Calcutt (first mulled wine of the winter)



We’ve had a little fir tree growing in a pot for the last three years and it still survives. 

On Friday evening Karen decorated the tree with battery operated LEDs and home made baubles.  Before anyone shouts, the lights are white not coloured.

I may have mentioned previously that Ann, Karen’s mum, has been making baubles for the last few years and has given us some.  We got them out on Friday evening and Karen festooned the inside of the boat with them.  I’m known as the scrooge in the family and could quite happily have no celebration of the festive season but I have to admit that Ann has done a good job and the baubles are quite striking.

More fairy lights and a bauble in the galley


Close up of ones of Ann’s homemade baubles

On Saturday Karen and I took Buddy on a six mile walk to Long Itchington and back to get our weekly newspaper.  We met Chris on his boat Honore at the bottom of the Stockton flight.  He had his partner and son with him for the weekend so had some help to go up the locks.  We stopped for a chat and a catch up on life as we hadn’t passed each other since the summer.

At the top of the Stockton flight we passed this rather unusual looking narrowboat called Valhallah - it was actually 1 1/2 times as wide as a narrowboat so not technically a narrowboat

Later in the afternoon we drove to Wolfhamcote where the abandoned church is used once a year for a carol concert.  I don’t normally go to these sort of things because they are usually services and therefore religious and I just get wound up, especially if children are present, with religious teachings of any sort.

The church has no power so everyone brings candles.  The readings of a traditional carol service are taken over by local people telling anecdotes or reciting poems with no religious overtones.  The Braunston singers were used as the choir and I have to admit that the congregation and choirs’ unaccompanied singing sounded good without a sombre organ drowning everyone out.

I couldn’t turn my flash off so it looks brighter than it actually was


The path to the church door


When we got home we had our first mulled wine of the year and spent the rest of the evening in.





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