Lawrence’s sister (Elaine) and her partner (Robert) live in Wharley, near Brentwood. As they were dog-sitting, we had many walks in the nearby park with the border terrier Fu and the cockadoodle Hugo (Elaine’s daughter Helen’s dog).
We had a couple of very foggy days, but mostly the weather was just piercingly cold!
We did attempt a day out in Southend-on-Sea, but the wind chill made us rush back to the car after a quick view of the sea (actually it’s the Thames estuary).
On Christmas Day, Lawrence and I sported our Malaysian outfits which Hanis had given us before we left. These left plenty of room to hide our expanding waistlines!
On the day after Boxing Day, Elaine’s children and their children came over and I managed to get a group photo (except for Elaine’s grandson Robert who turned up later). There are four generations in this photo!
Later in the week, some of Robert’s family came over and this time we had some sunshine for our dog-walking activities.
Our last trip out was to visit rural Essex, starting with Greensted Church, which is the oldest wooden church in the world, with wooden planks dating from 1060 A.D. It’s a charming church hidden down a country lane, and well worth a visit.
Next, we headed to another charming church, the Prioiry Church of St. Laurence at Blackmore. Sadly this church was locked so we could no see inside.
Finally, our return journey took us through Billericay and a quick sighting of the timber house where the Pilgrim Fathers were said to have met before departing to the New World in the Mayflower. Now it’s an Indian Restaurant! You can’t move an inch in England without stumbling on History!
Please click here to return to Christmas 2016 in the UK