The last month of the year. Long awaited, because it heralded Cat and Andy's visit for Christmas. They had sent us a brief video, purporting to be booking Airbnb for the Christmas period... which then turned out to be our house. They had booked their flights and were coming for Christmas! (They had previously checked that we had decided to stay in Guernsey; had debated arriving on the doorstep, dressed in Christmas wrapping paper; but decided to let us know by video link...)
To say we were thrilled, delighted, ecstatic...is an understatement. Sometimes, words just don't cut it....
Before their arrival, of course, there were three weeks filled with carol services and the necessary rehearsals; Christmas decorating, Christmas lunches, Christmas shopping... Advent.
Market square, St Peter Port
Advent. This year, a daily blog reflection; contributing to some 'reverse Advent calendars', both at home and at school; opportunities, while teaching RE, to reflect on the Christmas story and Jesus's coming, and what that means to us.
And some lovely little films, helping explore the meaning of Christmas:
And, of course, my all-time favourite: An Unexpected Christmas:
After school ended, we took a break to stay on Lihou with friends for the night, enjoying the feeling of being castaways once the tide had come in and covered the causeway. Talking, catching up, playing 'Empires'.
And then... They Were Here! (I managed to continue with my daily reflection even after Cat and Andy had arrived, though it seemed as if all December waited for them to step off the Aurigny jet on to Guernsey airport tarmac.)
Such, such fun. We hugged and laughed and chatted; we walked the cliff paths, along beaches, around Lihou headland; cycled in wind, sunshine and rain showers through St Peters and round to Cobo; got up early to watch the sunrise from Vale Castle with Mags and Louis; CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS together, Skyping with Jonny and Adele.
Opening stockings, exchanging wonderful Turkish and Iraqi gifts (beautifully patterned in blue and white), eating with friends; completing a 998 piece 'Where's Wally' jigsaw puzzle (yes, 2 pieces missing from the 1000 piece puzzle), playing countless games of Monopoly Deal #nowofficiallyhooked #suchfun
Richard wearing a traditional Kurdish scarf - a keffiyeh (cemedani in Kurdish)
Pickle: not quite sure what to do with a pig's ear.
no caption needed!
Too cute.
Lihou headland
Lihou in the background - cut off by the tide
The Cobo Boxing Day swim
After the swim: Andy, Mags and Louis went in.
Walking from Jerbourg to Fermain, spotting a seal on the way. Then a picnic at Fermain Bay, watching gannets diving for fish.
Vale Castle
Sunrise at Vale Castle - no. 29 for Cat #30before30
breakfast
Looking south from the Vale
Watermill - Guernsey's only working mill.
#historic
Checking the surf at Vazon en route from Cobo tea rooms
Ronez quarry - nature walk around it
Le Trepied
#morehistory
From Le Trepied looking west towards Lihou
Windy walk at Port Grat
Ronez quarry
Nature walk around Ronez quarry
cuddle with Pickle
Little Chapel
Last day L'Ancresse walk
Monopoly deal... again!
The days seemed to stretch on endlessly... and then, suddenly, it was time for them to go. Not quite the 39 hour journey it took to get here, but, still, long. We wrote cards to tuck into their luggage and open at different stages along the way: prolonging the togetherness just a little bit....
And now: January, the 1st. A new year.
Separation is a sorrow, yet...
we resolutely choose joy and thankfulness for the year we have had and the times we have had together with those we love so much. We carry these words within us:
Mötas och skiljas är livets gång. Skiljas och mötas är hoppets sång.
Nu skiljs våra vägar, nu säger vi farväl, men vi hoppas att vi ses igen.”
Loosely translated:
"Meeting and parting is the way life goes;
parting and meeting is the song of hope.
Now our ways separate; now we say goodbye
but our great hope is to meet again and say 'hi'."
This coming year will be 40 years since I first went to work in Sweden, and yet, the language is still deeply in my heart. Looking forward, looking back... what will January bring?
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