365/117 Tradition.

Cutting the Christmas holly tree from the hedge across the field and Mum's nostalgia tour spring instantly to mind..more on that later! 

.. on a light note, we used to joke about how Col's Mum used to shop for food at M&S whenever his brother came to stay, like the prodigal son (but I get teased for similar these days when I plan things for Zac's impending return..) but at least we'll all get to enjoy fresh orange juice and croissants for special occasion breakfast and Jordan's cakes baked for birthdays and most other 'events' and in our family that's pretty often!

I have blogged the holly cutting at Christmas several years now, it began when I was a kid and we got local holly and then when I left the cove we used to make a kind of pilgrimage back there to visit and get some branches...In recent years zac has become my cutter of choice and I guess he will be here this year but maybe the year after he'll be away and Col or Ross will be in charge (well in my charge) again!  It used to be a subject of some tension with me and Col as he was always busy and I was whittering on about 'my holly'.. he wore welding gauntlets to avoid getting prickled whilst I positively liked the feeling, knowing it meant Christmas was here!

.. my Nostalgia tour.. when family or freinds come to visit we usually have a trip 'out west'ard' and go to Penberth, St Levan and stuff. The family joke about having to take a stool and a book for when I meet someone I know, and I ramble on about where I grew up, how the post box opposite used to get bees nesting in it and how we used the phone box like a personal phone line (there was no TV and so few cars you could hear the phone ring from inside the house in the evening!)

..this is a layout I did for one of our trips out there...