22 - 31 Dec: How much can one eat?

Sat: Up to London with Marshalls to see Top Hat - great lively show

Pre theatre drinks in Waldorf, then dinner at Delaunays - round corner table, great atmosphere, food and service, and not over the top expensive.  Jon joined us on Facetime!

We drove up as G&N were with us, and I packed the Brompton in the boot.  Parked car at Barnards House in the City for £2.50 after 1:30 on a Saturday, and cycled back and forth, worked out very well, managed to miss the rain!

Sun: To M&Ms in Hazlemere for lunch party to critique their new kitchen.  Pick up Xmas order from J&J Mays.

Mon: Dr M at work.  Spin for me at WP, then prepped food for tomorrow

Tue:  D&J's for drinks at 11 with rest of Darvells inmates, back for "normal" Marshall Xmas extravaganza with 10 around the table.  Jon joined us again on Facetime.

Wed:  yet more extravaganza continuation (roast beef).  Did manage a walk around Chorleywood though with Nigel whilst younger members of group ran to/from William Penn.

Thu: Spin (and gym for Dr M)
Fri: Spin (and work for Dr M)
Sat: Spin (and gym for Dr M), then to Aspley Heath for repeat extravaganza with extras from Linda's side - 18 round the table!
Sun: Spin (and gym for Dr M).  New project to restart golf for Cherry and I, went to driving range at the Nine of Herts up Batchworth Hill.  Very low key i.e, David Mitchell plebeian, easy and cheap (£3.50 for 50 balls).  We were both pleased with our performance after 5 years of non-playing.

Lulu's friends F&L came over for evening and we had a Toby picnic in the kitchen trying to get through all the left over bits before they get consigned to freezer or bin.
Mon: NYE at Wimbledon with the usual suspects.  Stayed night at M&As

15 - 21 Dec: Xmas is coming!

Sat:  Shopping with G&N, then Chiltern Choir Xmas concert and G&P, I&J can over for dinner.  Lovely evening

Sun:  Lazy

Mon:  Ran to gym, swam, fartllecked back.

Tue: Spin, then drove to meet Chair at HHFT for chat.  Choir in evening with mince pies & wine round at the Parkes.

Wed: HHFT Board meeting.

Thu: Spin.  Delightful experience in Waitrose Fish counter.  Walked into Ricky & M&S and had coffee at new "place" H&H (Harris & Hoole) - in the old Clinton cards shop.  They are opening up in the area (Amersham & Uxbridge) and are 49% owned by Tesco!).

 Designer layout and expensive snacks.   GW round for dinner.

Fri:   Pick up Lulu from LHR.  Spin - I arrived early so 15mins rowing machine and some weights and situps beforehand.

6 - 14 Dec

Thu: Lots of washing, clearing up

Fri: Took G&N down to Chorleywood Xmas street festival.

Santa in Poores

Then the Bordeaux Sailors, R&C and C&J, came round for dinner and stayed the night due to too much red wine

Sat:  All went over to R&C's stately apartment in Hertford for a nosey look around to how the other half lives, then us poor people came home.

Sun: I got out Xmas tree and decorations and started to pretend I was in a festive mood.  G&N round for lunch, not much else possible.

Mon: Dr M back to doctoring.  Spin at WP.    In evening went to Highgate for Messiah rehearsal - went well except for the last Amen where we were tired - on the night the atmosphere and adrenaline kicks in to make it better.

Tue: Spin and choir in evening.  Next Saturday's Xmas sing will be mostly sight reading by me!

Wed:  Frost looking nice on the Common.  Spin class.

Thu:  More frost.  New TV arrived so spent the morning with an erection, wires and the manual.

Out to Tamarind Thai for the usual excellent dinner

Empty plates

Fri: NHS Governor induction training day, then straight to RAH for Messiah.  Sublime.

Where's Wally?

29 Nov - 5 Dec: Family week in Dubai

Thanks to Jon's flight money account and initiative, we spent a week in Dubai at Movenpick Jumeirah Beach Walk.  Dubai is not my most favorite place, but the weather was much warmer than in UK so we were able to swim in the sea a couple if times.  Lots on:

• Meeting up with Su from Qatar (solo because Nev's exit visa had expired)
• Shopping in largest Mall in the world
• Going up the tallest building in the world
• Dinner in Sheraton Creekside to see 41st National Day fireworks with Lisa & Warren (then to their house for dinner next night)
• Rugby 7s finals
• World parachuting championships were on all week on the beach

Su & Cherry

that looks a lot Mum

How many signs does one need?

Corner of Rugby 7s stadium

Dubai Mall Aquarium

Tea and texting in Dubai Mall by waterfall

Top of the world

It must be Xmas!

Bye bye

Jon then left for Thailand via Hong Kong, Lulu left for Pune via Mumbai, and we flew back to blighty.

It was nice to get home to what-I-call-normality.