Our belated Christmas

By Boxing Day both Sarah and John were somewhat recovered, so cooked the Turkey.



Helen and David W. came for lunch, though David was still feeling a bit groggy - he had a cold anyway even without the after effects of the dreaded lurghi! Sadly David G. began to feel ill just before it was dished up. At least he got to open a few prezzies before lunch (we were waiting for the turkey to finish cooking, so thought we'd begin the ritual).

John got a pile of interesting books and CDs.



After we'd opened a few presents the turkey was ready to come out of the oven and rest while Chef John and assistants finished off the rest of the meal preparations.



And here's my traditional yearly photo of my Christmas dinner!



The tree looks magical after dark.



Unfortunately I went down with the virus on 27th and spent 36 hours throwing up and rather longer than that with the runs. Ah well, guess that about sums up how this year has been in a way!

At least am beginning to eat again now, though still struggling to get up and down the stairs as rather week and feeble.

New Year's Eve

I've always hated New Year's Eve, almost as much as birthdays. I can still remember at school how the other girls kept going on about what they were going to have as New Year Resolutions. I don't think I ever made one, and I'm not going to start now!



We are celebrating the New Year by putting our new sheets from IKEA on the bed - or rather John is. My share of this enterprise consisted of shifting some of the huge piles of stuff that have been on the bed since I began wrapping the Christmas prezzies. These piles have been growing ever since, and last night I kept waking up because I couldn't stretch my legs out. Plus I was so thirsty I had to go downstairs around 2am to get a bottle of Tesco's Spring Water (our tap water seems to be over-chlorinated a lot of the time, most unpalatable!). By which time I was so wide awake I logged on and picked up email and did a spot of web browsing. Nicely tired after that, so got some more sleep, though disturbed by J snoring (as usual!).

Super breakfast - lambs kidneys with bacon, fried up leftover mashed potato, and half a tomato... Tomato flavourless as usual -what do the supermarkets do to tomatoes to make them so tasteless? I'm hoping that'll count as at least half a portion of fruit, but seeing as it tasted of nothing maybe not.

We're having gales and very heavy showers today. Our side windows are leaking - shows up how they really need washing as they have clean streaks down them now. At least the strong wind means the showers are blowing over quickly, but I worry about the trees across the side road blowing onto our roof. And it's getting noisier too - guess the wind strength is still rising.

John's heading out to Otterspool Prom to get some (very) fresh air and see the waves on the Mersey. Rather him than me! He's declined the use of the camcorder to video the river - reckons it's too damp. Might spend my Xmas cash on a waterproof cover for it, if they're still available.

A quiet evening is planned, a bottle of Champagne (though not as nice as the Mumm de Cramant Sarah brought from France for Christmas) will go in the fridge in a while, and I think we'll be watching Jools Holland's Hootenanny later on. Be nice to see Lily Allen and The Zutons but I could do without the rest, especially First Battalian of the Scots Guards at midnight. We usually go out and dance* around the tree on the pavement then (so missing the bagpipes) but it may be too wild and windy for that this year.

Happy New Year!

* I stagger rather than dance - vestibular dysfunction don't lead to good enuff co-ordination for decent dancing!