Christmas 2019.

Had a nice Christmas this year starting with a visit to our favorite watering hole the Pear Mill Cafe on Christmas Eve where to our surprise the Christmas Do they said they were doing which we thought was a buffet menu turned out to be a free buffet for all the regular customers!.

The buffet table being laid out, and the food kept coming out with all the usual Christmas Fayre.

There must have been about 50 people there!.

 Even a guy playing Christmas carols on his violin

Two Peter's and a Jean our dog walkers group .

All the tables had Christmas Decorations on too.

The dogs had a plate of turkey to themselves too!.

Pepe loved that, wasn't too keen on the hat though.

Then the serving wenches brought round mulled wine.

Then our group exchanged our Christmas pressies!.

....................................................

So it was a wonderful start to our Christmas festivities.

I went to Son John's on Christmas Day where all the Family were present and we all had a wonderful dinner, exchanged presents and I held my Great Grandson Elijah for the first time!.

Such a big boy and it was his 1st Birthday only the week previously.

..................................................

Today the 27th as most places were closed till New Year had a quick visit to Daisy Nook Country Park cafe where I took this seasonal picture, then it was over to the Daisy Nook Garden centre to meet friends for lunch which was open but not very busy so we had the place almost to ourselves very nice.

Soup and Sandwich for me, followed by coffee and a cake.

So hopefully New Year will be as good.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year.

...................................................................................

Lunch at Pear Mill Antiques Emporium Cafe, 19.12.2019.

Nice lunch at the Pear Mill Cafe today with my mates and their dogs. 

Table next to us was a young Mothers and their kids club , food everywhere in their hair all over the table and floor!.

Our table clean as a whistle and not a single crumb on the floor!, and some Cafe's won't allow dogs in, can't believe it, the kids love to stroke the dogs and make friends so a lot of Cafe's losing out these days and it can't be easy with so many Takeaways on every corner.

An added  bonus today on the way out spotted a Peregrine Falcon flying round the tall chimney there, so jumped in the car and whipped round to their nesting site on the other side of the mill and snapped these pictures.

Not as sharp as I would have liked but it was a dull and windy day so was lucky to get these.

As you can see it looks quite windy on the top of the mill.

So it wasn't a bad day, nice lunch, good company and sighting the Falcon.

Just got home in time to miss the rain!.

.........................................................................................

............................................................................................

Past few days, 16.12.2019.

Not been very good weather to be sat out long photographing, so not many bird pictures this time, is that cheering I hear there?.

Been to Pear Mill a few times in the previous weeks, as its Dog friendly and dry and warm as well, can't do better than that this weather.

Yesterday there I bought an elephant for a friend of mine who is a collector of elephants, It takes all sorts doesn't it.

I'd told him about this one and got a price for it which it I thought  was was too good to refuse!.

Think it had been there a while but when I got it home and gave it a dust and polish it looked a real big lump of bargain wood. 

£15!!

Friend insisted I took £20 for it, so that went to a round of coffee's today at the Kingfisher Pub in Greenfield, Oldham.

We had booked there in case it was full of Christmas Parties, but we got our regular table in the dog section.

Pepe and the Hat!.

 Is the food going to be long Dad, I'm starving with this diet you insist I need to be on to get slim.

Notice you aren't on a diet Dad!!

Been looking forward to this since we booked yesterday, 10oz gammon steak under there, and very nice it was too!.

Another first today with some Coal Tit's on my feeders, must be doing something right .

Must clean the windows though, as the picture is though the living room window.

Been to the cinema as well last week with friend David to see the new Jumanji film which we both enjoyed, McDonalds first and then a coffee in the new Starbucks inside the cinema entrance afterwards.

...................................................................................

Middle age is when your age starts to show round your middle.

The good news about being middle aged is that the glass is still half full.

The bad news is that pretty soon your teeth will be floating in it.

Even though I'm old I've definitely still got it, 

Trouble is, nobody wants it!.

..............................................................................

Past few weeks, 2.12.2019.

Got my P1000 camera back from John Lewis and its as good as new with a new battery compartment door and a new circuit board, working nice again but due to weather haven't had it out yet!.

Also one of the reasons not had it out, had a fault on the car which was a bit disconcerting and playing on my mind until the garage I bought it off directed me to  "Vehicle Electrical Services" in Stockport .

The fault was the rear doors kept clicking like castanets when you set off!, quite disconcerting, but the Electronics Garage soon sorted it out with two new locks fitted, so all's well that ends well, though my plastic friend is still reeling from the shock!.

I must mention my friend Peter who did two lots of running about with me back and forwards to the garage which took the stress out of the travelling about.

I always try to look on the bright side and the bright side of this was that whilst the car was in for the fitting of the new locks, Peter took me to Vernon Park where I'd never been and was most impressed  there, then it was to Pear Mill for lunch and after that as the garage still hadn't phone we went to Woodbank Park that is a continuation of Vernon Park and though it was raining all day we both had umbrellas so that was no problem.

So if the car hadn't developed the fault I'd never have discovered these two nice venues for my further trips with the camera, not until the weather improves though as Vernon Park is on the side of a hill and quite exposed, though you can see right across Stockport , what a try out for the big camera to look forward too.  

The last couple of days with the car running well, been to The Vale, was having withdrawl symptoms!, think the Jays were missing Pepe as well.

"Welcome back Pepe!"say's the Jay.

Saw three today!.

Cold but at least the rains stopped.

Plenty of Robins about, Do they know its Christmas!!.

Blue Tit amidst the Autumn leaves. 

Male Mandarin Duck.

Conan the destroyer!.

Very cute but play havoc with the feeders, nibbling their way though any plastic ones, think it would be best to have just feeding tables in the Community Garden.

Snapped this Pied Wagtail, not in the park but in the Supermarket Car Park!.

They are usually twitching their tails all the time and you can't usually get a good picture but I think this isn't too bad.

This Nuthatch looking good against the Autumn colours.

Been looking out for a picture of a Wren the last few days, as the only one I've ever had is this one I took at Etherow Park about 4 years ago with the only camera I had at the time, a compact Samsung and now I got two bridge cameras I'm struggling to see one,  

In the Summer I did get this Baby one to sit still for a few seconds so can't complain, can't imagine how small this is from a photo, but the adults are very small to start with.

So not done much blogging in November will have to buck my ideas up, though I have been
publishing photos on the Reddish Vale website.

Click here to check it out here

......................................................................................

Why did the cross eyed teacher get sacked?

She couldn't control her pupils.

How do you get down off an Elephant?.

You don't you get down of a duck!.

........................................................................