Merry Christmas 2014

Merry Christmas!

This year marks my second Christmas in the UK, sometimes it's still hard to believe I've had the amazing experience of living here for 15 months (and counting).  We are having a very low-key, laid back celebration of just the two of us and the mutts, it's been quite nice not rushing about trying to get things done. That meant no cards were sent out though (sorry everyone!).  I did go on a search for candy canes as treats for the Nordic Walking groups, it wasn't until after I'd handed them out to everyone the first time that I found out they are not a Christmas tradition here! No wonder I had to go on what amounted to a scavenger hunt in several shops before finding any to buy.  We also remembered to buy Christmas crackers for tonight, I'm quite looking forward to the cheesy joke and paper crown.

Can you believe the mutts stayed still for this picture? Next year we need to be better prepared and try for some Christmas themed photos before the actual day and perhaps get a picture done in time for cards...hmm, we'll see if that does happen.  

Because there are never enough cute pics of Elsie and Ben

 It's hilarious how the dogs are paying me absolutely no mind until they hear the magic word!  Just in case anyone was wondering if my accent had changed...that would be a no, I don't think it's much different if at all. The vernacular has changed of course but that southern is hard to budge.  With that, Merry Christmas y'all!!!! I hope everyone is having (or had) a wonderful day and are able to celebrate in their preferred way. Lots of love to my family and friends xx

Not so Festive relay

Running. I do that. Sometimes quite well, other times not so much. But I do run and while I love it most of the time occasionally it just sucks like today.  On a normal day I would love an event like the Christmas Relays--you got pavement, you got cross country, a little bit of mud and a few hills, people around you suffering just as much. Fun stuff.  Right up until you factor in the winds..........and not just a breeze, these were bone-chilling, blow you about winds.  Add in a somewhat stopped up nose and I felt like I was suffocating out on the course which in turn was throwing my heart rate into overdrive. I haven't felt this bad on a run since the Hogeye Half last spring. My pace went from 7:59 on the first mile to 8:37 on the second. Sucked. Oh well, on to the next, eh?

Trafalgar Square, watching everyone take pics of each other

In other news, my partner treated me to an impromptu trip to London on Christmas Eve (which is probably where I picked up the stuffy head, lol).  We didn't do much, just wandered about a little bit and had a meal in one of the restaurants near the Google HQ (Union Jacks--food was ok, service was lackluster, overall nothing special).  Spent a grand total of £9 (excepting the meal and train tickets) and five of that was at Primark for a slip because my dress and tights were not playing well together.  There was a search for a kitschy ornament for the tree but because we arrived so late most of the stores were already closing.  I was a bit surprised that Trafalgar Square wasn't more "done up" but we really should have made our way over to Covent Garden/Carnaby Street/Regent Street for the Christmas decorations.

Where to next?

It's still a bit surreal to me to be approximately 2-2.5 hours away from London, it was even more surreal being in a train station there and seeing Disneyland as a destination, lol.  Can't wait for the first Europe trip via rail.

Happy Holidays everyone! Hope all who celebrate Christmas had a very merry one