CHRISTMAS IN FEBRUARY - IT MIGHT JUST CATCH ON!

We have been trying to visit our special Blip friend, Amanda_T since before Christmas, to exchange gifts, but haven’t managed it for one reason or another.  We promised we would visit in January but the weather has been so abysmal, we haven’t wanted to travel down the busy motorway.  However, we managed to drive there today and have a great Blipmeet.

I can thoroughly recommend having Christmas in February!  Of course, there were not only Christmas gifts to exchange, but also birthday gifts for me (Boxing Day) and more will be revealed another time!  Suffice to say that there were lots of chocolates and Mr. T would have been smiling down on us, that’s for sure, when I opened a box of Lindt Lindor “Irresistibly Smooth, Extra Dark, Chocolate Truffles” and in true Mr. T. fashion, told Mr. HCB that they were “All mine!”  Not that Mr. T. ever kept his word - after a while he always relented and gave me one or two or as many as I could sneak out of his dish! We do miss him!

Those who follow Amanda will know how fond she is of Beau, the dog that lives next door with his owner, Jo - well, I say that with tongue in cheek, as he seems to spend a lot of time with her and it is obvious they love one another.  Not being “doggy people” we don’t always understand this bond between them, but we could see it clearly today and it is obvious that the feeling is mutual.  In fact, one of the gifts that we had bought for Amanda was a book entitled “All on Board”, which is a collection of inspirational quotes that appeared on boards on the Underground.  I told Amanda that it was a “dipping into” book, of which I have many - so each day, you just open it at random and read the quote.  She did just that and when she started to read the page she had opened it to, I confess, I had tears in my eyes, and I think she did too!  I have added them to the collage, and I’m sure that for those of you who are “doggy people”, you will understand.  

The top left photograph shows Amanda giving Beau one of his treats - I rather liked this shot of him with his tongue out and giving Amanda his paw and the next shot is of him looking up into her face.  Such lovely shots and it says everything about their bond.  

Amanda’s neighbour, Jo came in a while later, so we had a good chat with her, before leaving just before 2 o’clock.  We were glad to be on our side of the M4 because the other side, going down to Wales, was a traffic jam as far back as the eye could see.  Apparently, the Severn Bridge was closed because of high winds and there had been an accident on the other bridge - so I daresay they are still queuing even now, well over two hours later.  There will be some frayed tempers, that’s for sure.

Thank you very much, Amanda, for making us so welcome - we might even consider making Christmas in February a permanent thing - it was good to have our day brightened by such lovely gifts and seeing you, Beau and Jo. 

I apologise for not commenting yesterday, but I was so tired, I was in bed before 9 o’clock last night and slept until 7.30 this morning - I blame losing almost an armful of blood yesterday, but it may be the statins I am now on - so will be checking with my doctor when I see her in mid March - no appointments until then!  I promise I will try harder, but as you all know, sometimes life gets in the way!

Have a great weekend!  M xx

P.S.  You will be pleased to know I did “a Mr. T.”;  I relented and gave Mr. HCB one or two of the chocolates, in case you think he was deprived!