Jonno

Happy Four Tier Christmas

After weeks of uncertainty, probably months if we’re totally honest, we have finally managed to find somewhere to spend Christmas 2020. With countless plans cancelled and reworked to try and see our boys if at all possible we were finally dealt the hammer blow one week ago. I’ll come back to that a little later.

First we had our last few days sort of housesitting near Nonington in Kent. I say ‘sort of‘ because we’d done a proper housesitting week but then our lovely hosts, Carol and Malcolm, invited us stay right through to Christmas (Passive Housesitting in the Garden of England). Leaving was a little sad as we’d become firm friends but hopefully we will be back one day.

Malcolm dropped us off at the most remote station ever, Snowdown, where the trains trundle through once an hour. Empty station and eventually an empty train.

Christmas in Canterbury

Our destination was Canterbury where we had a Premier Inn for a couple of nights before moving into a little Airbnb apartment for a week or so. It’s a beautiful city absolutely jam-packed full of character and history. Christmas here is full of markets and carols and old-world charm, apart from this year of course!

The original plan was for all three of our wonderful sons to join us for a few days but with changes to Covid restrictions followed by Kent being moved in Tier 4 (no travel, no visitors, no going out) our plans were well and truly scuppered.

With only essential shops open and nothing else it’s almost eerie walking the usually-busy Canterbury streets. It still looks fabulous of course and to some may be even nicer due to the lack of tourists and visitors, we’d prefer more people as it gives a place atmosphere.

A bit of casual food shopping plus as many Christmas decorations as we could find and we’re all ready for some festive fun. Hopefully our youngest son Ryan is driving down after work today to join us as he is in our support bubble, we won’t know for sure until he actually arrives due to 5000 lorries being parked on the motorway! Hope he makes it.

What a Year!

Like everyone else in the world we haven’t had the 2020 that we planned or hoped for but we are both healthy and ever-optimistic that life will get better for everyone. It’s unbelievably sad that we can’t get to see Shaun and Katie, Sam and Tabitha, and the rest of our family but that’s the way it is this year.

We will all remember the year 2020 for all sorts of reasons, unfortunately most of them negative, but Christmas is a special time. We intend to enjoy every minute and appreciate what we really have rather than what we haven’t.

Happy Christmas

19/12 – 24/12/2020

48 comments

  2. Hi Jo and Jon. It’s certainly been a year with a difference. Hopefully next year we will get a chance to meet up. Have the best Christmas that you can. With love and best wishes to you and your lovely family… Jackie, Trevor and all x

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  6. Such a grim time for everyone in the UK. Your positive outlook on life is an absolute joy for us to read this morning after reading a rather grim email from a relative in Manchester who doesn’t share your positive outlook. Pleased to read in the comments that Ryan has arrived. Enjoy Christmas as much as you can. One good thing about this virus compared to its century old counterpart is that we can communicate directly with family and friends from a distance. Enjoy Ryan’s company, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy some sort of virtual time with your other boys. Stay safe and well.

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    • Thanks Chris. Life is what you make it isn’t it? We have had a lovely Christmas Eve together and are looking forward to a great Christmas Day now. Hope you’ve enjoying the day too.

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  17. Merry Christmas Jonno and Jo
    I hope your son managed to fight his way through the lorries
    My son and his girlfriend made it back to Perth and had to do quarantine for two weeks but that was allowed at ours. We have had a wonderful Christmas with them.
    A happy new year to you both.

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  18. Happy belated Christmas big man. So glad you got something sorted and that Ryan could join you. I’m with you and things can only get better in 2021, right? Love to Jo.

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