Thursday 3 December 2020

3rd December - Advent Photos 2020

A little Christmas book  first published in  1987  by the author of many fiction, non fiction and children's books. 


 An account of a country childhood in Wessex a hundred years ago. Evoking the delights and surprises of Christmas and the mood of the countryside in the bleak mid-winter, this is a nostalgic and lyrical story.

 A quick and gentle read about a little girl sharing Christmas with her brother, mother and her Vicar father in Victorian England. 

 

The tree people came yesterday and took down the big Ash tree at the end of the garden. It was starting to get Ash Tree die-back although it probably would have been OK for a while longer.


 How do they do it? Moving about up there as easily as the rest of us move around on the ground.

Much safer now for new owners and next door neighbours' hot tub and new extension and BiL will come over sometime and collect all the decent wood for his wood-burner. They chipped all the smaller stuff and tidied up after them. That's the last time I'll have to worry about trees!

It was so good to get back to swimming yesterday and only 3 people in my 'slow' half. But I was really surprised at my lack of stamina after just 4 weeks, I felt tireder than when the pool reopened in July. I suppose in the spring and summer there was more gardening to do whereas through November exercise has been almost non-existent.
 I heard a man telling someone that the Lido at Beccles (the only open-air pool in Suffolk) is still open but isn't being heated. Brrrrrrrr! Must be this sudden craze of everybody wanting to do cold water outdoor swimming. When I say everybody, that doesn't include me!

Back Tomorrow
Sue

27 comments:

  1. LOL Sue, I gather you are not into cold water swimming in winter? Can't say I blame you :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Did you see the Repair Shop last night? I wonder whether your tree surgeon was wearing the same sort of tree climbing irons they re-juvenated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No didn't see The Repair shop.
      He was well fixed on up there

      Delete
  3. Could water swimming, of any kind, would be bottom of any list I might make - so far down it would probably have dropped off the end!
    Hoping the water was comfortably mild.

    Loving your banner photo.
    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cold water outdoor swimming seems to have got really popular. It's supposed to be good for you

      The pool was as it usually is although one woman was fanning herself saying it was too warm!

      Delete
  4. I don't enjoy any swimming, and an outdoor Lido in winter is NOT my cup of tea!! Winter walks - yes. Comes from being a Fire sign I expect.

    Glad the tree was taken down safely and your BiL has some firewood now. We have got trees where we are going but most of them are on neighbouring land. Most of those on a steep slope too, and hopefully would fall away from our land and down the slope.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used to love an outdoor pool that we had locally. In our teens we could spend all day there

      Delete
  5. My goodness just the thought of cold water swimming makes me shiver.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I always marvel at the way tree surgeons work, too.

    My daughter is into outdoor swimming now. It started in lockdown when a 'swimming lake' nearby was open and pools weren't.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's got very popular but I reckon you need the right gear. I think they wear slipper things and gloves or a wetsuit?

      Delete
  7. I love your Christmas cottage.
    So pleased the swimming went okay and hooe you can go every week now.
    I went shopping yesterday with my D and GD and the shops seemed to be a little busier. I must admit I was glad I went but so tired last night but it was nice to get out in the sunshine. Back to rain this morning🌈🌈
    Hazel c uk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's been too wet, cold and grey to take a winter header photo outside so I did the house instead!

      Delete
  8. It's surprising how quickly stamina drops especially at this time of year, when we both hunker AND slow ourselves down. Good for you for getting back to your swimming though.

    I watch David and Stephen Flynn on their Instagram Stories braving the Irish Sea every morning with fellow villagers for a dawn swim. Watching them on my phone is the closest I'll EVER get to doing it!!

    That Susan Hill book sounds just lovely, she wrote very varied things didn't she, some very gentle and some quite spooky. Well for instance I like Through the Kitchen Window and I also really like The Woman in Black.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sea swimming in winter would be even worse than an unheated pool. Make me feel cold just to think about it

      Delete
  9. My friend posted on Facebook that she had been swimming in the sea yesterday at Frinton. She had quite an audience apparently!! NO CHANCE for me!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everyone watching was probably thinking "rather her than me"!

      Delete
  10. Me and heights....bad combination. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too. Not even keen on safe ladders - although I dont mind walking around high buildings like castle walls that are solid

      Delete
  11. I'm pleased you enjoyed your swim, even if it was a bit tiring this time. Susan Hill is a great writer and as the other Sue says has written in such different genres. Over the last couple of years I've particularly enjoyed her Simon Serrailler detective series. Vicki

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They've cut the lane swimming times too so I won't be able to go every 4 or 5 days like I was before November

      Delete
  12. Glad you got to go back to swimming. That book looks really interesting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A quick little read but interesting. I think it was fiction unless it was based on an older relatives story,

      Delete
  13. How nice that you were able to go swimming again. I am always surprised at how quickly my stamina drops when I have not been keeping up with exercise. Hope you're having a good day Sue!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I use to love climbing trees as a child but not that high they very brave

    ReplyDelete
  15. They are very adapt at moving around in those branches. Tree trimming and removal always make me stand and watch in awe.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete