Merry Christmas

Ahh, it's Christmas Day.

Christmas Day; what does that mean? 

I guess if you're religious and a Christian, this is a big day. If you're a non believer, or a non Christian, it's a chance to make a day to suit 

yourselves.

Naturally, it can be a religious day that you make your own.

It's always been a day we spend any way we wish, sometimes in remote places with like minded friends, or more recently at home.

It's a great chance to head out for a truly lone walk. Even in a town like ours, folks are indoors, cooking, chatting and generally making merry. For us, this is a sad waste of our limited daylight. 

Gotta get out, breathe, move, affirm that life is indeed sweet.

As we hit the high top of the Cotswolds, I checked with MeWally that one of us had a coat hanger in our jacket. He said he hadn't. Sadly, I had to admit that I hadn't either.

It was the weather, you see, it was relatively mild, blasting us with a gusty, fine, grey, drizzle; perfect Dartmoor walking weather.  As a youngster, I often walked about on Dartmoor, being, as I was, a Devon girly. 

One weekend, when I was about 14, I was out on the moor, on a day just like today, with my two absolutely best friends in the whole wide world; Sal-n-Sylv. Sally kept whinging about how uncomfortable her rucksack was that day.

After 4 or 5 miles of battling, heads grimly down, through the gorgeous wide, open terrain, we found a wall to huddle behind. It was time for food. Stowing maps, compasses and frowns, we took out our flasks, cake and butties. 

There was no peace though as the wind whistled over the top of the low wall, and Sally kept wailing about her bloody shoulders. 

Up Sylv and I jumped, no thought to food and shelter, and dragging Sal to her feet (all three of us were evenly matched in size - hefty), stripped Sal of her cagoule. She wasn't happy, but you have to understand that it was for her own good. She was a chipper mate. This low mood was a new and annoying departure for her. The drizzle whetted her, we could see no problem causing her pain, so we redressed her.

Without a thought to our sensibilities, she began muttering and fidgeting again. We hadn't even sat back down! 

The cag was off once more, but this time it was not cast aside, no, it was inspected.

Guess what, when she put it on, the silly mare had left the coat hanger inside. 

Man that must have hurt! 

Todays weather will always remind me of that day, my bestest school chums and the laughter that coat hanger caused. 

MeWally and I rolled home from our walk and had tea and MeWallys JAMMIE DODGERS to dunk. 

Now, I wonder who loves MeWally enough to buy him JAMMIE DODGERS for CHRISTMAS?

Revittled, we trotted up to Debbie and Alans place in time to see them set fire to their CHRISTMAS PUDDING. It took a LOT OF BRANDY to get it going!

Now it's time for Me and MeWally to get our act together and cook something suitably festive. 

Now, let me see, what's in the fridge!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

The photos are of our walk around the Nailsworth hills and valleys today