Festive days

 Dec 26th

Christmas was fun, Kev came to collect us on Christmas day, our dinner was a Spaghetti Bolognese! Just to clarify though, the main event would be held on Boxing Day as Colin and Iwona were having a Polish Christmas day with her family first.

Boxing Day morning Colin, Iwona, Oscar, Oliver and Toffee arrived along with Kev's mum and dad, Gunda and big Kev. With them was Harvey, a lovely Staffy rescued several years ago but now showing his age as well as the 'convenient hearing' problem. What with Christine and Kev's dog, River, still an overgrown puppy, the place was in uproar for the first 15 minutes, dogs tearing around and generally causing mayhem! Once things had quieted, it was time for presents.

A bit meagre on the present front, but most of the Grandchildrens presents had been opened the day before.

Grandson Josh in the doorway and Christine being Santa. Harvey and Toffee photo bombed the picture.

Toffee got well and truly stuck in, she adores present opening! River on the other hand waited for someone to come to her aid in opening her present!

 

Christine had dinner timed to the nearest second, she made lists, which had to be meticulously followed, and what a great job she did. Two Turkey Crowns had been purchased, OMG enough meat once Kev had carved, to feed the five thousand! They will be feasting on Turkey for some time! It was agreed between Christine and me, portion control was the way to go. Apart from the Turkey slices there was to be roast potatoes, parsnips, stuffing, pigs in blankets, sprouts, red cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower with cheese sauce and gravy. As much as we were both ridiculed by doing that, the family agreed in the end the portions were just right.

 

Adults in the dining room and the four boys in the conservatory. Shame no one thought to take a photo of the full plates.

 Games were played (as is the Jameison way), pontoon and then poker. Bed beckoned late, somehow Kev and Christine managed to squeeze 4 families and three dogs for an overnight stay in their 4-bed house, a total of 12 to find beds for. Amazing what can be achieved with organisation, and I must say, Christine and Kev had loads of that.

The morning of the 27th was clean up day, well it was for those of us that woke early!  After a sausage and bacon breakfast (also traditional) two families set off for home. Kev was to take us back to FS, but before we left, we were given some Turkey leftovers and a loaf of bread for our tea, well I suppose we did have to help them get rid of all that food.

FS was freezing on our return. The diesel heater went on, then the stove lit, and it took a good hour for FS to feel warm. Having eaten and drunk too much over the festive season, that night we had a glass of Port and settled for an early night. I'm to get used to forgoing my usual glass (or two) wine every night because in my drunken state agreed to a dry January. Apparently, I also agreed to no alcohol until the end of March. Hmmm, let me think on that, that could be one resolution I don't keep too!