Living in Adelaide, South Australia, there is not a lot of call for wintery hats, scarves and gloves. Most in my wardrobe have been bought either been for overseas holidays or to support sporting teams – Go Crows!

Heading to England in 2005 for a visit with Tom’s relatives, combined with sightseeing as we usually do, I purchased some lovely brown wintery gloves; very toasty and well-matched with my predominately brown-based travel wardrobe that year. This was a December/January visit, so we were very rugged up, especially as the flight over had a few hours stop-over in Helsinki.

Having spent a lovely post-Christmas family evening reminiscing at Tom’s cousin’s house in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, I recall standing at the bus stop waiting for the last bus. As we waited, we commented on how cold it was, and a few lonely snowflakes started falling as if to emphasise the conversation. Definitely had the gloves on then; last photographed (below) being worn while waiting for the bus.

A couple of few days later, we enjoyed seeing in the New Year with other cousins – including the traditional taking out the coal from the back door, and bringing it in the front. Nigel, the coal-bearer, had to go completely around the block, as the cousin’s house was a terrace house, with no quick access to the front! Definitely recall having the gloves on this night, as once again we had a small amount of snow to bring in the New Year, 2006.

Tom’s daughter Kerry was living in England at this time, and joined us to celebrate the New Year, having travelled up from London to Stoke-on-Trent by train. We enjoyed sightseeing together, including climbing up Tom’s favourite walking place as a child – Wetley Rocks, with its view over lovely English fields towards Bentilee and Hanley. Definitely had the gloves then!

Soon after we took the hire car for a day trip to Liverpool to take in the obligatory Beatles-related sights such as Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane. I’m pretty convinced that the brown left-hand glove was lost in the car park in Liverpool (pictured below) – or somewhere between walking along near Albert Dock, and the Beatles Story Exhibition, 2/1/2006. Where’s my glove??

It could have been such a cold trip as we continued on to a wintery Germany with only one glove left … but what a great excuse to go shopping; another pair of (thicker and fluffier) brown gloves, and the bargain of the trip – a pair of “flip top” mittens!