Merry Crimble & Bah Humbugs!

Christmas this year has been very different for John and I, as all of our four children have spent Christmas elsewhere. I am not a great fan of Christmas, mainly because I dislike the commercialism but also because Christmas is supposed to be about just one day of the year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and yet it seemingly lasts for 4 months or so! I also resent the fact that the retail sector seem to think that Christmas is a legitimate reason to ambush us from August onwards with as many creative ways as possible to relieve us of our hard earned cash! Consequently for some years now I have been saying I can't wait until the kids have left home so I can spend the festive season doing what I want to do (which is actually very little) without the pressure of Christmas Day.

Initially we were going to spend Christmas with just the two of us, plus our dug Megan. Interestingly though, despite my protestations and reluctance over Christmas I seem to have spent an inordinate amount of time (since the end of October actually), in the kitchen preparing for this one special day organising, making lists, browsing through recipe books, shopping and cooking as many home made goodies and festive treats as I possibly could. What a shame the kids weren't going to be about to enjoy them!

 

However the jungle drums must have been beating as, at the 11th hour, I received a phone call from my Dad to tell me that his planned boat trip away for the festive season had been cancelled due to adverse weather and an alleged crew mutiny (of one person...........namely, my Dad!). My lovely Dad decided to make the humongous trek up from wintry Bedfordshire on Tuesday and stay with us for the festive season instead. He thinks he is doing me a favour by coming up to help us to eat all the festive goodies; I think he's probably right!  Hoorah for crew mutiny's!!

Anyway, as I write this post we have already spent a good part of the day out walking working up an appetite for our Christmas Day celebratory meal. The turkey is in the oven along with the sage & onion stuffing, chipolatas & bacon and the roast potatoes. We will start with crab pate on Arran oatcakes, lobster & smoked trout salad and if we still have room in our tummies, there is a drunken Scots Drambuie Trifle to finish with.

Merry Christmas everyone - hope you have all had as lovely a day as we have.........even without our much loved children xx