Monday 16th December

As usual we don’t do things by half.  As well as deciding to go to France for Christmas and New Year we had a Christmas party today (yesterday) for the family.  A full meal for seventeen, and my Mum and Dad didn’t even come.  Amazingly we managed to seat 17 people around one table, even if we did have to buy 17 chairs from Ikea in three different visits.  Each one had to be made up and I became quite the expert chair maker at the end.  I also had to arrange for the three older grandchildren, plus Rebecca’s boyfriend to come down from Sheffield.

We have had days of planning, moving furniture, polishing the silver, setting the table, choosing the dishes, planning the menu, buying the food and today cooking it.  And it all went like clockwork.  I had had a bad night, sleeping poorly, probably nerves, but as the day progressed it got better and by the time our first guests arrived I was more relaxed.  The forerib of beef was cooked and resting, we had par-roasted the potatoes, the veg was all peeled and half-cooked.  We had a lovely meal, no accidents, and everything ready on time.

Especially the wee ones, four under five and one baby all behaved themselves and played together.  Then after dinner a walk with the dogs and most of the guests along the river.  The present exchange which was the real reason for the party, and then suddenly they were gone.   Within ten minutes everyone had gone, and only the clearing up to do.

And this is just part one of the triathlon…..