Tag: Byron Road

Advent Day 3

This morning we transported another surplus water butt and 14 more bags of garden refuse to Efford Recycling centre and returned with an

apparently unused IKEA child’s wicker chair which we have placed beside the curtain behind which Ellie stood looking out of the window until the grandfamily moved away, waiting for their arrival for Christmas.

“Every year, one road in Hampshire takes Christmas cheer to another level with every house on the block transformed into a winter wonderland. In total, seven houses in Byron Road, New Milton, band together to light up the street with dazzling fairy lights to raise money for the NHS.

“The annual tradition was started by one couple just under 20 years ago and their enthusiasm for all things Christmas. 75-year-old Ged Hollyoake was a builder before he retired and he and his wife Susan Burley, 75, began decorating their home in 2004.

“Since then, the pair’s festive spirit has become infectious with neighbours helping and beginning to decorate their homes with roof lights, icicles, nativity scenes and giant life-size snowmen. Conveniently, the garage next door has offered out its car park as a place to store all the equipment to keep the road clear.

” “The display takes around two months to plan and Ged leave[s] all kinds of hooks and tacks up all year around so the lights can go straight on. He changes it up every year and there’s always plenty of decorations inside too. It’s very well organised and Ged helps the neighbours with theirs’ too. “

“The road sees thousands of visitors every year and on November 27, families piled in to see the countdown around 5pm. The annual event has not been without its challenges however as it was forced to close in 2020 due to Covid restrictions.

“In past years, some houses have stopped, or refused to take part because of the busy crowds that can gather. On the whole however, many people are supportive, especially as the display has raised around £90,000 for the NHS.” (Extracts from http://Hampshirelive.news/whats-on/family-kids/how-one-hamp…

Earlier this year Jackie and I met Ged at the Recycling Centre where he told us his wife had recently died.

The tradition is being continued by their son, Dax, although the charity being supported is now the Oakhaven Hospice.

“Dax said: “As the display became more of an attraction, we decided to start raising money around 15 years ago. This was largely to do with my mum who had been in ill health and Bournemouth Hospital were fantastic. We wanted to try and raise as much money as possible for the NHS, even more so after the Covid pandemic.”

“To find out more information on the lights, please visit the Byron Road Lights Facebook page.” (Hampshirelive news)

I have posted on these lights several times in recent years and therefore updating the story today.

Here is tonight’s gallery.

We enjoyed a long conversation with Ged and his 5 years old grandson, Dillon (?sp)

This evening we dined on Jackie’s wholesome cottage pie; moist spinach; tasty Brussels sprouts; tender runner beans; and crunchy carrots with which I drank more of the delicious Georgian red wine.

Ella Does Byron Road

With Ella visiting this afternoon it was incumbent on us to put up the Christmas tree before she arrived. I thought we might have done it;

but the Maintenance Department informed me that this was just a start.

After lunch I posted https://derrickjknight.com/2021/12/18/a-knights-tale-79-wedding-number-three/

Danni, Andy, Ella, and Jack, shortly followed by Elizabeth visited this afternoon. We spent a pleasant hour and a half together until it grew dark enough for us to visit the Byron Road Christmas lights, leaving Jackie at home until we returned and enjoyed the Culinary Queen’s tasty cottage pie; firm Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots and broccoli; tender runner beans; and additional creamy mashed potatoes, with meaty supplementary gravy.

When the family arrived it was easy enough to plonk Jack, knowing that at 6 weeks he wasn’t likely to roll off sofa or cushions.

Ella, on the other hand was soon dragging her father into the library for the toy hamper to be brought into the sitting room.

Jackie took a hand at feeding our great-nephew,

until handing him back to his mother when the young family shared the sofa for a while.

On the Chesterfield Jackie read to Ella, until the sun had gone to bed and the rest of us set off to enjoy

the artificial light sources at Byron Road. Danni, Andy, Ella, Jack, and Elizabeth are all featured in the scenes, and named in their gallery images.

Later we dined as mentioned above, with Hoegaarden for Jackie, the last of the Pomerol for me, The Second Fleet Clare Valley Merlot 2020 for Elizabeth and Danni, and Diet Coke for Andy.

Byron Road 2021

Early this afternoon, our neighbour, Gordon, visited. We enjoyed a convivial conversation in which he expressed pleasure to hear that the article he had given me from a 1928 edition of The Mansfield and Sutton Times had appeared in my post ‘Patent Love’.

Later, I scanned the next four of Charles Keeping’s inimitable illustrations to ‘Dombey and Son’.

‘She lay like a horrible doll that had tumbled down’

‘Miss Tox took him on her lap’

‘Pinning him by the legs, the children claimed him as their friend’

‘Their heads all but touching, in their hurry and decrepitude’

The organisers of Byron Road Christmas decorations in Barton on Sea have this year dedicated their annual fundraising display to

the NHS.

We made our visit after dark this afternoon.

This evening we dined on well cooked pork chops with apple sauce; baby new boiled potatoes; crunchy carrots; and firm broccoli and cauliflower, with meaty gravy. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Macon.