under another sun

A text from Toby just before three saying he was on a Shinkansen with Raine and Eitaro. Up fairly early, and went for an early walk, dropping a card in to Brian and Yvonne like a xmas elf and then going for a cobweb removing walk along the seafront. Very warm for the time of year, about 14C, but with strong winds and a rough sea, and the salty misty spray felt tingly in my nose. People friendly and several people said hello. After popping into Morrisons for a few more bits of food, Home for breakfast. Then we all spent the day busily, building the second Christmas tree, Lorraine cooking for Christmas, me doing other cooking, tidying up, wrapping presents, etc.  Pat and Maureen also drafted into sausage roll making and so on.  Beth -- who stopped work this evening for Christmas, and James who arrived at seven and had gammon, egg and chips.  A cheery Christmas evening, a few drinks and chatting. Below a walk along the seafront, and Maureen making sausage rolls. 

Obviously a different sort of Christmas Eve. After breakfast I went for a long walk, as I was badly in need of one. Quite cold in the wind, and only just above freezing. Chatting to Anton as I set off about all manner of things.  Last minute bits and pieces today. Lorraine wrapping books for the next door neighbour's kids. One of which was quite brilliant by Emma Yarlett called Nibbles the Book Monster,  about a monster which eats its way through books on your bookshelf, and interferes with the stories such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears as it passes through. Lots of cooking this afternoon, with Lorraine making sausage rolls and mince pies and apple pie and other PK pleasers. I kitchen portered, one of the jobs was to peel the sausages. Because thanks to a Beth innovation, we use actual peeled nice sausages for the interiors of the sausage rolls and not the bland sausage meat sold for the purpose.    Lots of calls to folks and Lorraine and I enjoyed a drink over t...

All up early. I zoomed around to Choice Cuts where I was able to pick up the preordered turkey and a large pork pie. Unlike last year it only took me ten minutes. Couldn't help but look at the turkey and wonder if it had also voted for Christmas. Chats with Mum of course. Mas still in hospital, and will be for Christmas sadly. Lorraine and I off to do a spot of shopping very locally with Lorraine. Jade and Sam went into Brighton. Pat and Maureen off to buy some presents for the cats. Beth became a baking goddess for much of the day, helped by Lorraine. The Kenny Towers kitchen turning out cheese twists, mince pies, flans, sausage rolls, baked salmon, ham cooked with cloves and marmalade, little pies and much more. In the afternoon, Lorraine and I drove to Anton's to drop off some pressies for my Godbairns.  Saddened to see that Oskar was wearing a Manchester United shirt. Nice to chat with the kids.  Klaudia telling me the funny story of Oskar's girlfriend who had ask...

A less than ideal Christmas eve unfortunately. Poor Lorraine very ill with flu and confined to bed. I set off up to Fiveways to the butcher to collect the stuffed turkey breast we'd ordered and buy brussels sprouts and so on. The queue to the butchers stretched along the street for several shops, and I had to wait in the cold for an unbelievable hour and a quarter and pay a small fortune for the results. Felt like I had crossed through the Iron Curtain to 1980. However people made the most of it, and the butchers brought out mince pies and the cafe the queue passed sold coffee to people. Talking to the man before me in the queue, who was sensibly enough a Chelsea supporter, and had worked in Guernsey. After picking up some vegetables and other bits, and walking home with them in my rucksack. I began to feel rather horrid. Climbed into bed with Lorraine, still wretched, feeling achey and hot eyed myself. Missed seeing Anton Anna and Brian and the children, as I felt too shattered ...

Gloria the spider I am hopeless at wrapping presents, and this process lengthened by Calliope pouncing explosively into the middle of everything from time to time. Anton told me about a wrapping service that you could choose either to have things wrapped perfectly, or - for blokes - wrapped badly to make it seem that you have done it yourself. It's worth considering. Off to St Nicholas parish church for a carol service for young children with Anton and Anna, and my Godbairns. Met Lorraine near the church having just dropped her parents Pat and Maureen at the Church. Klaudia sat on my knee for most of the service, covertly drawing and playing with Lorraine next to me. Father Robert told the nativity story from the perspective of a large spider called Gloria, who lived in a crack in the stable and was startled to hear Gloria in Excelsis! Later Father Robert produced a big fluffy spider which he invited one of the children to add to the church's traditional nativity scene. Ann...