How was Christmas? Wonderful, noisy of course with four young adults, the meal was perfect as my daughter rushed around the kitchen, and Ben did not quite eat the 15 Yorkshire puddings, he claimed he could.
At one stage I broke down in the morning because our guest brought beer to the party, and as I glanced at the bottle nearest to me, its label was the Japanese beer. - Asahi. Sending a stabbing arrow of sadness through my heart. For you can guess who often went out of his way to find it in pubs. But tears pass and as my daughter said it was as if Paul was also here, a bit like the robin who visits to those saddened by the death of a loved one.
Presents galore, tea and biscuits from Fortnum and Mason, Coffee from Liberty and Tom (up North) got me Betty's tea and patisserie. My daughter bought me a wallet, which you can't read my debit card through and tanning done by vegetable tanning. God those vegans get in everywhere;) Also I now own a quiche tin or two, a favourite of mine but nothing to cook it in here. Not forgetting Lillie's calendar, because I can't seem to keep track of everything in a busy household.
From the presents you can gather that I like my coffee and tea, either freshly ground or loose in the pot for tea. They are a lovely bunch of children, making their way through life and this was the first time for many years we had celebrated Xmas together. Also of course my daughter kept in touch with the Swiss side who were also gathered together for a meal, as photos shot from either side.
Last of course was the dog Teddy who had a brilliant Christmas, helping himself to two packets of biscuits and smashing a glass dome under which resided a nativity scene. Presents were slightly chewed as well but they remained unscathed.
Some thoughtful presents there, and who knows whether the guest had his hand guided when choosing the speciality beers? I tasted Betty's wonderful mince pies for the first time as Tam had her best friend and husband stay overnight (they had been shielding for a week to see her mother, recovering from cancer, and we had all done a lateral flow test). Just checked the price of said mince pies and darn near £1 each, but they are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lovely day and good to be part of a family Christmas again I think. Just one slight disaster here when G's Forcemeat Stuffing Balls got a bit of a sun-tan in my new oven, but we are all learning where to put things in it and how efficient the fan element is.
Never been to Bettys because of the queues outside Jennie but know it is expensive. Everyone was clear in this house because of testing. Me I have never been tested ;). Yes it was a lovely day and I truly appreciated it.
ReplyDeleteGlad everything went well. Sorry about the tears - I still get them after almost five years with the right trigger - but no harm done - just a safety valve reief.
ReplyDeleteYes tears are a safety valve Pat, it was good to be with the family though I did escape now and then ;)
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely looking grandchildren and I can see their independent spirits twinkling in their eyes. Looking back through your blog I can see how significant you have been in their lives. What do they call you? Granny? Grandma or perhaps Nana?
ReplyDeleteI'm called granny, nanna belongs to the ex-husband family. They are all hardworking as well. Ben has two jobs, as does Tom, Matilda mumbles about working for a while then finding a rich husband but I'm sure as a radical feminist this will not happen. Lillie is working hard in her exams and is the backbone of the scouts, of which there are many.
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