We went back into the Forest for breakfast this morning. It is very cold. The air is very crisp. The ponies are foraging for their daily requirements to keep warm. Not one of them would pose for a photograph. Did I say that it is cold out there?
We are still awaiting the snow that has been promised and the ponds and ground water are all frozen and iced over.
Surprisingly, behind this pond, the gorse is still in flower (the bushes with the yellow tops).
We knew there was a warm snug place luring us, all newly decorated for Christmas, The Old Farmhouse.
This is what it looked like when it was a tea room in the area called the Manor House Tea Rooms. This photo hangs on the wall in the front room, decorated with the refections of happy people and Christmas lights but you can still see the road and the beautiful old cottage style building.
Here is the front room where we sat down to await our feast.
On the table are all the requirements for the perfect breakfast experience. That is Cookie A's Cubist sock that I have started knitting.
Two happy souls, smelling that scintillating coffee aroma. The family behind Borneo is happily tucking in.
The scrumptious breakfast arrived and I am afraid I forgot for a while about recording any details so the glory of its presentation is excluded. This is the 'almost finished" stage.
All too soon the table was empty however the bellies were beautifully full.
Peter came out for the usual chat, hanging his head at England's defeat to the South Africans in the rugby game yesterday while Borneo beamed broadly trying not to look too smug. I guess you know who he was supporting.
When we left there was the obligatory face pulling at the kitchen window, however, the camera did not focus quickly enough to catch Peter in the act. He wagged his finger at me for trying to catch his actions on camera.
It is quite astonishingly beautiful in the Forest today. Even though the skies are muted shades of grey, the sun is making a valiant effort to break through. The autumn colours are dulling down into their winter shades.
Towards Bournemouth, the clouds are building again.
This is the view back to Burley.
We came home to the household chores that are necessary now that I am supposed to be 'taking things easy'. I am not good at this. I am happier when everything is in its allotted place, clean and tidy. However, as in most families, as any mother or wife will understand, I seem to be the only one who knows where these places are. The rest of the family suffers from selective amnesia.
While Borneo tidied the garden, I cleaned the kitchen which was all I could manage before retiring in defeat to the sofa to rest again as he walking behind me scolding me all the way, chasing me with the vacuum cleaner. The leg and hip are very weak and it was easy for him to catch me. (Secretly, it was fun to let him.)
So, I sat down to watch him vacuum and to write this. Have a happy week ahead.
