This may be the last blog post of 2011.  All depends upon how busy the festive season becomes.  At this point we’re not expecting to be busy, which is just fine.  For the first time ever we find ourselves as “empty-nesters” as Mo elected to spend the Christmas holiday in the UK.  Rather than going down to spend the holidays with my parents Mo has taken up an internship in the neuroscience department at university.  When I quizzed him on the phone yesterday about his plans for Christmas Day I was informed that he’s going to a friend’s house, nothing more.  We shan’t worry about him, but it will be very odd not making up a batch of his favourite  breakfast of Eggs Benedict, which has been our traditional Christmas morning breakfast ever since he discovered them at the grand old age of three.

We’ve had a good year at Les Terraces.  Graham was delighted by the changes we made to the second floor terrace and the uninterrupted views over the Dordogne that we now enjoy while seated.  Robin and Edward’s work was of the high standard that we have come to expect of them and we owe them a great deal of thanks for taking roughly executed drawings and creating something that is aesthetically very pleasing and in keeping with the house.  This year we’ve been lucky enough to host guests from Australia, Ireland, the US, Antigua and the UK.  Sadly, we weren’t able to meet all of them, but thoroughly enjoyed those we did meet.

We also experienced our first ever Bastille Day in France.  The communes of Sainte-Foy-La-Grande and Sainte-Foy-et-Ponchapt put on a superb firework display right opposite the house, so we enjoyed outstanding views.  As we were preparing for Mo’s 18th birthday party dinner (he was born on Bastille Day) we didn’t have the opportunity to go into Sainte-Foy and see what activities were going on and, sadly, we won’t be able to in 2012 as work will keep us here in Tortola until the end of July.  Hey, ho.  Such is life.

However, we are beginning to contemplate travelling back to Europe for Christmas 2012 … my parents will be marking their 30th wedding anniversary and, as Graham’s sister can no longer travel happily, we may spend Christmas in the North with her before flying home in time to host the New Year’s Day party that we inherited from a very good friend.  We’ll see.  Of course, there would be a weekend between my parents’ anniversary and Christmas that we could spend at Les Terraces, which is VERY tempting!

So, just in case I don’t write again before 2012 arrives, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  May 2012 bring you health and happiness.

Very best wishes

Alex

PS: If you needed any encouragement to head to Les Terraces for Christmas, here’s some that I found in the UK’s Daily Telegraph.   We could be home at lunch time on Christmas Eve if we left now!!  Dream on ……