Today is Boxing Day! Boxing Day is a centuries old holiday going back to the early Middle Ages when servants had to work over Christmas but were given the next day off plus a box of goodies from their master,hence the name. It was also the day that alms were distributed to the poor. Also known as the Feast of St Stephen (remember Good King Wenceleslas?). That carol is always associated with snowy weather but today it is a lovely crisp sunny day. A good day for a walk on the beach! After the exertions of yesterday we (Martin, I and Mum) are going over to my sisters for lunch. There will be eight of us as the niece and nephews are all home and a good time will be had by all. My sister is a fantastic cook and she does this Christmas thing so well with all the decorations and the tree etc. So I'm really looking forward to a very relaxing afternoon.
Yesterday was quiet. The meal went very well with everything being cooked and ready on time. I don't do the traditional turkey dinner. We had a chicken,leek and cheese pie with roast potatoes, bread sauce, roast parsnips, the ubiquitous sprouts, carrots, brocolli and gravy. Followed by Christmas pudding and cream or creme anglais, plus trifle. And then cheese and biscuits with coffee. I was stuffed as we don't normally eat on this scale. And then during the present giving we were snacking on chocolates and fruit cake. I'm amazed I can still get into my jeans!
Everyone was so generous. My booty was considerable! Martin gave me an MP3 player which for a while almost had me laid out as the instruction booklet was totally useless. No pictures and no clear step by step instructions. However between us we eventually worked out how to use it and I am wearing it now and listening to my favourite tracks. Also loads of quilty things and drawing stuff! Plus perfume and smellies, and joy of joys for Martin and me both, a superb knife set! Martin suggested going down to Swanpool beach, tying me to a wooden door and he'd practise his knife throwing. He even suggested making money out of it by offering me up to passers by at £5 a throw! Nah, I didn't think this was quite the way I wanted to spend my Christmas so declined gracefully! But he can use them in the kitchen; I won't stop him from chopping meat and veg! Grin.
I have to go and change as we'll be leaving soon. Depending on what time we get back I might post some more photos later of the dinner.
Lucky you! Barnabas had an MP3 player too and I spent quite a long time trying to figure out how to get the Itunes songs he had bought on to it (it's not an Ipod and it's quite a palaver getting them into mp3 format! We'll know for future reference!).
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