December 9th

Sorry I didn't post yesterday ,but I have a bad migraine and I had to have a nap.

I managed to get my JYC layout done before it got to too bad.

the light is hitting the photos as a funny angle so this looks better in real life.All I could think about for the holiday traditions prompt was how each Christmas we spent a day visiting all our family in London.My parents are born and bred Londoners but moved out to one of the New Towns built in the 60’s to start their married life.

I was thrilled to find I had pictures from all 3 stops on this day in 1978.I am 14 in these photos .I can tell by the jacket I am wearing,I remember clearly when and where I bought it.

It started with an early morning drive to London and then a spot of shopping and lunch at my Nan's in Chiswick.We would usually go up on my Granddads Birthday which was just before Christmas Day.This is quite a rare photo in that all my Dads family and my one and only cousin are all at my Nan's.The only person missing is his twin sister,But we obviously popped to her new flat,as the bottom picture is off us together.

My Nan was well known for her fruit buns and pickled onions.So I wrote about this tradition and how my Dad had tried to replicate the taste of her onions with a ton of sugar in with the vinegar.Sadly both her recipes are lost for ever.Not that I think she ever had a recipe ,she cooked instinctively.

Then it was on to Great Auntie Rona's for tea.This was always very boring for us and I would count the minutes until we left.

Well I survived my Christmas meal out with my old friends last night.At one point I was alone in the car with the one person I hadn’t talked to for over ten years.But no one would have ever guessed.Everyone looked much older and most of us were sporting double chins.Me included

It was funny that we all needed glasses to read the menu and any small print,A real sign of old age.I remember their 30th & 40th Birthdays the next round is their 50ths,coming very soon.

I took both my DSLR and point and shot Canon cameras to have a play with in the night.But all the shots were very disappointing as it was so dark in there .The best photos were taken on my PS one!!I was explaining how to take a double chin free photos and this is the result.

Just need to master Photoshop to airbrush the wrinkles out.

Well a day of rest ahead to try and shift this migraine.I’ll get back to my breakfast of shortbread with a can of Pepsi.XXX

PS Hello Uncle George and Pam if you’re reading this XXX