A New Precious Grandson

What a wonderful moment to hear that a new grandchild is on the way!  It was back in May, 2013, whilst on the family holiday in Majorca, that Caroline and Mike announced they were expecting another baby.

A new grandchild is one of the most magical moments of your life.

Meet my new grandson, James William.

I am a proud Nanna.  James William was born on Wednesday, evening, 8th January at 7.25 p.m.
(Caroline only arrived at Bournemouth hospital at 7.05 p.m.!)  He weighed 7lb 5oz and is 48 cm  tall with lots of jet black hair.

I am so blessed.  Mother and baby are both well.  I am so proud of my daughter.  She was amazing during the whole process.

So, without further ado, let me introduce you to Jamie......

He is named after my father, James Hilton and Phil's father, William Rees plus Mike's father, Bill and I believe a few other relatives on Mike's side.

So much hair and such dark hair, just like his father.

He's such a charmer!!  (James that is, although Mike is a charmer too).  There is nothing quite like a fresh new baby.

Looks like piano playing fingers too, I think.

Big Sister Chloe was very excited to meet her new baby brother.

Do you believe in love at first sight?  The first look jump-starts your heart into a lifelong love affair.

Grandad's first cuddle.

The moment I held James William in my arms for the first time, I wondered how such a tiny bundle could create so many emotions within me.

I visited to help with the new baby.  You know the mundane stuff - washing up, making tea, meals, etc.
I really wanted James to myself but I am prepared to wait my turn.  Soon Caroline and Mike will be only too happy to let me soothe the baby, although I must say they were very generous in letting the family have lots of cuddles.

James with Mike's parents.

Great Nanna Elaine

and Alun and Gemma

Mike's sisters also visited but unfortunately I didn't take any photographs.

Chloe seemed to understand that we will always have the same special closeness, no matter how many grandsons and granddaughters may follow and Chloe and I had some intensive one-on-one adventures, like visiting Kids' Gym, as well as more ordinary moments, in the first few days after James arrived.

helping to bathe her little brother.

I know a baby usually wakes up in the wee-wee hours of the morning but there is also lots and lots of love, a little bit of laughter and so much happiness.

Keep a Sou'wester handy

2014 is starting where the last one ended, with forecasts of gales, heavy rain and flooding.

Spring 2013 was the coldest spring in the Central England temperature series since 1891, March was bitter with heavy snow.  Thankfully the summer was a good one, ending a run of six grey and wet summers from 2007 to 2012.  July was the sunniest month with 144% of the average sunshine hours.  Autumn saw some decent weather but October was the wettest month with 127% of the average rainfall.  It concluded with the damaging storm of the 28th.  December was stormy and rather mild.

With the ground saturated now after weeks of unsettled weather it does not take much precipitation to worsen the flood situation.  Here are some photos of Christchurch that we took over the Christmas holidays.

Apparently a switch in the jet stream is being blamed for the havoc.  Jonathan Leake writing in the Sunday Times - Britain's meteorologists have coined a new term for the succession of storms battering the nation: the Ebdon effect.  They believe the remarkable succession of powerful storms that have crossed the Atlantic to assault the country with gales and rain are linked to the equatorial jet stream, a giant belt of air that flows around the entire globe, at a height of 10 to 25 miles above the equator.  In 1975 Bob Ebdon, a little-known Met office scientist, discovered that when the equatorial jet stream changes direction and starts flowing west to east along the equator - as now - it sharply raises the risk of a succession of powerful storms hitting Britain.  The current flow, from west to east, means the equatorial jet stream is flowing in the same direction as the polar jet stream that brings Britain its weather.  This allows the polar jet stream to grow stronger and move north, which in turn increases our exposure to depressions and storms that would otherwise have hit southern Europe.  The polar jet stream also gets stronger and has exceeded 220mph - nearly twice as strong as normal - on many occasions this winter.

What next the Killer Chiller from America where New York had 24inches of snow in one day!

It is winter after all.

Christmas 2013

Storms wreak havoc in Britain on Christmas Eve 2013.

Hurricane-force winds and torrential rain disrupted transport networks and cut power supplies in Britain on Christmas Eve, one of the busiest travel days of the year.

Winds of up to 90 mph hit both sides of the Channel with heavy downpours causing flooding, traffic jams and cancellations of rail, flight and ferry services.

The above photograps show Milford on Sea on Christmas Day morning.  We managed to get through and in spite of the weather Gemma cooked up a storm.  She was a domestic goddess this Christmas.  How could she have cooked so much?  How could we all have eaten so much?  Alun and Gemma orchestrated a wonderful Christmas lunch.  A fabulous turkey surrounded by loads of delicious vegetables, glorious stuffing, masses of booze and all the lovely family.

                                                       The gorgeous Hostess

Christmas is always so much fun with children in the house.  Gasps of excitement from Emmie and Chloe.
What will be inside the gift?

Christmas really is a wonderful time, full of carols and Mr. Buble, family, trees and decorations, fairy lights, advent calendars and, of course, delicious food.  Our Christmas was truly blessed.

On Boxing Day it was off to the Hilton's Winter Wonderland.

where Stuart and Tina certainly delivered the "wow" factor.  Stuart with his amazing decorations and Tina with a magnificent roast fillet of beef followed by the best  Pannacotta, so creamy and delectable with a silky smooth texture that makes it one of the world's sexiest desserts.  Tina's pannacotta certainly ticks all the right boxes - no-one, and I mean no-one, comes close.  Again, Stuart and Phil drank lots of splendid wines.
Chocolate Block, Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gevrey-Chambertin.  Their own little Wine Society, I think Chris may have managed a sip.  And don't forget the Fizz and Beer before the meal!!!

After we had been treated so splendidly we decided to take the family out to lunch on Sunday, 29th and we had a very enjoyable meal at The Crab in Bournemouth.

Then it was back to Alun and Gemma's for yet more presents.

On New Year's Eve we all met up again at The Christchurch Harbour Hotel for drinks.  Obviously Emmie and Chloe couldn't stay up til midnight but we enjoyed our get together.

 
                                                    When will baby arrive?

Thank you all for a wonderful Christmas.