On this Saturday morning, our first objective is to walk to town and pick up our Christmas dinner, which is being prepared by the cook at the Olive Branch, where we have spent some enjoyable times. We had originally ordered lamb chops, but the cook motioned us to the back and told us he really didn't think the lamb was very good this day and recommended the ribs and/or chicken - so we took both. We drank coffee, visited with the owner, and hung out while Chef grilled the ribs etc. After he had us packed up, the owner came over and gave us a bottle of merlot wine to enjoy with our dinner, with his complements. As we left, the cook told us he had just made a fresh batch of meatballs, so had included a package of them in our dinner as well!! Wow! Such great treatment....so home we hiked, put the groceries away, and headed out for St. Paul's.
The line, at 2:15 p.m. was already very long...so we quickly joined the que and struck up conversations with the folks next to us - a young couple from South Africa and a young man from Bolivia. 3 motorcycles drove by, waving at us, with the drivers all dressed as Santa Claus..wish I could have gotten a picture, but I couldn't move that fast and wasn't prepared!
The worship service was beautiful. Music in all those cathedrals is just exceptional because of the acoustics. It was a service of readings, scripture, carols and anthems - and it was a perfect way to usher in Christmas night. As we exited following the service, we ran in to our young friends from South Africa, and he kindly took the superb photo I am attaching for you.
We returned to our Wanstead station, and our walk home took us by The Nightingale pub, where we planned to stop because they were advertising "live Irish music" for tonight. If it was there, we don't know where it was! We walked in the side door and were overwhelmed with greetings from all the gentlemen standing there, who kept encouraging us to "come on in farther". Jerry's new best friend, Dave, insisted on buying us a round - and we found two chairs with a table in the little room with a fireplace, so sat down, and Dave showed up with our drinks. What a fine new friend! Jerry tried to buy him a drink before we left, but he wouldn't hear of it--said we could buy him one when he came to Texas! You are on, Dave!
We were home and snuggled in before 8 p.m., which was grand. Our evening treat on the telly was a Poirot followed by a Miss Marple--but I must confess we slept through the end of Miss Marple and don't know for sure who-dunnit!
Christmas was memorable - the last time Jerry and I spent a Christmas by ourselves was 1963 in Chicago IL, the first year we were married. So here we are 48 years later by ourselves in the Irwin's home in Wanstead, England. We reflected back on that first Christmas together a lot! In 1963 we had a cardboard fireplace on the wall of our tiny apartment which put out just about as much heat as the gas fireplace in the living room in Wanstead, which is not operable.
We enjoyed a sweet from one of the local bakeries--not the usual "Mom's cinnamon rolls" or the new sticky buns of recent years--but a bakery sweet with our coffee/tea..and then planned to walk to a local church. We found one on the Google map and took off...it was a great walk, and a long way - and it became apparent we weren't going to make it for any 11 o'clock service, so we turned around and moseyed back home, singing "Joy to the World" with each other--a carol we have really missed hearing during this time in London.
Brits are BIG on my favorite Christmas carol, "Once in Royal David's City"...a song that every year (while we were in ministry) I would request that we sing to the music minister--sometimes it happened and sometimes it didn't. Its a GREAT carol..I don't understand why we don't sing it more. And in the same vein, why don't Brits sing "Joy to the World"..not once..and not ever printed in any of the Christmas songsheets we received at various programs. Just a thought.
The rest of our day was well deserved resting...catching up on some laundry (which takes FOREVER to do over here..machines are very slow..our dryer is in the garage, and requires a water container to be emptied every load or two, and drying goes on and on and on and on. I gave up on the towels, and brought them in and hung them on a rack...they were dry in the morning! We watched TV as well. Our intention had been to see "The King's Speech" last night, but it turned out to be on a channel that we don't receive, so that was a disappointment! TV is very different over here--I will not complain about our TV in the USA ever again! The news is dreadful...very little world news..lots of sports and entertainment news (thats not so different), and I really really miss CNN! (Oh, they have a channel thats called that- but its definitely not the same). And programming - we are used to watching many Xmas shows around the holiday, but not so here.
Our dinner was magnificent--prepared by the chef at the Olive Branch..and we feasted on his ribs, which were yummy...along with purple baked potatoes, and lots of brussel sprouts, topped off by dessert--and accompanied by wine, a gift from the owner of the Olive Branch.
What a memorable Christmas! While we have missed sharing the holiday with our immediate family, we have thoroughly enjoyed being in the London area, being a part of a neighborhood, meeting lots of new folks, engaging in many delightful conversations, and worshiping in these magnificent cathedrals. Merry Christmas!
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