Goodness me, this time last week I was boarding an aircraft for Geneva to visit our oldest son, Tim and the two Swiss based grandchildren. This was nothing new for SWMBO and I, but on this occasion we were joined by their 4 cousins and Tim's siblings, Emma, Becky and Kieran. Jon and Hannah made up the travelling party.
The few days we were there went well. Ice skating and ice hockey training were the order of the day on the Saturday, followed by a mass meal in the restaurant in the village. We are becoming regulars there if going in consecutive December's counts as regular!!
Sunday we went off to Montreaux, home of the jazz festival, with the hope of taking the mountain train to Santa at about 2000 metres.
Sadly the high winds and blizzard conditions meant we were confined to the lake side and made do with the Christmas market and 'santa on a zip wire' Everybody did have a good time though and collapsed exhausted into bed.
Monday was an alternative Santa day. We went to his village outside Geneva and saw the 'bad' Santa house of Krampus complete with naughty children list, confiscated mobile phones and horrid vegetable soup.W e then went to Santa's workshop and saw the elves dining room, the toy workshop and decoration making production line before tip toeing through his bedroom as the big man with the beard was asleep before his big day ahead. The kids took this as read and it was a wonderful approach by the theme park as it saved a long cold queue for a gift and present, and nobody could say it was all a fake!!
It was then off to another restaurant in Geneva for a celebration of Emma's birthday before a train ride to the airport and back home to Scouseland. It really was a good few days but it did leave SWMBO a bit behind schedule in the Christmas prep stakes.
Christmas Day did go with a swing though. 14 adults and 6 kids for dinner and all very well behaved. Loads of presents were opened and given we only do limited presi's for the adults, we still haven't got the kids mix right. Boxing Day saw wall to wall footie on the TV to keep the lads quiet before it was off down the road for the big family party. Our turn to host it next year!! Everybody was in bed by midnight and the last of the stragglers have now left. I have done a tip run and normal service will soon be restored.
That said, we are off to a Thai Twixtmas meal later and meeting up with our good friend Marion so no early nights of lie in opportunities for a few days.
So Happy New Year to all my readers and here's to 2020, the year of the visionaries, geddit!?!
