24th December, 2016......Christmas catch ups with our favourite people!!

Phew...Barbara has gone past and Connor is on his way...it's the 'stormy season' but that hasn't stopped the intrepid Hillman family getting out and about with friends and family, and who could resist a quiet walk to Furness Abbey on Christmas Eve.......

You find some strange things down here when you're not really looking.......

We had the Steve HIllman Christmas Parrty at Chandlers this year!!!!! Frankie likes the 'cheese on toast' there....he's a bit like me when it comes to party food!

We really enjoyed the break from cooking Christmas lunch last year, and meeting family at Langdale Chase, but I am cooking at home this year....If you know me, you know I have a bit of an issue with meat, so I bought an 'ethical' turkey this year, courtesy of Marks and Sparks, and collected it without any hassle or queueing, so that was a good move, though it wasn't cheap! Met up with my London friend on Thursday too....she's getting married in a few months, so there was a modicum of wedding talk...she's lucky enough to have booked the world famous photographer Steve Hillman, to shoot her wedding...nothing but the best for our Emma!!

We took our turn at 'manning' the Christmas Tree Festival too....still time to visit, as it's open until the 28th December.

My daughter was 32 earlier on in the week.....

...got my first teaching job the week after this was taken!!

Here's the pair of them now....I would highly recommend a 'festive breakfast' in Last Resort...supporting local business and all that.....

...even though Christmas Shopping has been a bit of a wash-out this year!

There's the new 'Town House' venue that everyone is raving about....used to have a Saturday job there when it was 'Boots the Chemist'!

My niece's birthday today, so we are off to a family party this evening...ready for a nice, chilled out Christmas Day with family again tomorrow (and I think Mr Irv is dropping in too!)

Merry Christmas to you all....and there's plenty of dinner at our house!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arvnJpCgf7w

Couldn't resist!!!!!

18th December, 2016...Muddy and Mild Christmas Madness!!

Just realised it's well over a month since we visited Furness Abbey and blogged- it's been the most hectic 'Christmas' season I have ever known- but inspiring for so many reasons, not least because we live near THIS PLACE!! After a birthday breakfast this morning, we had a very mild and muddy walk down here.......

...so sad to see a couple of the ancient trees down, at Bow Bridge!

Frankie so happy to be seen out with us....especially as he's had his other 'toe' done and really doesn't want to walk anywhere!

The SteveHillman camera had a visit to Ambleside this week with the senior clan members.....

I think Raymond showed 'The Apple Pie Eating House' the colour of his money, at long last!!!

Coniston looked eerily calm in the morning mist! Busy time for us.......

                               ..with weddings as well as casting, rehearsing and performing our unique Christmas show- so much hard work went in to it, we 'crawled' home after the last performance!

That's the lovely Mrs Sadler (she'll kill me for using her photo!), with our main characters- her musical ability surpasses all- I only have to say 'AD LIB me the Gay Gordans Mrs Sadler' and she does it!!! I've worked with some pretty awe- inspiring kids this time too- I really couldn't have got everything organised without two specific girls- they will be so employable in a few years time...we might snap them up ourselves!

Some beautiful trees at the St Mary's Christmas tree festival this year.....

...and the Greengate one as well!

Dalton itself looking very festive too!

It's also worth visiting the show greenhouse in Barrow park.....

...there are some creative people around, aren't there!

I wheeled out the old Fender guitar earlier this week when my colleague and I gave a (quite painful) rendition of Silent Night in German...not quite sure how we got away with it!!!

Argh..... STOP came the cry!!!

And so, after a beautiful sunrise on Friday, we finally finished for the year, with a lovely calm Nativity and Christingle service.....and crawled right on home to bed!!!

Thirty four years for us this Christmas!!!

27th November, 2016.....Santa arrives a month early!

What a beautiful Saturday morning...so couldn't resist a walk to Furness Abbey.....

...looking stunning in the frosty morning light...

...feeling in a reflective mood today....the Hillman's haven't been well for a fortnight-on the mend now....but you don't half find out who your friends are when you're a bit down, don't you!!!

Well, the festive season has started for us, and we have put together our first Christmas tree for the St.Mary's Dalton Christmas Tree Festival.......

...and the 'name to remember' theme meant only one thing for us.......Furness Abbey; our tree is decorated with red, white and Tudor roses!!

...it's worth a visit to the festival...it's especially lovely this year!

We've also had our now FAMOUS annual Christmas Fair, and raised a good amount of money thanks to the lovely friends and families of Greengate!

My boss and I really do have to keep in with Santa and his elves....praying and magic are the only things that keep us going sometimes!!

The gorgeous baby Leigh made her debut too! I do work with some amazing people.....a special thanks to Julie and Gracie for their REAL fellowship and support (I'm getting a bit emotional now...how can you tell I've had a virus!!!)

We popped in to Abbey House today for a meeting....I would so love to own that building and those grounds.....

                                                                           ...stunning!