So that was Christmas

Christmas Day

Christmas has been wonderful – it was the first year Mr G and I did the grown up thing and hosted the celebrations. And in the true style of us we went out Christmas Eve with friends and didn’t prep the veg or lay the table *lesson 1 & 2. In the morning we had to clear a lot of unpacked boxes from the dining room (which is actually a second lounge the rest of the year) most of it is bags from the car and boxes of resources I no longer have a classroom to house. The upstairs is now a bit of a mess and will need to be tackled next year.

We collected the dining furniture Monday evening and I bought the tablecloth, seat cushions and placemats on Tuesday afternoon. We had already done the big Christmas food shop on Friday – which was a huge trolley full but actually the Christmas dinner was all allotment food apart from the Turkey. Mr G deserved 5 Michelin stars for his meal! He dug up parsnips and picked sprouts before we went out Christmas Eve,  we both prepared vegetables and then his Godchildren came for their presents and spent a few hours with us. They picked carrots in the garden and washed them at the sink. That was after they had played outside and lost a Sticky Ninja on the roof of our conservatory and one in next door’s tree!?

 Family came for dinner and we all had a massive feast, only managed half my plate, which meant last night (Boxing Day) I had another Christmas dinner. My mum came for tea and it was a lovely, happy day.

After 8pm Mr G and I finally relaxed and opened some of our presents, watched Christmas television and fell asleep.

Lessons for Cooking Christmas Dinner:

1) Set the table the night before

2) Prepare your veg the night before

3) Put the Turkey in as early as possible – 10 a.m was a little late!

4) After serving stick each plate in the microwave before adding hot gravy to keep it all warm for the table.

 

Boxing Day

We had the traditional Irish Coffee (which we couldn’t have Christmas morning as I was driving) and got up to open the rest of our presents. Later we went out to the pub to meet friends and then came home, had Christmas dinner #2 and spent the night listening to music and enjoying liquid gifts!

Today we have a friend coming up from London and then hope to meet up with more friends in town who we have not seen yet this Christmas.

I have finally *after 8 days, shifted my winter bug so I hope to visit my relatives over the weekend (who I didn’t get to see on Christmas Day) and then relax and enjoy time off work.

 

 

 

 

 

 I am delighted to come back and find that we have new followers, I had a ‘wish’ number for the end of the first year of the blog… I wonder if we will make it!

I have some writing deadlines for the end of the month and events and performances are booked to start again after the New Year. When I have finished celebrating Christmas and anniversaries I will probably have to chain myself to the offline laptop and get work out the way before I come back to blogging, feel free to leave comments I will pop in over the next few days and I hope to post the next instalment of the Goal Setting before the New Year.

 

Enjoy your celebrations

 

Birthdays, Winter Colds & Christmas Preparations

Today is my youngest nephews birthday – he’s 6 and spending the day at a chocolate factory with his friends! 🙂
Despite still being full of winter cold, I woke up at 6:30 and felt quite alive! (Due to a 9hr sleep plus sleeping through most of yesterday!)
I had to get to my brothers early before they all went out to collect excited children and eat chocolate! Fin had asked for a Thor fancy dress costume WITH hammer, which I managed to get- it was a real shame because he wanted to put it on and couldn’t as he was party dressed ready!
He is such a sweetheart.
Although my visit was quick (especially as I didn’t want to share my germs!) it was filled with love and smiles.

 Bless him – he was so excited to have a birthday to celebrate before Christmas this year!

Then I headed for the supermarket (make as much use of being up and out) -it wasn’t open for half an hour but I took my writing magazine with me to read in the car park. I went for a few last minute Christmas bits, medicine and milk. I came out half an hour later to a manic, thriving car park and was on the way home before I realised I had forgotten the medicine!

 We have treats to eat today – which is fabulous because I was far too tempted by the Christmas stock piles out in the conservatory! Actually we did both have a bowl of wasabi peas and crisps last night whilst watching a film.

Today I making myself feel better by being up & dressed… I plan to write Christmas cards (far too late to send them on time) and wrap Christmas gifts. I am surfing the net looking for some homemade table decorations for Christmas (I still need to collect the table!) and after all that, if I have any energy left I may treat myself to some writing time.

Merry Christmas!

We are just 5 days away from CHRISTMAS!

And I am excited as a younger version of myself would have been! Despite being full of winter cold!)

Today Mr G & I are both booked off work to do our FINAL Christmas shop… starting locally in the shops, then later driving to the supermarket for the BIG Christmas Food Shop!

Then I am going to spend the rest of the day tucked up warm – in an attempt to get rid of the cold that has been with me most of the week.

I haven’t done much writing since making my submissions earlier in the week. I have to look at the action plan and catch up a bit. Monday has been allocated as a wrapping presents and writing day.

I will probably post again before Christmas – I am sure it is a busy time for all of us, but I will not be posting as much as usual over the next 5 days.

Have a Merry Time preparing for your festive celebrations!