I've Got That Christmas-time Feeling...

...it's a funny thing too, because there's absolutely no trace of snow here and there are still leaves on the trees. In fact, this morning when I was running with Anna we found a tree that still had blossoms on it! It sure was cold though, brrrr. You might be asking how it can get cold in a country that has next to no snow, but there's this damp chill that can get into your bones and you sure feel it!

BUT, that being said, I went into town with Lisa this afternoon to return some DVD's to the library and blockbuster and we came across a market that was set up in the town square. Not just any market, a French market!! It was sooo nice! There were so many things to look at and the food looked fantastic. Everything from a greek stall with olives, garlic and cheese, to a dried sausage stall that held dried sausages made out of duck, stag and boar! There were stands that held watches, purses, scarves,pashiminas and one that had every kind of dried fruit imaginable plus chocolate covered raisins, yogurt rasions, yogurt peanuts, and all sorts of other things. There was a stand that had millions of different kinds of turkish delight and a stand that had a tonne of different types of bread on it with cookies, biscuits, cakes, scones etc. It was great! The best part was they had samples of everything out for you to try. I got to try all the different types of sausages...even the dried boar sausage. One lady also gave me a handful of chocolate raisins and the man at the olive stand gave us a clove of garlic that was covered in this bright orange sauce stuff. He told us that it would protect us from unwanted attention, well, that's for sure because I'm sure my breath smelled pretty garlicy afterwards. It was potent!

Walking around looking at everything, I just started to get so Christmasy and the decorations have been put up in town and Ruthorfords have their Christmas trees outside the stoor...I know it's only November but it's hard to withstand when there's this sort of pressure around you! England truely is lovely this time of year with the old stone buildings and cobblestones and the mince pies and mulled wine come out and I love being here. Although I'm going home for Christmas this year and very much looking forward to it, I think a small part of me is going to miss England at Christmas. Hmmmm maybe the place is growing on me more than I'm fully aware of!

I still can't wait to have a white Christmas and perhaps a good old fashioned snowball fight! I was talking to my mom on the phone last night and she promised that I would get to help decorate the tree this year! Yeeessssssssss (Napoleon Dynamite)