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December 2007 |
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31 December - Back in the UK
10 December - Snow, Ice Rain & off to Montreal31 December - Back in the UK
Merry Christmas everybody!! Click here for the 2007 Christmas card from Marie
When we got back to the UK we both managed to find work fairly quickly, Stuart has been working in construction for some friends and I have been working in a nice clothes shop in Maidstone town. It's funny we both seem to have settled back into a routine here without any problems, looking back at the sailing diary it feels as though it has been someone else who has done all those things and not us! Also looking back to the last entry where I wrote that I couldn't believe how green the country was, well I can now, it seems to have perpetually rained since we have been back, but not to worry I'm sure there will still be a drought when summer time comes!
The run up to Christmas saw us both working and for me popping into the shops each lunch time to do my christmas shopping, Stuart had quite sensibly brought most of his before leaving Canada, but where's the fun in being organised! We have spent our spare time catching up with friends and going to parties.
Click here to see pictures of Pat & Les Over for Dinner & Lyndsey's Party
For Christmas, Stuart went over to his family and I stayed with mine, we all went over to my brothers for the period, it was really nice to be home for this time of the year, its the only time I really miss being at home when we are away. We had a really nice time and a lot of fun.
Click here to see Christmas pictures
As usual it is all over too quickly and I was back to work in no time, Stuart had the whole of Christmas off which was really nice but I had to work in between, we stayed in Maidstone to see the new year in and caught up with more friends that we hadn't seen for a long time.
Click here to see pictures of Boxing Day 2007 & New Years Eve
Ho hum, another year over!
10 December - Snow, ice rain & off to Montreal
The last month at the farm has seen the weather take a turn for the cooler and most days have been 0°C and below. We have seen ice rain for the first time and have had our first snowfall. The ice rain was amazing, everything was covered in a layer of ice, each individual blade of grass had a layer of ice around it, all the trees creaked as they swayed and when the sun shinned it looked as if everything was covered in diamonds.
Click here to see pictures of the Ice Rain
It only lasted for a couple of days before it thawed out, but back in 1998 they had the rain for days and the ice built up in such quantities that it had a devastating effect on all Montreal, the electricity pylons collapsed with the weight of the ice, trees came down, there was no water or electricity for 3 weeks! Click here to see video footage of the storm in 1998.
After the ice rain we had a little snow which was quite exciting although made work that much harder, everything took double the amount of time to do, you have to walk more carefully everywhere as the ground is full of booby traps! The puddles are iced over under the snow and are pretty deep so you could be walking along fine one minute then the next you disappear through a patch of ice, or slip over the top of it. The horses without shelter came in each night to keep them nice and warm and also so they could still drink as all non moving water freezes solid. None of the cats were that bothered about going outside although the dog seems to preferred it!
Click here to see pictures of the Snow
The last few weeks at the farm went past very quickly and before we knew it it was time to catch the plane back home. We went to Montreal a few days before the flight to do a bit of christmas shopping and to take a look around. Whilst we were there we had more snow which made it very Christmasy with all the lights around town too, although it was also -15°C so was a bit chilly.
Click here to see pictures of Montreal
The flight back to the UK was pretty good, although we were delayed by 2 hours but it was lucky that we went when we did as that night they had 3 feet of snowfall! So we could have been stuck there.
Its a little strange to be back in the UK, the first thing you notice when you fly over is how green everything is and how crazily the fields are all set up, not your neat square fields like Canada but all higgeldy piggeldy, it is really nice.
It is nice to be back and catch up with friends and family, Stuart is back to work and I should be starting work soon too, so back to reality for a while. Its funny, it now feels like we have never been away!