was a crack up with that spoon.
After.... the crackers have popped.
7. The temple is open.
It seemed very early indeed but we made it up and to the temple by 7:30. As you can well imagine, we had a lot of no shows so Sister Callaghan was giving me a different line about every 3 minutes. I finally ended up in clothing and had a pretty nice time until the other shift took over at 12:15. I went for a bite to eat and then they asked Brad and I to do an instruction session which was very nice. Good day at the temple.
I was a bit tired and in no mood to go out. There was a movie and we didn’t even go to that. We just spent a calm night at home.
Our first Christmas out of America and we survived quite nicely. That is not to say we were not home sick and
wanted some family and our American friends around us. The Blake’s were the perfect substitute and
treated us to a wonderful English Christmas and Boxing Day. Lovely, just brilliant.
Cheers!
Cheers!
He is the gift!
Organize your closet,
Our love,
The Parkinson’s
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