Post by updowns on Jan 4, 2005 19:34:05 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
Hope you all had a good holiday?
We are back from our sojourn in the castle. It was a wonderful experience to spend new year in a castle steeped in history (750 years old) - though I have to say - those normans were fit little guys - had to climb 55 steps to my bedroom!!! Took tons of photos and as soon as I get them developed I will share.
Missed my Dad over Christmas but we also had some very touching moments. My sis sponsored a "Light Up A Life" light on a hospice Christmas tree in Dad's memory and she gave us the tree decoration she got in acknowledgement. Sarah and Craig made a great ceremony of hanging Grandad's decoration on the tree and eventually it was placed beside an angel "cos Grandad is in heaven with the angels".
On Christmas morning we awoke to find it snowing!!!!! Here in Ireland we don't get much snow and always revel in it and I can't remember the last time we had snow on Christmas day - Simon is 16 and we certainly haven't had a white Christmas since he was born. We told the children that Grandad sent the snow for Christmas day and that it was his present to them (they, of course, were thrilled and Sarah shouted "Thank You Grandad"!) - you know I like to believe he DID send it .......
The kids absolutely ADORED the castle - so many nooks and crannies - great for hide and seek, secret staircases, hidey-holes etc.. I was very nervous up on the battlements with them tho - actually I was absolutely terrified one of them would go over! The view from the battlements was wonderful and billions of stars visible at night amazing...........we even saw a shooting star on New Years Eve. We toasted the New Year in with champagne and toasted absent friends and family, which brought a tear to my eye. All in all it was an experience never to be forgotten. Dave was a bit disappointed when he couldn't find any wenches but then I didn't find any men in tights !
Stella
Hope you all had a good holiday?
We are back from our sojourn in the castle. It was a wonderful experience to spend new year in a castle steeped in history (750 years old) - though I have to say - those normans were fit little guys - had to climb 55 steps to my bedroom!!! Took tons of photos and as soon as I get them developed I will share.
Missed my Dad over Christmas but we also had some very touching moments. My sis sponsored a "Light Up A Life" light on a hospice Christmas tree in Dad's memory and she gave us the tree decoration she got in acknowledgement. Sarah and Craig made a great ceremony of hanging Grandad's decoration on the tree and eventually it was placed beside an angel "cos Grandad is in heaven with the angels".
On Christmas morning we awoke to find it snowing!!!!! Here in Ireland we don't get much snow and always revel in it and I can't remember the last time we had snow on Christmas day - Simon is 16 and we certainly haven't had a white Christmas since he was born. We told the children that Grandad sent the snow for Christmas day and that it was his present to them (they, of course, were thrilled and Sarah shouted "Thank You Grandad"!) - you know I like to believe he DID send it .......
The kids absolutely ADORED the castle - so many nooks and crannies - great for hide and seek, secret staircases, hidey-holes etc.. I was very nervous up on the battlements with them tho - actually I was absolutely terrified one of them would go over! The view from the battlements was wonderful and billions of stars visible at night amazing...........we even saw a shooting star on New Years Eve. We toasted the New Year in with champagne and toasted absent friends and family, which brought a tear to my eye. All in all it was an experience never to be forgotten. Dave was a bit disappointed when he couldn't find any wenches but then I didn't find any men in tights !
Stella