At last a day of action. Keith, Lachlan and Lyra went off to collect the turkey, a feat which involves lunch out at the Anglers Arms, and mum and I were left to crack on. We had been invited to the neighbours’ for a Christmas snifter but I was still hacking and coughing and was rather loath to infect anyone so instead we high tailed off to the green grocers that operates out of the local garden centre (fab produce) in search of herbs and mangoes. Keith had announced yesterday that he’d do the butcher’s run and the veg run on Monday but it struck me in the grey hours that this would leave me with nothing to work with in cooking terms till well into Monday afternoon. That was never going to work. A Kelso trip also afforded an opportunity to score more tinsel to improve the hall tree …Anyway, some inching forward to report:
- Christmas jumpers knitted – grinding inexorably forward…Have broken the news of her “Birthday Jumper” to mum.
- cards remembered that were omitted from the written pile -still outstanding, but I have now bought more cards as the ones I found earlier have no envelopes. Where do the envelopes go??
- Presents – Wrapping substantially completed. A few still to go. Might have to be in old newspaper as the fancy wrap is running low. Will pass this off as avant garde…Several parcels seem to have now arrived at their destination so that’s a relief. Still quite a few MIA.
- bulbs planted – still none. Mum yet to be deployed – it seemed mean today when she was already lugging crates of bottles to the bottle bank for me.
- Christmas trees decorated – two. One was looking both three sheets to the wind and scrawny after yesterday’s communal efforts so I sourced extra tinsel and I grovelled underneath to straighten it up this afternoon. I then found myself completely stuck and had to get my mum to haul me up. It was a tragic scene….
- pilates exercises completed – none – instead I am sporting an over all sheen of voltarol. All my muscles hurt like blazes. Coughing is pretty athletic dontcher know…
- Other Decorations – have been considered. I’ll leave it at that…
- Catering efforts – some early prep finally done. There’s a big bowl of garlic and herb butter and some dessert components awaiting further efforts in the fridge and a large pan of ham stock festering in the oven
Having brought back the turkey in hunter gatherer fashion, the desire to go for veg tomorrow has deserted Keith – a supermarket trip is beyond the pale apparently. Mum and I have resolved to see what can be foraged from the farm shop and co-op between walking the dog and collecting her prescription. Keith has been advised in no uncertain terms that he is team digging up beetroot (I have two sides of salmon coming tomorrow to make beetroot gravadlax and as I type these words the sinking sensation that I have nowhere near enough salt has struck. Some poor schmo (to wit, my good self) is going to have to go and find some…………). It’ll all be fine
Quiz questions below as always.
Question 22: What treat is gifted in Germany at Christmas the form of tiny loaves, lucky pigs and small potatoes ?
| 18. How many gold medals did the Uk win at the Paris Olympics | 65 |
| 19 What did the Graeae, sometimes called the Grey Sisters, (Deino, Enyo and Pemphredo) share? | One eye and one tooth between the three of them |
| 20 What (ghastly) beverage is made of the pictured flower (see below – I can’t fit it in here for some reason) | Camp Coffee |
| 21 Krampus, La Befana, kallikátzaroi, Jolaköttur the Yule cat – which do you welcome at Christmas? | La Befana the witch brings gifts in Italy. Avoid the others – Krampus kidnaps naughty German children, the kallikátzaroi pixies bring chaos in Greece and are kept away by keeping a fire going and the yule cat from Iceland eats anyone without new clothes at Christmas |
