Dear Friends, I kept wanting to write a meaningful well thought out post during December and as you can see, it didn’t go well or actually go at all.
We finally felt settled enough to take a small trip, heading South to Colchester to visit friends. In times past we’d drive like maniacs (well, not ‘we’ exactly, as I am the designated ‘sleeper’ on most drives). We’re trying to remember now, that we are retired and can enjoy a more leisurely pace.
Our first stop was at The House of Bruar, which could possibly be described as a Disneyland for Tartan. Multiple buildings with walkways, signs and employees in classic uniforms and lots of fairy lights. We’d been informed we needed anywhere from 3-6 hours there. It was a fun place to peruse all kinds of things from art to home goods to fishing needs and more.
…and yet, all we bought was…lunch.
We took a detour through the Edinburgh Christmas market on our way to York. My travel advisory is to always make sure you have a few coins with you AND your card, because if you need the only bathroom in the nearby train station you’ll need 30p to get in.
Traveling during the holidays and seeing so many decorations, walking along the old streets in York and the homes’ bay windows filled with Christmas trees was very different from our little fishing village and a complete delight.
Bury St. Edmonds is a wonderful, colorful town to visit any time of year. Great history, shopping, and food. Including a great kitchen store, where I sourced My Loving Spouse’s favorite gift. Nothing says loving like a new potato peeler. We planned well and stayed over in the delightful pub, The Guinness Arms, which gave us a place to stay, good food to eat and a visit with family.
Whenever we visit our friends, he knows my ‘kind of shop’. I found this wonderful print in a hidden gem of an antique shop. A fun find, as The Wind in the Willows is My Loving Spouse’s favorite children’s book and the new bathroom needs some warming up.
I completely blame this traveling on why our Happy New Year’s cards are still on their way. Except for the one that goes to England and is on it’s way to America…oops.
Dachshunds are very popular here. They are called sausage dogs. I do prefer my breed of sausage dog. Christmas eve dinner with sour cream gravy eaten by family everywhere.
The days leading up to Christmas felt like the ‘Santa tracker’ except for gifts, watching which packages made it where, being both amused and dismayed at the delivery system.
Christmas day brought new traditions, watching the King’s Christmas message.
Playing gin, while drinking gin.
Enjoying the wonders of technology, connecting with family and watching the Grand kids open their presents. The Little Miss is now 3 1/2, spunky, funny and quite entertaining. The puppet theater was fun to make and the puppets, quite the learning curve and we have plenty of mismatched socks now to prove it.
…and we are grateful and blessed.
by our life in Scotland,
our new friends and old..
our family far and wide…
and especially by the love of our Lord and Savior.
Happy New Year
Love that you could do the thanksgiving meal so authentically!
Santa with the Bagpipes!!!! so cute
Great Puppets.
Happy New Year.
Thank you Glenda! I hope all your kids are well. Interested in where you’ll be for your hiking adventure. Happy New Year.
Love, love. love your Christmas post with travel photos.
Best of 2025 to you both!
xoxo
Ahh, thanks so much my dear friend. Many blessings this year to you and all your family!
xx
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too, Ellen! Sounds like you’re becoming bonafide Scottsmen, what with listening to the King’s Address and eating some weird food. I absolutely LOVE the puppets you made! Very Muppet like, complete with big mouths and googgly eyes. Little Miss will have a fun time playing with them. We just watched the Rose Parade yesterday. LCF won an award, per usual. We had family from Fresno sitting in the bleachers on Colorado Blvd for first time. Then they came over for lunch and lots of talking. Altogether, a good start to a New Year! Hugs!
What a great day! Not having people understand that the Rose Parade is a really BIG deal is just plain weird. It sounds lovely. All the best to you this year and many, hugs (especially to Andrew) and you!
Really enjoy your posts. Glad you had such a nice trip
Thank you so much Doris, lovely to hear from you. Happy new year to all of your family.
What a lovely, heart-warming post to start the new year! I would have loved to explore the House of Bruar with you, although I probably wouldn’t have been able to leave without a pair of those high tops!
Your card will also be late this year, as we didn’t return home until four days before Christmas (Never Again!). Good to know there’s a Christmas market in Edinburgh. I’m filing that information away. Love, hugs and good cheer to you both!
Oh, what sweet words. Thank you so much! The House of Bruar was something else. It could have been a whole post…but, well yep, that didn’t happen. Four days before Christmas…Wow, yes that would be hard to switch gears, but your photos were amazing!
Cheers to you both!
xx
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
Love reading about your exciting adventures! Big hugs to both of you.
Oh, sweet Sharon,
Big hugs to you as well!!! I love seeing your girls and your grand kids on Instagram. Much love to you all.
xx
I LOVE the puppets!! How fun! I’m betting they will bring hours of joy! My card is arriving a week bit late as I lost your address but it reappeared, so on its way. We again enjoyed others decorations this year as we still haven’t moved everything back yet. Still some painting to be done, but grateful for a downstairs bathroom again! Love to you both and Happy New Year!🎈🎆🎊
Wow! What a trial that repair has been to you both. I shall enjoy your card whenever it arrives!
The puppets were quite fun, once I got the hang of it. Thanks my friend.
xx