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| This year it's been cold but not this cold. ' |
So bearing this in mind let me now tell you how my week was.
Last Sunday the 17th found me on my way to Riga airport, I was heading for England to attend the funeral of my sister Jean. Though we had never been close I felt I should be there. The flight was fine but running a little late ,as we rose through thick fog up into the bright sunshine we always find above the clouds. This always reminds me of God's love, for altho we may not see or feel it, it is always there and in a world that seems very dark at times we can break through the clouds that surround us and enjoy the warmth of His presence around us, It was cold wet and miserable and Stansted was full of folk heading somewhere, maybe returning from a holiday on a warm sunny shore ( boy, were they in for a shock) or maybe returning from working overseas and looking forward to time with family and friends, but they all had one thing in common and that was to be in my way!!!
It is at times like that I can see the difference in the life we used to know when we lived in England and the one we have now, one where we can travel 25 kilometers and see perhaps 10 cars on a busy day . However having fought my way through the crowds of people and their suitcases, I ended up standing waiting for my face to be recognised at passport control , I then realised I had put it in the wrong way round ,so did it the right way, and then I made my way through the labyrinth of nothing to declare and baggage reclaim out into the arrivals hall. This to me is just another bewildering time, those waiting to meet someone need only to look for face in a trickle of people coming through the door, but those coming out are met with a sea of faces,for me I hadn't seen our niece Lucy,for 21 years, would I recognise her?? I didn't have to worry as she found me before I had chance to go into meltdown mode ,especially as my phone decide it didn't want to work in England, ,so after big hugs we then headed for the car, and off to Lucy's home, where I was staying. I at last managed to get a message to Valerie via the internet,who was relieved to know I was there safe and sound. Being Sunday ,we went to church in Peterborough, which was quite an experience for me, 500 strong congregation, but I really enjoyed listening to the Christmas story, and singing carols,and meeting new people,
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| The promise of things to come |
Monday, the day of the funeral, saw us back at the church, [in a room decorated with Christmas trees and snowflakes.]waiting for people to arrive.
It was great to spend time with all of our nieces and our nephew with their respective families and see how they have grown over the years [some great nieces and nephews ,were not even born ]when we last all met.which was at my mum's funeral, All to soon my time with them was over , sad to say goodbye, and hope to see them sometime soon [but NOT another funeral],,,Then I was heading with our son Andrew for Newbury to stay for two nights,he'd come up for his aunt's funeral.
On Tuesday I was off to see our daughter Anna and family, we were going to spend some quality Dad and Daughter time.
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| Ah when I was a lad this was a train |
Here was another forgotten memory ,train travel!! having found train times on the internet it appeared that the only trains from Newbury that stopped at Westbury would leave at 7.50 or 12.00 WHAT!!!!! surely they run every hour??? not a chance so it was an early start, £11.50 the fare so the timetable had said, but oh no £32 the ticket man asked £11.50 that's the super duper off, off peak fare, what a con. Eventually having picked myself up off the floor it was decided that if I bought a ticket from Newbury to Pewsey and then one from Pewsey to Westbury I would save money as it would only cost £17.50. WHY!!! I'm sitting on the same train travelling the same distance in the same seat, it just didn't make any sense and I certainly wasn't going to get into a discussion with the ticket man because I am sure I wouldn't have understood why. So to me it remains one of life's mysteries.
Anna and Olivia met me at the station , we went home and had a chat with Valerie on Skype, then off to have breakfast in Sainsbury's a bacon sandwich and hot chocolate, we had a little retail therapy, lunch in a pub, then we sorted some heating problems ( I hope) Oh yes ,and there was the question,, Dad ,,,can you have a look at my hoover it's not working, got that sorted and then my time with them was over and it back on the train and this time the ticket purchased in a machine on the platform from Trowbridge to Newbury changing at Westbury was £11.50, I'm still puzzled over pricing. So back to Newbury to spend time with Andrew ,Michelle and Thomas .Oh the joy!! Gammon and pineapple ,plus chips for supper,
But where was I? Ah yes rambling on ,lost in my own little world as usual now where did I start? Oh yes "A funny thing happened" Having been delivered back to Stansted (£3.50 just to stop and get out of the car. !!!!!) said a quick goodbye to Andrew and Thomas, and off into the airport, I eventually boarded my plane, settled in my seat and waited (and apart from takeoff nerves ) felt quite relaxed. The plane was full, not a spare seat and I turned and said to the man one seat along (who I had heard speak english) " looks like everyone is going home for the holiday" He said yes, then he said, " I read a blog written by an Englishman living in Latvia and of his life there" this quite surprised me, as it was my blog he read. what a small world ,my thanks must go to him, for his encouragement,
So despite my doubts about Google's statistics ,I now know there are people out there who do read my blog and I thank you and wish you a very Happy Christmas.
