Advent II

The little village is beginning to grow and spread. The first little cottage has been built with its welcoming red door and festive wreath. Inside the air is full of the fragrance of Christmas tree and warm mince pies and the crackle of apple wood burning in the fireplace. Inside the bakery the baker is working very hard. As well as the usual crusty loaves and buttery croissants, more seasonal offerings are being prepared and the smell of warm spices fills the air. Also, the first of the very grand houses has now been built. Now, I've not been inside here and I usually take a sneaky peek inside as I walk past when the lights are lit. There is a magnificent marble fireplace and a large Christmas tree with its multicoloured lights twinkling and a graceful angel overlooking proceedings.

I must be totally mad musn't I - Imagining all this! I'll take my silly head off now, be a bit more sensible and show you some pictures of Tewkesbury. I love the Abbey with its beautiful architecture and serene interior. Our visit this time was wonderful, for as we walked around we were acompanied by an orchestra rehearsing Mozart's Requiem and Clarinet Concerto. The acoustics here are wonderful, as we know from watching The Mediaeval Baebes perform here two Christmasses ago.






The town itself is pretty. It is not a tourist town but caters for its locals. It has some 'Tracey shops' as Rob calls them, including a wonderful bookshop where you can browse at your leisure and an eclectic antiques centre crammed full of treasures.








There was disappoinment here this morning as Josh woke up to find there had been no snow and even worse, no likelihood of school being closed. Snowballing in the park will have to wait until another time as Maths and Technology haven't been cancelled today.

More from the village another day.