“Letters” From Peanuts

I love receiving notes the peanuts back in Iowa. Ava and Benjamin’s pictures and writing make the refrigerator door so much more beautiful! They make me smile every time I go into the kitchen. Thanks for mailing them, Mara.

Pretty Portraits

Jonathan and I were playing with his dad’s iPad and discovered an app called photobooth. We had a good laugh taking distorted pictures of my face.  I thought one might provide a few giggles for everyone else too. 

Christmas in Grimsby

Having Jonathan’s whole family together has been such a delight this Christmas.  His brother’s family (Pete, Jo, Tom, Will, and Libby) arrived just hours before us.  We spent Christmas Eve day at the seal colony and came back to an incredible feast prepared by Sheila.  We indulged in a great eating extravaganza and then attempted to work ourselves out of a food coma by playing games.  ‘Muppets,’ a new card game the kids taught us, was a big hit. 

Christmas morning was filled with excitement, as Santa had visited 29 Tetney Road, and made an incredible mess!  He left snowy footprints through the living room, knocked over candles and picture frames, and even left half-eaten carrots in the fireplace.  So typical of a man, Santa!

We spent a leisurely morning opening gifts and ate a breakfast of smoked salmon and eggs around noon.  After showering, we drove to Trish and David’s to exchange gifts.  We shared a tea, chatted, and watched the Queen’s Christmas Day address.  This was my first televised Queen’s speech and I played along with the prank that I needed to stand for her address!  Monty, the cat, provided additional entertainment, as he proceeded to get high from a cat nip Christmas gift!

After Trish and David’s, everyone participated in a Wii games competition.  I discovered just how rubbish I am!  Jonathan and I displayed an astonishing lack of rhythm on Just Dance and were completely outshined by Cliff and Sheila’s impressive moves.  After being defeated in every Wii sport imaginable, I was eager for the next feast Sheila prepared. 

We had a lovely dinner, too many dishes to name.  I loved popping the Christmas crackers, comparing prizes, and wearing the funny paper cracker hats.  I tasted my first ever Christmas pudding, a desert that dates back to medieval England.  I enjoyed its strong tastes of brandy and spices and was lucky enough to get the coveted piece with a silver coin.  (A coin is inserted to the bottom of the cake and whoever receives the piece with the coin is meant to have good luck and wealth for the year.)  I even learned a new ‘After Eight’ game.  Much laughter ensued after placing an After Eight chocolate square on our foreheads, manoeuvring it down our faces—without using hands, of course—aiming for the mouth.  It’s much more difficult that it sounds! 

We continued with drinks, card games, chatting, and laughter for many hours.  We lit paper lanterns (and nearly burnt down a neighbouring barn!) and I Skyped with my family back in Iowa.   This was an exceptionally lovely Christmas and I felt blessed to be surrounded by so much fun and love.

 

Christmas Eve Day – Donna Nook Seal Sanctuary

The whole Kimpson clan took a 30 minute drive to the Donna Nook Seal Colony.  In the winter, grey seals clamber onto the sanctuary sandbanks to have their pups.   Visitors are allowed to get remarkably close, divided only by a small wooden fence.  This closeness provides amazing, up-close views of these beautiful animals—and some great pictures. 

Donna Nook is an amazing conservation success.  I’ve read varying statistics,  but I think about 3,000 seals come to Donna Nook throughout the mating season, and have given birth to over 1,000 pups.  Pretty incredible!  Check it out at http://www.lincsuk.com/donnanookseals.htm .

Mr. Lawrence and the Christmas Carols

Tonight I felt like I was cast in a British romantic comedy film.   You know the classic montage of happy moments, flashing in synch with music, intended to stir an emotional outpouring from viewers?  Well, I felt like the scene at Mr. Lawrence (a local wine bar) tonight was one of the happy scenes being used as a compilation flashback.   

Members of a nearby church choir were singing carols at Mr. Lawrence as a charity fundraiser to support a Cub Scout troop.  The tiny venue was packed.  We shared some wine and food with our friends Rob and Lou and joined in the Christmas carol singing.  It was a festive, jubilant environment that left all the patrons feeling good.

Indefinite Leave To Remain

Another round of paperwork, accompanied by a hefty sum of money, was sent off to the British government today.  As we progress through each visa application, the finer details have become a bit more understandable and the collection of documents and supporting evidence has become a bit easier.   The thousands of pounds we’ve spent on immigration matters are difficult to swallow, but I’m thankful things have progressed smoothly thus far.  Hopefully, we will soon receive a delivery with my new visa.  This technically could be the last hoop I need to jump through, as it allows me to live and work in the UK indefinitely.   All that remains are the options of getting a British passport and becoming a British citizen—neither of which is currently on my must do list.

Thanksgiving #2

The usual Thanksgiving crowd met at Amy and Andy’s for a lovely day.  We ate an enormous and delicious feast of turkey, potatoes, pigs-in-blankets, cranberry relish, green beans, parsnips, and sweet potatoes, as well as drinking abundant amounts of wine.  As always, we talked and laughed until it was considerably past the time we were meant to leave.  I love spending time with these fantastic people and was so pleased to have shared our third Thanksgiving together. 

The Cook, Andy, serving dinner.

My (first) scrumptious plate!

 

Jonathan and Julio

 

Thanksgiving #1

In a last minute effort to celebrate Thanksgiving on the actual holiday weekend; (We have plans for a Turkey Day celebration with friends next week.) I invited some friends over.  Sioban, Ian, Melissa, and Mary joined Jonathan and I for their first Thanksgiving experience.  After explaining the background and traditions of the American holiday, we tucked into a lovely dinner of ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry relish, stuffing, spinach with feta, broccoli, as well as apple and pumpkin pie.  We even included some British traditions of mulled wine and post-desert cheese course.  Everyone embraced the custom of eating way too much!  The eating, drinking, game playing, and storytelling crept into the wee hours of the next day, indicating a very happy introductory Thanksgiving experience for all.

Mary, Melissa, (Jonathan), Siobahn, and Ian-- our Thanksgiving first-timers!

Pat-a-Cakes

To my delight a new cake shop has opened in our neighbourhood.  Jon and I enjoyed our trial taster inspection this weekend.  The shop is cosy and cute with plenty of room for sitting and watching the world pass by or for meeting up with friends.  They provided a nice selection of sweet and savoury nibbles along with coffee and teas.  I liked the baking paraphernalia and art for sale as well.   Best of all, the homemade cakes were pretty and flavourful.  We will definitely be returning to Pat-a-Cakes.

Check it out at:  www.patacakes.org

Thoughtful Flowers

Today I came home to a bright, colourful arrangement of Gerber daisies that Jonathan picked up… “just because.”