Our Second Merry Christmas

It was Christmas Day today - our second one - this time with my sister, last time was when John's Mum was here - I can't believe that was nearly 3 months ago!  Our third Christmas Day will be Sunday week when we have been invited to join Lilian and her friends Ginge and Sally along with my mum.  Our final Christmas Day will be on Christmas Day proper but we are limiting the gifts to one each - value no more than 5 euros.

Today started at the Cemetery.  John and I walked down and we met mum and Kaye.  Kaye had brought a poinsettia to go on the grave and we all paid our respects to Dad.  John and I will do the same on Christmas Day proper.  Dad always liked to go for a little festive drink in the hotel before tackling Christmas lunch.

It was a lovely day.  We had hoped it would be fine and dry, Kaye is keen to sit outside and enjoy some sunshine before she returns to the UK where it is about to be hit by some really awful weather.  Mum will moan - she is always cold but we did warn her.

John walked on down to the hotel whilst Kaye drove mum and I - the hotel didn't look to be overly busy which was good - it meant there would be no riotous children for mum to have a moan at.

Kaye and I opted for a Virgin Mojito, John had a pint and Mum a cup of tea.  We sat out and chatted until it became obvious that it was all getting too much for mum and then we paid up and went inside to recreate the photograph that we had taken last year of me, mum and Kaye.

Here we are at the fireplace.  It wasn't lit today and there were different decorations than in previous years so John had an issue trying to get a photograph where we didn't look like we had an elf sprouting out of our head.

Bloody hell I hate a photograph of me - I look like the backend of a house in this photograph.  I said to John I am going to have to go on a diet or get rid of a load of clothes because I am struggling to find things to fit that I am happy with.  I blame the drugs I am on - all of them seem to say that weight gain is a side effect - that and the lack of exercise I have had recently.

We set off home - I had managed to put the fires on from the Hotel.  The sun had warmed the conservatory to a decent temperature but our lounge/dining area is always several degrees cooler.

We decided to have a present before starter - I had made home made tomato soup.  Then a few presents before the main meal and then the remainder.

So here we are tackling the first round of presents.  Mum went first as the eldest, followed by John as the youngest then Kaye then me.  Family tradition for Kaye's family - one which we are happy to embrace.  Gifts seemed to be going down very well which was good.  John was ecstatic to get a phone holder for his bike - he is easily pleased.

Even if I do say so myself my lunch was an absolute triumph.  Dad would have said that my cauli and carrots needed extra cooking but he liked his put on in October!  The turkey was moist and lovely and I am not always keen on turkey.  Mum ate a huge meal for her and we have four empty plates at the end.

We finished the afternoon off with the Present Game - prizes were a Christmas Gonk courtesy of Jumbos - no expense spared in this household!