Alder's Tone

We were there in plenty of time. Having set off from home with enough time to get through any traffic, and hopefully have a cuppa before departure, we arrived with time enough to warm through. Everything went like clockwork, even if the dense fog slowed us down a bit. Successful toilet stop, no strops in the shop, no wriggling in the cafe. Just a well behaved Daddy. And our Santa hunter was good too.

Having left MOTS to finish up, the boys headed to the train. Coach C, so that's three down from where we stood at coach F, just into the fog. It was really atmospheric with the fog shrouding the train, with steam coming up from under each coach from the heating and more so from the passing engines - two engines to haul this many presents! As we boarded so did a family of 4 right behind us. As it happened, both of our tickets were on the same table. Hmm, 7 cramped around one table? This isn't good, not when given all the kids ages they should all have seats. As MOTS boarded she noticed on the table behind and across, there was Granny for the table behind sitting on her own, with only one ticket for 1 on the table. 5 seats over 2 tables, 7 seats on one table? Surely not. After a brief nod from one of the volunteers (almost wrote staff, not the case) we moved. Shortly after which MOTS sort of nodded down to me to look at the ticket. And there in the bottom right was a code "7N". Same as on Granny's. Funny that, 'cos the seats opposite had "7S". And the table we just left had "6S". The tables in front and behind of where we were now? "6N" and "8N". Ahh, sussed it. Table numbers 1-8, S (South side) and N (North side). Hmm, we're on the right table now. No wonder Granny wasn't happy at us moving there, these were our seats with hers. One can only surmise that as the family of 5 wanted to spread out that our ticket was shoved on the table behind. It's like GNER NXEC East Coast on a good day! Season of goodwill? RAMMIT!

The wheels on the train
go round and round...And we get the off...

On our way out of the station we were soon in Greenland on our way to the North Pole. The trees were all completely white with a heavy frost that made it look Christmas card perfect, and the fog added to the atmosphere. Pictures are on the online album now, even the one showing MOTS struggling to fasten her antlers!

Santa came for a visit on the way to the North Pole. Now we have to realise that our little fella never asks for anything, so the concept of getting specific things for Christmas is at the moment a bit alien to him, as are advent calendars but that's another story. He was sat opposite me, so I knew when Santa was coming because the eyes lit up, enough to power a small Scottish village for a decade*. (*Official ONS figures). And if that wasn't enough, then "Here's Santa" at 127 decibels confirmed it.

The big man: "What do you want for Christmas"
Little fella: "Blue one"

That was it - "Blue one". A blue what? "A blue one". OK, here's Santa's present (appropriate for gender and age, as always). And it's opening, and it's a car, and it's BLUE! Hey, Santa's good, isn't he. And that was something else, the big man pulled through, he knows, he's been watching all year and he knows. What a guy!

On the way back we never got told to stop singing (a first) and even junior started to join in (another first). A generation missed on singing nursery rhymes, and we get him going with Jingle Bells. I'll try it on Christmas morning, see what carnage I can create...