Christmas, New Year, 2014 and all that

I know that you have all been hugely worried as to my whereabouts over the last three weeks or so. You haven’t? Oh well… What is it about the Christmas season that, unless it’s shopping, eating or drinking, makes everything else seem largely irrelevant?

Despite the biblical ark constructing quantities of rain, Christmas and New Year passed in a whirlwind of family, partying and the consumption of miles too much of everything.

There was also a birthday to be taken into account and I was thrilled to have all my favourite folks under the same roof at the same time!

I was of course 21 again……..listen – I can keep this one up for many more years to come!!

The smallest Boy does love a hat!

TG was the maker of the rather lush Victoria sponge (my favourite) and he and the Eldest Girl had great fun decorating their Christmas cakes – there was much mess and sticky fingers but what fun!

Fast forward a day or two to Christmas Day and the saga of Paul the turkey…..

This was a beast of gargantuan proportions – 25lb to be precise and which resisted all efforts to be wedged into any oven domestic. We left him at an early hour on Christmas morning in the safe hands of the chefs at the Folly and he was more delicious than we could have wanted although he could easily have fed a small country…

We enjoyed him so much that we had a repeat performance on Boxing Day….

There were  a couple of days grace from food, drink and rain and we took Dilly and Daisy for walkies. They are the cutest doggies ever and we dragged them the best part of 8 miles through flood and mud before we all collapsed in a heap at the end!

There was also, in the ‘twixt time – panto. Despite the rather z list ‘celebs’ and a rather different take on Jack and the Beanstalk, the two eldest loved it and there was more than a stewards enquiry on the way home in the car. And so we limped on to New Year’s Eve.

We spent it, as we have done for the last goodness knows how many years with our mates at the Folly. It’s a really good evening’s entertainment and TG and I had a few turns around the dance floor just to keep up with tradition. We fell in the door at around 2 ish….

And so that was it. New Year’s Day saw us walking with friends on the seafront in Cowes followed by a spot of dinner which was lovely and a great finish to the festive season – which I must say seems to have gone on forever this year. TG and I agree that 2013 was a fun year and the first EVER in our relationship (of 18 years this year) that there was not a child living in the house. We had a great holiday or two, the holiday let was successful if hard work and we saw lots of the small people who give us great pleasure.

And so what of 2014. Well I am now officially a part timer and so my mornings will be given over to the house, the garden and the small people. In the interests of my liver and the need to shed a good stone I have given up the demon drink for January as I did last year. I managed 10lbs weight loss on the last round but I’m hoping to do a bit better this time. I am also doing it for charity – so if you would like to donate a little something then you can do so here. It’s for Cancer Research and I’m sure there aren’t many people out there who haven’t been touched by cancer in some way, shape or form. I realise that it’s January and most people (including myself) are skint, but every little helps.

And so, here we go, hurtling into another new year. Thanks to all my friends, followers on here and hangers on for an interesting blogging year. Now that I am freer, I may blog more……*collective sigh from the blogosphere*.

Have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2014 Dear Reader.

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