Vocal Voices

We had planned a day at Steve and Jacqui, but given that he had a fall, and possibly a mini stroke, that has now been cancelled.

So I'm doing chicken breasts wrapped in presunto, stuffed with cheese, garlic and salami, hasslebak potatoes, garlic mushrooms and veg.

We have also just been invited down to David and Rita's (our lovely Canadian/Portuguese neighbours) for dinner and drinks on Christmas Eve.

After a rather unpleasant couple of weeks, what with hospitals and bad news, it will be lovely to be spoilt

Groundhog Day here Jan. It’s the same every year. I’d love to go away for Christmas.

Someone will collect my Dad*, he’ll have his dinner and ask where the sprouts were from, then ask where the turkey was from and then say (and this has become a saying in our house when something’s cheap**) “it’s alright though isn’t it!”
Then we’ll have to find him something to watch on TV, usually Dad’s Army which none of us can stand apart from him. He’ll then ignore us, apart from to talk about his health.

*He only told me on Friday that he was definitely coming even though Joe asked him weeks ago. John thinks he was holding out for a better offer from my sister. I told him he’d have a long wait if that was the case, she’s had her own home since 1985 and not once in nearly 40 years has she invited anyone to Christmas dinner.

**Not saying the turkey’s cheap, it’s from Tesco but if it’s not from M&S it’s apparantly cheap. (Which reminds me of another saying in our house which also comes from something my parents always said - “it’s from Marks’s, it’s a good one”).

Btw I much prefer the sound of your dinner.

Forgot to add, Tom’s staying here from Christmas Eve. The four of us usually go to the hotel bar down the lane on Christmas Eve night.
Joe’s going to Jade’s at teatime on Christmas Day, they’re going to her aunty’s house. Odd time for her family this year as her parents split up earlier this year. Not sure when Joe’s back

Our Christmas started with Hannah and the girls last night. The two little ones had a Christmas party yesterday so they didn't arrive here until 9pm and were so tired they went straight to bed. I expected them to be up at the crack of dawn, but they slept in till 8.30 this morning.........much to our relief By the time we'd all had brekkie and Hannah had been for a 5 mile run we didn't get out much before 12 noon. Our local garden centre have an ice rink this year so we took them over there for a session, they loved it. Afterwards we walked down to the harbour and had a late lunch at The Royal Pavilion, a good plan as it was quite busy and if we'd arrived any earlier we wouldn't have got a table. Came back here on the bus and they are now on their way home. Altogether a lovely visit.

Tomorrow it's Zoe, Mark and the boys, I've booked San Clue for lunch, really looking forward to seeing them.

Christmas Day I'll do roast turkey with all the usual trimmings, Boxing Day it's the left over turkey, bubble and squeak plus pickles. It's just the two of us, but tbh after the excitement this weekend that suits us.

Jan your Xmas dinner and day sounds brilliant relax and
enjoy it sorry About steve tho what a nightmare jo I would hate to but then again your dad might not realise but I bet he does next year go away and just bite the bullet tell yourself this is not happen again
In going in my neighbours for Xmas dinner this year usually they bring me a dinner but I won't stay after dinner because they have a new toddler grandson plus a 6years old grandson and a very bouncy dog chaos Scarlett and co coming boxing day to a buffet and if brought her a music thing with a microphone chaos for me Jen loved your photos on fb brilliant xx

Well, as usual I'll be cooking the Christmas turkey - at least this year we get to eat it in our new dining room It will be me, Mick, Becky, Chris and Doreen. On the Sunday between Christmas and New Year my in-laws J and J are up, so we're hosting. My niece Hannah, her husband Armand and their dog Lilah are coming for an overnight either on NYE or NYD, and my sis and BiL are coming for the first weekend in January. Phew!!

Oh and B is off to her dad's on the 27th, taking Daisy with her, and we're going to pick her up and see H at the same time, on the 30th. We're also going out for a meal with Em and Dave at some.point, to be arranged.

It'll just be the two of us (Master O and OH visited us for a short stay and present exchange a couple of weeks ago) and we have no particular plans for Christmas Day other than watching The King, Wallace and Grommitt, and the Downton Abbey movie. Might have a walk out if the weather's mild.

We'll cook a traditional Christmas meal with all the usual trimmings - including real Bisto Chicken Gravy (not Aldi's knock-off version), honey-roasted parsnips and button sprouts from Iceland and Auntie Betty's roasties. I think Mrs O has stashed away a small bottle of Prosecco somewhere ......

Saundra, are you hosting a karaoke party or something?

My goodness Kaz I would go dizzy with all those guests and stuff I remember times like that years ago tho

I feel dizzy already!

Tomorrow, Christmas Eve, we’ll go into town to get the atmosphere and see the lights. We usually try to have lunch in Brown Thomas (Dublin’s Harrods) and quite often bump into Miss Osc and Co in the Grafton Street area. On Christmas Day we are going to Miss Osc’s for dinner mid-afternoon. She would quite like to have the day with just the four of them, but the children insist on having us. No other plans for the rest of the week.