How was it for you?

Hello family, friends and followers.

Here we are heading towards a new year and a new decade. I wonder what it has in store for us all?
I know, I know I said I would see you in the New Year, but then I thought, heck I will be writing a novel to you all by then. So here I am earlier than thought.

How was it for you?
For us it was quiet for a nice change. On the run up to the big day, we had finished all our shopping on the Thursday before Christmas, which meant we had no rushing around at the last minute. It was all peace and harmony on board. Christmas Eve our neighbour bought a gift over, to say "Thank you" for looking after his lovely Spaniel. It was a nice bottle of Highland Park single malt whiskey, it just so happens to be one of our favourites. I am not one for accepting gifts for doing something which was an absolute pleasure, but it was such a lovely thing to do and we will celebrate the New Year with a tot or two. We did not do much Christmas Eve, we stayed in and watched TV and I prepared the veggies for Christmas lunch. I made a broccoli and cauliflower cheese, peeled the potatoes, carrots, parsnips and brussel sprouts. I even cooked the chicken, stripped the meat of the bones and then stewed the bones, so I could use the liquid for the gravy and for a chicken and leek soup.

Christmas Day dawned and we got up very leisurely, but with the thought that I had a list of things written down that needed to be done, in order that we would have a fabulous lunch at midday. We did not bother with breakfast, because we knew we would have a good size lunch and a pudding. Presents were opened and then I got on with boat chores, which always included doing the fire. I am the fire goddess it seems, because it is one of my many jobs. The fire get riddled, so that she (yes she) fires into life. The ash pan get emptied and then I refill the grate with fuel to make the little stove happy for a few more hours, after all she (yes she) gives us warmth, hot water and a top to cook on. Ten o'clock and I began to sort the food out to go in the oven, because we wanted to eat at noon (I know many eat later on Christmas Day). By the time we got to noon, everything was cooked to perfection, even if I do say so myself. Chicken cooked in gravy, roast spuds, roast parsnips and carrots, broccoli and cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire puds and stuffing balls. I was so chuffed with how it had all turned out. I opened a nice bottle of rose wine and we enjoyed our lunch in front of the TV, because we do not have a proper table to eat from on the saloon. Dessert was Lemon tart (no I did not make it) with Vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with chocolate.
As always once lunch was eaten, I then got on with the washing-up (I am the dishwasher). I then got a video call from my girls, who wanted me to share in something very special. Something I have not been able to do for many years and which really made my day. I got to see flowers put on my daughters grave. Having my darling girls back in my life along with their partners and our grandsons is so very special and was the best Christmas present anyone could have ever given us.The rest of Christmas day was spent vegging out in front of the TV with sweets and wine. After such a large lunch, we had Chinese nibbles for tea, I warmed up some mulled wine to finish of our wonderful day.

Boxing Day dawned, with me having had a dreadful nights sleep. I actually thought I was going to have to wake Keith up and get him to call an ambulance, because I was in so much pain. No it was not for my cooking or from eating to much, but from Liver Cysts, I am waiting for this to be confirmed by my GP in the New Year.  Not wanting to wake him, I got up had a wander around and went back to bed, where I sort of slept and tossed and turned. I will be glad when I get my scan results, so I know what is going on properly. Anyway once properly awake with a coffee in my hand, I watched the morning news before crawling out of bed to decide what to do with the day. It was a damp start, with more dampness forecast, so going for a walk was now not top of my to do list. The leftover chicken was put into a Chicken korma curry with nibbles on the side for lunch. Whilst that was cooking, we had a video call with the girls, their partners and the grandchildren. They had all spent Christmas day together, which was so wonderful. As they were off home on Boxing Day it was nice to chat to them all together and to hear all about their day. Our grandsons will be grown up all to soon and we will all treasure the little moments of when they were small and enjoyed Christmas as we had once done as children. I know for me now being a grown up Christmas does not have that sprinkle of magic. I always think these days it is for the children, who show the excitement in their eyes on Christmas morning.

December 27th and we are in that space between Christmas and New Year. So what do you do when you meet someone. Do you wish them a Merry Christmas or a Happy New Year?
Thankfully I had a better nights sleep. I think the Mulled Wine may have helped. Well it had to be finished and we were happy to oblige. It did say on the bottle that it had to be consumed within two days of being opened. Anyway after a much better nights kip, we did not wake until 8 am. I made us a morning cuppa and we sat in bed watching Match of the Day, which is a little odd, because we are not huge football fans. Cuppa enjoyed and football watched, I finally got up just before 9 am and got on with doing a laundry wash. Yes even though its the festive period, the laundry still has to be done. There is no laundry fairy who does it when we are sleeping.  We had thought of going out on the bikes, but my laptop decided that it had other plans, because the flash drive would not work, so Keith was onto the company's helpline, who were excellent at trying to help us online, but after a few hours of trying different things, including a complete reset we all admitted defeat and so the new/secondhand laptop has to go back and they will deliver a new one. Nothing ever quite goes to plan especially for us. Hey ho at least I have my old one, which yes I am writing this rambling on. Oh for Windows 7, when life was so much easier. Anyway I am supposed to get another laptop come Tuesday, so we will wait and see if that one works. To be fair the guys really did try and help us.

So followers from across the world, this is me up to date. You have probably fallen asleep over your coffee, but if you have enjoyed my rambling, please pop back again soon xx