We took a bus ride to Alwras on Tuesday (the trip by boat was aborted in August). We went to visit the National Memorial Arboretum. It is a memorial to all those in the Armed Services who have lost their lives since the Second World War. There are a few people we knew who have their names cut into the walls so we took this opportunity to pay our respects.
The place was very busy (we were expecting it all to ourselves, like most overseas Commonwealth Graves). The whole area has been done beautifully with masses of young trees (naturally) and small monuments to individual regiments and corps etc and the two main monuments of soldiers inside the two semi-circular walls was very moving.
This picture shows the gap in the wall. A shaft of sunlight shines through on 11 November - a bit like the summer solstis at Stonehenge.
We found the Intelligence Corps plot - just a young tree in the middle of a bog. Just about sums it up really!
After we walked into Alwras (taking our lives in our hands trying to cross a very busy dual carriageway) and had a lovely lunch in the George and Dragon before catching the bus back to Birmingham.
On Friday we were sat on the boat with the front door open when Nigel Kennedy (the violinist) walked past. David spoke to him when he came back and showed him one of my cards with an Aston Villa theme (him being a great Villa fan). I said I would make him one for today so when he went past again we gave it to him. He is a really nice guy and seemed very pleased with his card. Well - I got three kisses and he is getting us tickets for his gig tomorrow night in the Symphony Hall!!!
My first Christmas Card of the year. Though I am in the process of planning our card I have not actually stuck anything down yet. This one is for our friends on Amber Moon. David took the photo of their cans last week when they were here and I made 25 copies. I printed the words "Happy Christmas" onto the cards then stuck the pictures towards the top, covering the edges with curvy edged holographic peel-offs.
David also took a few more pictures and I made these two cards using up the Christmas cards that I messed up in the printer (you know card makers never throw anything away!). The first photograph I matted onto gold and green card. I stuck ribbon across the front and a green panel on the right hand side with 3 amber square jewels stuck on it.
And this one shows the tiller pin (Amber Moon not an Islamic moon.) This one I matted onto gold, orange and green card and just a narrow gold ribbon along the bottom with three more amber glass jewels
I don't know what they will do with them, I suppose thank you cards or something like that.
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