Then suddenly it's Christmas; Y ahora Navidad

So Christmassy it's untrue!

I went along with Laura, Emma, auntie Vanessa and granny Gill and grandad Richard to the Dudley Canal Trust's Christmas event to see a mini panto of Cinderella. We got to go on a barge through the tunnels to see Cinders, Buttons Griselda and finally Santa himself. And warmed back up again with a cuppa and a mince pie. Needless to say Emma had a ball!

The Collins Family

Look at that!

Then I drove to Coventry to see my mum in her choir's Christmas concert. She's in One Voice which does a mixture of lively and quiet international songs and carols. They sing Polish, German, French, South African, Gospel and just about any song from anywhere in the original language. The concert was very good, as ever, and itwas heart-warming to see mum singing her heart out. There is something really great about singing in a choir - maybe in a few years I'll go back to it because it is a joyous sensation. So here they are in action. Many people will not associate the words 'a shrinking violet' with my mother but due to her short stature and her unwillingness to stand on the front row for more than 5 minutes it was blinking difficult to get any decent footage.

And then the flu came. It was faily inescapable that after everyone in the office and also Alex got the killer bug that I would get it too. For over a week now I've been pathetic; coughing lots and generally sounding a bit like the devil. But I'm recovering, and just in time too because...

It's Christmas!

So excited... I'm getting better, all cosy and warm and the snow outside is making the world very pretty. I'm sorry. I know everyone's having a really tough time because the car won't start; their plane's been cancelled and that evil snow is making them put on 50 layers of clothing each time they need to leave the house but for me it's not been so bad. The buses carried on regardless (thank you Travel West Midlands); the streets were not completely full of annoying people because they'd all stayed at home; I've not had to face a full-on shop at Sainsbury's because we can't drive there; and a few days ago I had the first snowball fight that I can remember having (except when I got pelted in the face by Alan Cartwright at school in about the 3rd year, thank you Alan).

The tree

The hearth

el pesebre

Pads blending in

On Saturday Emma came over to help me make choc chip cookies as a Christmas present for Claire. It was the heaviest snowfall yet and instead of going on to the shops Nath and Laura ended up staying while we made our cookies. Almost 12 hours later they went home. We had the best day! Even in my flu-riddled state I enjoyed the day. We made the cookies obviously; me and Emma played lots of hide and seek, chase the cat and jump on the bed (her 3 favourite games); had dinner; watched a film; played ten pin bowling; and Alex rugby tackled me to the ground mid-snow fight. It was the best day snowed in ever!

Me and Emma mid-fight

 The only inconenience was not being able to get the car out of the drive for a few days, even despite a push from our neighbour Paddy. This could potentially put an end to our hopes for a Christmas in Coventry with my parents so watch this space...

Trying in vain to get the car out

Walking to Al's parents

And suddenly it was advent! ¡Y de repente era Adviento!

Me and Alex have been very cosy this winter. Alex has been making some delicious treats, experimenting with pastry to makedelicious apple turnovers and a caramelised banana tart... yummy. All I've wanted the last month and a half is to seek out heat. Eat yummy food and hibernate.

turnovers

We've also had some fun nights out recently. It was Laura's 30th in November and we went to La Banca in Cotteridge for a delicious Italian meal. We also met up with Pete, Vicky Steve and Leon and Teresa for a night out in honour of it being Leon's birthday, a reunion and also Pete and Vicky's engagement.

Laura's bday celebs

Pete and Vicky looking glam

Al and Steve

Leon and Teresa

I was sat in St Nicolas a few Sundays ago and suddenly it was the first weekend in Advent. The Jesse tree was up, the first advent candle was being lit and we were singing our first carol; 'Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel'. Suddenly there was something to get excited about. The last few months have been hard; the wintry nights have drawn in, the wait for the bus has got colder and my bus partner Marilyn has been put on a new rota so we no longer get to chat to pass along the time. Then suddenly the German Christmas market made its annual appearance and the lights went up and the city centre became a twinkly forest of Christmas goodies. I felt very upbeat.

That sunday, after a very lovely service, Rob the vicar announced that during the Restoration they had found the body of a small baby buried just outside the church boundary. The small child had died in the 1500's, and no doubt had been buried in secret by a distraught mother, perhaps this anonymous buriel was the closest she could get her child to salvation. After the service Rob said that he was going to give the baby a buriel and that anyone who wanted to attend would be very welcome. In the end the majority of the congregation piled out into the wintery cemetary to commemorate this sad event. It was amazing to be a part of that community. Kings Norton was a village 500 years ago and it still is in many ways. For the sake of a mother who lived centuries before any of us were born; for the love of her child we buried that baby, and felt the bonds of our own family ties all the more strongly. And that's Christmas isn't it? For the love of a small child men crossed a continent on camels looking for a miracle; Parents risked their lives and a King fled his own nightmares. God knows the trials that mother endured back in 1500. But ever since her and for many more centuries men and women will visit this church and bring their own pain and tragedy with them in the hope that they'll find some sort of peace. I love Christmas, but not just for the sparkly decorations and the presents, but because it honestly does remind me of how loved and lucky I've been. I was glad to be able to do that small thing for that mother; I hope she knows she's not been forgotten.

The congregation gather