Boxing Day, December, 2012.

Don't know if you have noticed but it seems to us that taking photos of the misfortunes of others and then blogging them has become something of a sport.

The very spot from which Sky News gave the nation 24 hour coverage of the River coming up (it's going back down now). Exciting, wasn't it.

The City's feathered community carrying on regardless (and having a quiet chuckle to themselves no doubt).

Don't bother to ring up about the Boxing Day menu. No rush.

Note water being pumped out faster (one presumes) than it is flooding in.

No interest in watching from the Centre Course Enclosure. Funny that.

Water being pumped over the new flood defences and back into the river from Hylton Road. The multi-million pound defences have held firm; it's the Victorian drains that can't cope now.

Well, that's our constitutional over. Time to wander back home for one of Vicky's signature Boxing Day turkey dinners. It comes with chips and gravy.

Come on Vic, let's get a move on!

Christmas Day, December, 2012.

It's 8:00am and David is excited: Santa's been and he's now got a new winter hat and several slot cars.

It's just gone 2:00pm and we are now at Pat and Graham's. Brett, Mary, Phoebe, Erin and Pat begin to tuck in to the first of many starters.

Pat, Millie, Ellie, John and Vicky attack the minestrone soup.

It's now about 6:00pm and with the meal finished and the washing and drying up all done it's time to open the presents. Yay!

Erin, Brett, and Graham are all of a tizz.

Erin's last ever Xmas in good olde Blighty?

Now it's time for the several desserts!

Christmas Eve, Monday 24th December, 2012.

Here we go again. No sooner has the Severn gone down, it's back up again. This isn't river water, merely waterlogged ground.

The view in the opposite direction. This is river water. And Vicky.

More water here than the last time. Definitely.

The north end of the racecourse. The flow here is almost as fast as the actual river which is about 100 yards away. Spooky.

It's always important to ensure yer allotment is well irrigated.

Estate Agents tend to be an optimistic lot and Allan Morris is no exception.

No way back home through the park today.

Evesham Cats Protection, Sunday 23rd December, 2012.

David's made a naive mistake. In getting the tea bags out for the first cuppa of the morning he's left the cupboard door wide open. It's an open invitation for Katie.

In today's world of the gadget, everyone is used to having a camera shoved into their gob for yet another photo. But not these three. Unfortunately, we do not yet own a spit/hiss cam.

Third cuppa of the morning and Vicky has grumpy-Maggie and Syd for company. Don't get too close Syd!

Having been side-swiped by grumpy-Maggie, Syd seeks refuge on an inferior lap. Well, any port in a storm, eh?

In anticipation of a cold freezing winter, Jasper has been eating all the pies. Given the mild weather we are actually having at the mo' it's all he can do to haul his carcass about the place before having a lie down every few secs.

Carol Service, Worcester Cathedral, Saturday 22nd December, 2012.

The Big Entrance, with the Bishop of Dudley bringing up the rear.

The Big Exit, some 90 minutes later.

Down The Lane, Saturday, 8th December, 2012.

Two pretty uninspiring photos of what will most likely be our last ever visit to St George's Lane to watch Worcester City FC. Once this season is over the 'stadium', which City first used back in 1905, will become a housing estate: at least it will be a brown field development.

Next season City will have to play at Kidderminster Harriers until their new stadium at Nunnery Lane(?) is built. Although the whole thing is a sorry saga and, who knows, it may never be built if the sums don't add up. Until it is, a huge question mark hangs over the long term future of The Faithful City.

Whatever happens, we won't go to see City play anywhere else. We love the fact that we can walk from home down The Lane in just 15 mins. Driving over to the other side of town and parking up, let alone driving to Kidder, holds no attraction to us. Might as well go the whole hog and drive to The Mol or Villa Park.

More folk on the pitch than in the stands!

Actually, for this game against FC Halifax Town, the crowd was 1,012: pretty good for games in The Conference North, and the second highest in the division today.

It wasn't a bad contest but we won't mention the score. Not important............only a game.........it's the taking part that counts.

Tickets for the last league game of the season down The Lane against Chester City are already on sale. The club is hoping for a full house of 4,500. They could do with the money.

Talking of money: it cost us £30.50 (inc Programme) to sit and watch on a cold day on a hard bum-numbing wooden bench what is, effectively, a Division 6 match. Ridiculous. Football has gone completely cowin' mad.

We have spoken.

Water, water everywhere, Monday, 26th November, 2012.

We are pleased to read that the Council's opinion of motorists is the same as ours: thick as two shortuns, the lot of 'em.

Flooding is now also on the town side of the railway viaduct.

With the level of the Severn (on the left) and the level on the racecourse (on the right) rising all the time, would you park your car here?

Well, it is one of the few free places to park in Worcester so some folk will always risk it. 

Shan't be walking home along my usual route then. Time to retrace my steps.

View of flooded racecourse from next to the viaduct.

Yesterday we re-joined the footpath along the allotment-side of the racecourse from this path: but it is not possible today. The apples have fallen from trees in an orchard about 50 yards to the right and have then been washed to this point by the slowly rising water. No, I didn't fancy one to keep me going.

Another alternative way home blocked.

The people who live here have been busy putting up their flood defences since we walked past yesterday.

Wot!? No Cats!? Sunday, 25th November, 2012.

Sorry, no cats this month 'cos all the routes into the Vale Of Evesham were closed this morning due to localised flooding. Couldn't tell if the problems were caused by the Avon or simply water draining off fields onto the roads 'cos we weren't allowed to get to where the actual flooding was. So Miki will have to call upon volunteers within walking distance today. Still, it will be the first time we have missed a day since we started volunteering at the CP three years ago.

So, having driven back home, we decide to make the most of our early start to a Sunday by walking into town.

Hmmm, the River is already coming up by the Pump House. This could be interesting.

No way onto the Racecourse through the usual gate.

No chance of walking along the river-side of the racecourse. Never mind, we'll use the allotment-side. Nice scene tho'.

About a mile later and we are nearly in town. Much more water at the viaduct end of the race course. Kayakers paddling 'round the bend in the distance.

Just 90 minutes later the water has expanded by another 20' - 30' and there's no way back home along the way we came. Nor can we stand at the place we took the previous photo. The water is creeping towards us as we stand and watch.

Someone's in for a bit of a surprise when they return to the car park.

Kayakers, yes, but rowers on the racecourse? Never seen that before. The river is beyond those parked cars and just 'below' the line of trees (in case you were wondering).

Back at the Pump House and the water is expanding here an' all.

More rain forecast for later.

Cirencester, Sunday 18th November, 2012.

It's a nice day so we've driven down the M5 to Cirencester for a second visit of the year to Vicky's favourite tea shop, Keith's, and a bit of a mooch about.

David is shown the door.

Vicky does well to cover up her disappointment. Keith's is closed even tho' the interweb-thingy says it is open on Sundays between 10 and 4. Locals linger outside and are heard to mutter darkly: it was closed last week an' all.

Folk come from miles around to visit The Fish Shop in Cirencester (the Parish Church of St John Baptist is incidental, obviously).

Old chaps who can't make up their minds whether they are mods or skinheads keep an eye out for old chaps who can't make up their minds whether they are rockers or bikers. It'll all kick off in a sec!

About to venture inside the Parish Church.

A moment of quiet contemplation.

Getting chilly now. Time to drive back home the long way (don't ask).