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I enjoyed the weeks running up to Christmas. As Kate's boyfriend was away (in Qatar for World Cup) for the last week of the school term, I stayed with her to keep her company and also to attend her second graduation ceremony of the year. This one was held in the very grand Whitworth Hall at Manchester University on one of the coldest evenings of the year - Kate was absolutely freezing in the photo above. And it was a challenge getting there as it was a train strike day. But worth it: she has made some good friends on the course, several of them from Northern Ireland. I enjoyed chatting with their parents who'd come over for the ceremony. According to Kate my accent immediately becomes more Irish.
I also volunteered to help in Kate's school during the week I stayed there. Watching her teach her class of 7/8 year olds was a strange experience for me. It doesn't seem that long since I was teaching her in a class of 15/16 year olds. I was so impressed by her confidence and skill at managing the children and, in particular, her Maths teaching. She revised the rules of column subtraction with the class, a good job as I wasn't familiar with the method. I helped out as best I could but was more comfortable during the English lesson on speech punctuation. I also attended the school's Christmas production, walking with the class through icy streets to a local church. Feeling nostalgic again as it seems no time since I was watching her in this Christmas show.
Christmas Day itself was good this year after last year's disaster, something I didn't ever report in the blog. This time we kept Alfie far away from any chicken legs not wanting to repeat the stress and arguments caused when he devoured one whole last year while still a puppy. Kate and her boyfriend Calum were with us for Christmas Day and Boxing Day before going on holiday with his family. It was a lovely day. Since Kate is now earning she was able to buy more presents and so the present opening lasted all day. She knows what I like so I got, among other things, a new cosy dressing gown to replace the one I've been wearing for about 15 years, a fluffy hot water bottle, some rhubarb and ginger jam and some cherry liqueur chocolates. And I had a very swish new purse and handbag from Paul. In return I bought him a rather smelly selection of cheese - he's hard to buy for. He cooked the traditional Christmas dinner and then we lazed around in front of the fire opening more presents. Having walked Alfie in the rain in the morning, we didn't venture out again. Just a board game - Articulate = and rubbishy television - Strictly and Call the Midwife.
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| Alfie enjoyed opening his presents. |
That's it for now. Need to get on with my New Year's Eve dessert preparation.
Happy New year to all!
