In quaint Essex village Finchingfield - complete with village green, duck pond and windmill. Though little was visible in the rather thickish mist. Still icily cold - the car temperature indicator remained below freezing all day.
Dave went to pick up mum early for our little Essex road trip. Unfortunately auntie R had trouble on the tube - getting lost changing at Green Park and beset by delays on the Victoria line. I went to meet her at the station and brought her back for a cup of tea.
So we were later than I'd planned leaving so the Essex tour had to be curtailed somewhat. The expected views of the countryside were also seriously compromised by the thick mist although the hedgerows and verge plants were beautifully rimmed with white frost.
Headed to Thaxted via Dunmow and admired the handsome houses with timber framing, thatching and pargetting, and the market place but the windmill was invisible in the mist. Travelled up through Great Bardfield and stopped at the Blue Egg farm shop for retail therapy. Well stocked shop full of lovely things: cards, Christmas decorations, luxury foodstuffs, clothes, jewellery and general gifts. We all spent a bit.
Ready for lunch, we drove to the Fox Inn in pretty Finchingfield. The pub was beautifully decorated for Christmas both inside and out and had a fire going. Foxes were everywhere just in case you forgot what the pub was called. Good food if slowish service to start especially as we were all quite peckish. Garlic prawns and bread, olives and balsamic to start followed by salmon for Dave and the most enormous haddock and chips for me, mum and auntie. Mulled wine also. Auntie got out the Finnish phone they've sorted out for my mum and explained what she's going to need to do to transfer money from her Finnish account.
When we finally emerged around 5, it was completely dark and still misty - rather challenging driving conditions until we reached the relative safety of the M11. Home for tea and mince pies before Dave drove auntie to the station. Mum decided to stay over and she watched Strictly then we watched the second Doctor Who special - quite scary.
I bet your feeling in the Christmas spirit, fabulously fabulous.