Christmas Day
Up and Lorraine collecting Sian, and Sam and Jade from Beth's flat, before the great cook up. A tasty breakfast of bagels. And eventually present giving. I got an amazingly beautiful book about the sea from Lorraine, and a knitted monkey from Pat and Maureen, and a strange but incredibly face-like stand for keeping the glasses I keep losing on my desk from Beth and John. Anton and his family bought Lorraine and I some lovely stuff, including a copy of The Box of Delights, the same version as I had but this one not falling apart. Lorraine liked the watch I bought her in Convent Garden.
I spoke to Mum to wish her and Mas a Happy Christmas. Couldn't help but think about Janet and Ken a bit today.
A now traditional interlude of going to the pub with Pat and Sam (for the second time running) to the Preston Park Tavern. Busy, but with a fair amount of space and not so many rug rats as in recent years. A very mild day, so people happily sitting on the benches outside. Took the nice shot of Pat and Sam together in the pub below.
Christmas Day at Osborne Road is ultimately a festival of food. Beth and Lorraine are a well oiled machine of culinary excellence. I contributed a fair amount of kitchen portering and so on too, and everyone was drafted in to shuttle the food in and out and so on.
Home and a delicious meal, vegan options for Jade and Sian and Sam, although Sam tends to yield to carnivorous instincts in the face of a turkey and ham onslaught.
Then a good deal of washing up for me, but later there were games and some drinking (although I didn't have very much today other than at lunchtime with the chaps).
Beth, Jade and Sam being very amusing over the games. We played one, called Funemployed, but essentially you were pitching for a job, but had to include certain attributes dealt you. Beth in her improv element.
A lot of clearing up to be done, and I finished my last bit of cleaning after everyone was off to bed. A nice day.
I spoke to Mum to wish her and Mas a Happy Christmas. Couldn't help but think about Janet and Ken a bit today.
A now traditional interlude of going to the pub with Pat and Sam (for the second time running) to the Preston Park Tavern. Busy, but with a fair amount of space and not so many rug rats as in recent years. A very mild day, so people happily sitting on the benches outside. Took the nice shot of Pat and Sam together in the pub below.
Christmas Day at Osborne Road is ultimately a festival of food. Beth and Lorraine are a well oiled machine of culinary excellence. I contributed a fair amount of kitchen portering and so on too, and everyone was drafted in to shuttle the food in and out and so on.
Home and a delicious meal, vegan options for Jade and Sian and Sam, although Sam tends to yield to carnivorous instincts in the face of a turkey and ham onslaught.
Then a good deal of washing up for me, but later there were games and some drinking (although I didn't have very much today other than at lunchtime with the chaps).
Beth, Jade and Sam being very amusing over the games. We played one, called Funemployed, but essentially you were pitching for a job, but had to include certain attributes dealt you. Beth in her improv element.
A lot of clearing up to be done, and I finished my last bit of cleaning after everyone was off to bed. A nice day.
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