Christmas Day

Christmas Day. Up and breakfasts... Scrambled egg and salmon on toast for everyone. Then a lengthy present opening session. I did well with lots of presents, including bamboo socks with pheasants on them, a book Anton gave me, about cooking Indian food on the BBQ, which seems an adventure. Lorraine bought me a picture which was an assembly of stamps, many of the Japanese, containing pictures of Peanuts characters. Really cool. And of course we all lapped up wine that Mum had sent us. 

Despite Lorraine doing quite a bit of cooking yesterday, still lots to be done. Our turkey this year was more of an ambitious chicken really. Not too large, and was cooked in two and a half hours. All the usual veggies, including my special mushrooms cooked with sage and featuring some Kenny Farm celeriac made into a delicious puree. A happy and tasty meal, eaten in our dining room, looking resplendently festive with its red walls and twinkly tree,   In the evening we had a cheese selection with crackers. A wide variety of cheeses including my favourite cheese of all which is Roquefort 

After Christmas lunch, others slumped watching a film. I called up Mum and we sat together for an hour and a half having a chat, and a drink together over FaceTime. This was one of my favourite bits of the day.  Later Pat and Maureen were chatting to Derek and Claudia in Finland, and I said hello too.

In the evening, Beth, James, Lorraine and I sat in the dining room, looking resplendently festive with its red walls and twinkly tree, playing a game called Chameleon, essentially a game, where three of you have to say a word related to an object you are directed to by the cards. The fourth person is the Chameleon, who has to pretend to know what everyone else is describing, and provide one word descriptions and then defend them. This was fun. Also we had a game of Exploding Kittens. 

A cheery Christmas Day. Below James sitting on a protesting Betty's lap, and Lorraine, Pat and Maureen.