Merry Christmas

[Lizard]

Jeebus. Try getting a kid’s bike out of the garage attic after a couple of pints, a bottle or two of Pinot Gris and an espresso martini.

[Stom]

Merry Christmas. We’re on our own this year, so I’ll have to bring in the tree on my own in about half an hour...

It’s heavy as fook.

[Puja]

Merry Christmas. We’re on our own this year, so I’ll have to bring in the tree on my own in about half an hour...

It’s heavy as fook.

The trick is to dig it up first.

I have a silver lining of the pandemic, which is that, for the first time in a decade, we don't have to plan around leaving for inlaws early on Boxing Day morning. We don't have to clear the fridge by close of play Christmas Day - we can have leftovers and eat what the hell we like!

I may have gone somewhat overboard with this concept though. There is literally no more room in our fridge.

Puja

[Digby]

I brought a tree in from the garden this year, and it all went very smoothly. Other than if you can't get the tree in through the door and take thus take the door off the hinges to make some extra space and leave said door leant against a wall where it falls over and lands atop a small step ladder which as it turns out is very badly placed resulting in the step ladder appearing both sides of the glass pane (the door being mostly a glass pane) then there will be comments, both about the cost of a new door and that you've sent shards of glass everywhere.

And at the end of all that it was decided the tree from the garden wasn't what was wanted and we ordered one from a garden centre anyway. That tree was netted and thus very easy to bring in.

[Lizard]

I know lockdown at Xmas must be hard, but it’s 6.50am here and there are 4 children marching around my house chanting “Reindeer food! Reindeer food! Reindeer food!”

[Mellsblue]

I’m happy for a Xmas lockdown for the reasons Puja outlines. I was lamenting the fact that the five day window bracketed by restrictions was the mirror image of how I would like to run my social life.
As is Nigella (but, sadly, without Nigella), I will not be eating turkey, the pauper of meats, tomorrow so to reflect the fact it’s not a normal Xmas but, instead, will be eating the king of meats: beef.
One tradition I will stick to, come hell or high R number, is shutting myself in the kitchen with a bottle of port whilst I prepare Xmas lunch.

[morepork]

Xmas eve for me and the wife. Drunken calls to family in Italy, NZ, and Oz. Tomorrow we crank up the fire to apocalypse, cook whole fish, fregola con vongole, eat that then eat the killer edibles made last night and make a fire outside and laugh it out till we pass out. I am fucking jonesing for home, but I'm content.

Big aroha to all yoose weirdos.

[morepork]

...oh yeah, spent 4 hours volunteering for the start of mass vaccinations at work for local front line health care workers. I am now an expert on -70 freezers. Same on Boxing day.


Fuck you 2020.

[Mellsblue]

...oh yeah, spent 4 hours volunteering for the start of mass vaccinations at work for local front line health care workers. I am now an expert on -70 freezers. Same on Boxing day.


Fuck you 2020.

Kudos, mp. Kudos.

[Stom]

Christmas Eve done. Kids finally in bed but still not bloody sleeping...It's midnight...

Tree was too heavy for me alone. And it hadn't been cut to fit the base... So out came my crappy hacksaw and axe, and ouch went my finger (not too bad, just ouch). Tree leant, tree fell over, luckily only created mess and a bent base...

Propped it up with some wood but damn, that took a long time, and collected the kids from the missus and sent her home to decorate.

Her cooking day, so french onion soup and duck a l'orange. Bloody beautiful. Cracked open the champagne with the tree, followed by a nice Malbec with the duck. Kids played way too much. My cooking day tomorrow and we're unsure if we have guests. Got another relative (well, kinda, my brother-in-law's dad) in hospital with Covid, while my brother-in-law isn't too great himself...

But the turkey is 7 bloody kilos, so if we're alone, we're going to be so fat.

Breakfast, as always, is scrambled eggs and smoked salmon with bucks fizz.

Starter is home-made duck liver pate with home-made red onion marmalade and home-made brioche.

Then turkey and all the trimmings, and Christmas Pud, and I'm the only one who likes it, so it's all mine, all mine, mwahahah!

Then cheese and port and food coma in front of the new projector. Family calls to bookend the day at 9:30 and 10, let's see if the kids are asleep by then...

Sounds quiet upstairs now, maybe they're down. I'm putting off the kitchen, lol.

[Galfon]

Breakfast with frost - unusual, but adds a bit.
The mountain of food and drink surpasses that of the presents more so every year it seems.We'll find a way..
Happy xmas.

[Sandydragon]

Merry Christmas everyone.

One very happy little boy this morning so despite all the weirdness this year, it feels like a success.

[Lizard]

Boxing Day. Rellies all departed. Bit of tidying up to do, hit the Boxing Day sales for some ocean kit (SUP for Mrs, wetsuit and a new board & fins for me), then off the beach house. Will be at the cricket test tomorrow or the next day (or maybe both).

Nice.