Monthly Archives: January 2012

A surprise in our back yard

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This morning Jean was doing her hair in our bedroom when she let out a loud cry. Those of you who know Jean know that “doing her hair” is no simple exercise and a cry in the middle can signal a dreaded bad hair day.

I rushed into the room expecting the worse to find her pointing out the window at a small deer grazing peacefully in the garden. I grabbed my camera but, as is often the case, only captured the deer about to leave the garden and head for the neighbours.

Apparently the deer is a Muntjac, a breed imported into the UK in the early part of last century and originally domiciled at the Woburn Estate deer park (just up the road from our place). But as with the best laid plans, the deer escaped into the wild and since then have spread throughout lower England – including our back yard.

The beauty of Milton Keynes

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The nearest major town to our village of Aspley Guise is Milton Keynes. A product of 1960’s town planning, Milton Keynes takes a fair bit of stick for its roundabouts and concrete cows. “What’s the difference between yoghurt and Milton Keynes? The yoghurt has culture” or so the joke goes.

The town has facilities to meet all the needs of it’s citizens, all easily accessible and convenient – shopping, leisure, transport, it’s all there. Everything is so well planned and dispersed, and people’s needs so well catered for that, even standing in the dead centre of the city, it feels a little like an industrial estate – faceless building, wide roads, lots of cars, lots of trees and a distinct lack of people. It feels, well, a little soulless.

But then, when you least expect it, Milton Keynes surprises you.

I was in the city this afternoon running some errands and, as the sun set behind the Church of Christ the Cornerstone located in the centre of the city, beauty appeared.

Happy New Year to you all

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The family leaving Tuscany in October

It’s New Years Eve in Aspley Guise and the team are getting ready for a night out. Gill has booked a table at the Wavendon Arms in Woburn Sands for dinner and whatever follows so it should a lot of fun.

The only concession to the collective ages of those attending is a 12:30 am taxi pick up to come home. Sadly no partying to dawn for this lot.

Before we depart for the evening Jean, Daisy, Poppie and myself want to wish all our dear friends and readers a great New Year and hope your 2012 will be happy, fruitful and prosperous.