New Year in The View from the Terrace

We enjoyed a quiet New Year. This year we didn’t go for a drive to the mountains on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve as we often do as it was wet and very windy, we stayed home. I listened to some Christmas music while sorting out my jewellery box, a job that’s been needing to be done for ages. I had thought I needed to buy a new gold chain for my medallions as I had two break in the last year, but I found several in a tangle at the bottom of a drawer of brooches. I decided that I need somewhere to hang my necklaces and chains as the jewellery box is too small and they just get in a tangle, so I looked on Amazon for a necklace hanger but they were all rather expensive. I decided that we could probably make something out of a coathanger but then when I was rummaging around the little room I found just the thing. It is a padded board with a row of hooks that I won on a stall at our club meeting. I never really knew what it was or what to do with it but it’s just perfect.

We stayed up until midnight to toast the New Year and enjoy the London fireworks on TV. This time of year always brings back memories of my mum who used to ring all of her close friends and relatives and wish them a Happy New Year. I didn’t do that as I was feeling rather tired. I usually go up to bed much earlier.

On New Year’s afternoon we watched a lovely film, Hugo, on TV. It was set in 1930s Paris, a lot of it in the old Montparnasse railway Station. It reminded me a lot of the Musee d’Orsay, the art gallery which we went to during our visit last year, which was also originally a railway station, although I read since that the one in the film was a set as the original station was rebuilt in the 60s. There were some lovely outdoor shots of Paris, though. I really would love to go there again, there is so much more to see.

We are slowly getting back into the usual routine. Hubby went to his art group yesterday morning but then, not long later, I found him in the living room. I said I thought he had gone out and he replied that he had been to his art group but no one else was there. He couldn’t understand it as he was sure they were starting again on the 3rd. I said, ‘That could explain it as today is the 2nd!’

Chris came round at lunchtime today before going to his first afternoon shift at work since the holiday. He wasn’t looking forward to it as an awful thing happened there before Christmas. The day after we went to see Cat and David in Cardiff he called to let us know he was OK. He said, ‘Haven’t you heard, a man was killed at our work today and I was worried you might think it was me.’ It was one of the Polish workers. He had climbed inside one of the machines that had jammed to try to release it. The machine was turned off but for some reason the whole thing collapsed on top of him and he was killed instantly. Chris didn’t know the man as it is another department, but he did know the supervisor who is his cousin and who got the job for the man that died, I can’t imagine how he must be feeling. The dead man was due to fly home to Poland the next day for Christmas with his wife and 2 children. It’s so awfully sad. The whole village is talking about it.

On a brighter note I have booked a 3 day visit to Wolverhampton in early February. This is partly to look further into my family history. Both of my parents grew up there and around 50% of my dad’s ancestors were from there. I’m planning to go to the archives and do some research. The timing of our visit is in order to see Mamma Mia at the Grand Theatre.

Right now we are still being battered by Storm Eleanor and the weather forcast is for more rain so at least I have something to look forward during these dreary January days.