Nine Lessons, Nine Carols

Today I got up early enough to go for a walk with Grandma, Holly the dog and Mum. Now if you look closely, Holly is actually mid-leap...not bad for a 13 year old dog! She really is doing well for her age, and still gets as excited to see family members as she did when she first arrived. It is only family members she does this for; she is a rather nervous dog with everyone else and in fact really hates the camera...until today. I don't know what got into her, but she was literally galloping towards me to take a picture of her!

Went out for an awesome lunch at Volare with my parents followed by a tiny bit of Christmas shopping. The meal was absolutely awesome, with some authentic Italian dishes that were also really innovative and very tasty. Also the bottles of house wine were 1 litre, so even better! So by Christmas shopping I mean we went into Boots, gave up looking almost straightaway (not before I got pointed at by a young boy who told his mother that I looked like "a lady"...I'm definitely taking it as a compliment!)...so we went to find a swede. Yes, a swede. Can't have Christmas dinner without a carrot and swede mash! Now everything is all sorted for Christmas day, dinner and Boxing Day. Perfect, and cannot wait for the family Christmas!

Now my evening was spent at church. Now not being particularly religious my family and I don't really go to church that much, but I used to go a lot more when I was younger because I sang in the choir (for around 10 years). In September my old choirmaster got back into touch with me to ask to sing at a cathedral service, and since then with the re-established link I was invited back to sing at the annual Carol service. Now this was always one of my favourite services, because of the old anthems rather than just hymns...including this beauty. I just love Christmas, and everything that goes with it. I sometimes forget just how much I love singing as well now I don't get the chance to do it as much.

So, to finish, ten things I've experienced/realised since I've come home:-

1. I keep having to stop myself faire-ing la bise when I'm greeting everyone.
2. It is a lot warmer than I thought it would be!
3. Christmas songs are really played a lot in shops aren't they?!
4. British transport systems are rather a lot better, and taxis are loads cheaper.
5. Dressing up for nights out is a lot more fun now it is not met with funny looks...although at the same time I have definitely started judging people's dresses a lot more than I used to.
6. Bread, cheese, chocolate. No more words.
7. More on those lines, there is so much more choice of restaurants in England.
8. No matter how many Christmas lights the French throw up, somehow the atmosphere is just more Christmassy in England...probably due to the family aspect, but still!
9. I've accidently said pardon and excusez-moi to random strangers.
10. Yey to amazing friends and family!