What are you doing today?

[Ruby Slippers]

I have to confess that ours is just a turkey crown, because there is only the two of us tomorrow. But Boxing Day will be hectic! The 'herd' descend on us, so I do a running buffet type lunch, with cold turkey, ham, roast beef, sausage rolls, prawns, cheeses, salads - including Cole slaw and potato salad, mince pies, trifle, cheesecake and chocolate gateau. I will also be cooking bread rolls and spring rolls to order. The spring rolls go down well with my eldest son especially if accompanied by sweet chilli dipping sauce. The children love hot bread rolls. I try hard to cater to everyone by including something that I know is a favourite for them. I get to eat on Wednesday!

[LovelyLadyLux]

WOW RS - I'm coming to your house to eat!!

Late this afternoon the daughter, sil, grandkids come for supper along with all their various food allergies soooooo turkey, gravy, cranberries (out of a tin), mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and that is that. Nothing fancy at all but will be our meal and she will bring desert which is a type of sugar cookie they like and can eat. Their food allergies are getting better as they get older but she really has to watch this time of year all that they are eating so that nothing really flares up.

I'm not really venturing out as I can imagine the stores will give new meaning to the word hectic today. Am also not too sure if coffee shops will actually be open beyond noonish either.

Watching morning TV right now and watching a show about misbehaving animals.

[Grandad]

Watching Santa's progress on Norad. Just left Abu Dhabi, I know Louis is following him after ice skating this pm. We don't have any prep like you others. No turkey tomorrow, French style lunch, 4 or 5 courses with beef Wellington for the main.
A question from the unexperienced, how do you serve turkey which was cooked the day before?

[LovelyLadyLux]

Good to know Santa is en route. Am sure the twins + sister are just hyped beyond all that is reasonable by now and expecting them to be totally bouncing by the time they get here soooo I have 1 encyclopedia for Gavin (Science History of the World - woo hoo) which should slow him for a bit plus for Carson his choice of one of 6 other chapter books I've picked up via the Hospital Thrift Store (which sell really good kids books for .50 cents). They' both love to read so although hyped will slow for a bit to read a bit.

Aislyn is essentially back to being deaf. She is totally clogged, not hearing much so has a couple of books too but she isn't nearly as excited about getting a book as she is in playing with Barbie + Barbie car. The boys thrive on new and different whilst she is very happy going back to same old same old.

As for serving pre-cooked turkey - in this house it'll come out of the fridge on a plate and I'll ask - 'want to zap it?' (as in microwave for 30 seconds to warm it up. That is how I serve leftovers BUT you also have to know that nothing here is very formal or sophisticated. It is very informal where all the food is essentially put onto the counter and you line up with your plate in hand take what you want and then sit and chow down.

Not too sure when Santa will be cruising over the Island but am sure at some point tonight. We're predicted to get snow flurries and, am keeping my fingers crossed that when I wake up tomorrow morning I won't have to shovel to get out to get to the daughters house in the morning with the prezzies I have for the crew.

[Ruby Slippers]

I was wondering how Horus and Kiya were going to serve their turkey if it's cooked before Christmas Day - although I think Kiya said hers would be in overnight?

[Horus]

Easy, it is just sliced as a cold joint, as LLL says if anyone wants it warm then just zapp the plate in the microwave prior too loading it up with veg. To be honest in our family the turkey is always served cold as once it is on the plate with veg and gravy it soon reaches a warm temperature, I never even think of trying to serve it hot, I can't see the point myself.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Am sitting now and waiting for the arrival of the crew. I'm cooking a 10 pound turkey this year and it is timed for 4pm to be done as we're eating at 5pm HOWEVER it has now started to snow fairly heavy so am sure we'll be eating earlier than anticipated so everybody can get home on decent roads so the turkey will probably still be warm tonight when it is eaten.

On another note Environment Canada is warning that we're due to get 7" of snow tonight and it has started now. Given it is Christmas might mean NO roads get ploughed so might not be venturing over tomorrow to the daughters if I can't get out and down the road.

[Ruby Slippers]

The best laid plans etc. LLL! I think mine for tomorrow (Boxing Day) are just vanishing into dust too! I've been up most of the night listening to DH coughing! I certainly don't want the kids catching it, so it looks as though we will be out of bounds until he's better!

[LovelyLadyLux]

Today, the day after Boxing Day and the day after after Christmas (OK I know it isn't grammatically correct ) we're essentially almost saving for New Years back to normal.

I brought in the outside Christmas blow ups this morning so as to dry them prior to packing them away given we've got snow predicted for the next few days.

Will leave the Christmas tree up until this weekend but it will be down by this weekend.

Starting to snow out there so not too sure what all else I'm going to do.

I started to knit with a jumbo size ball of thick wool another winter wooly hat last night. Six rows of moss (or seed) stitch to make a brim or rim then just garter stitch (the one row knit and the next row purl) 'til I get to about 12 - 14" (or run out of wool whatever is next). I'll then cast off and stitch up the back. It'll make 'sort of' a hood design. I don't have a pattern (wish I did) so am just sort of designing as I go. I can knit a wool cap in my sleep and have lost count of how many hundreds I've knit.

[Ruby Slippers]

After trying twice today to get an appointment to see a doctor because I'm having trouble breathing, I've given up! I'm just hoping that the person who passed the virus to DH and thence to me had a really foul Christmas - because we have!!

[Horus]

There does seem to be a lot of it going around RS, I was speaking to my best mate earlier today and he said his wife was in bed with it, laid low all over Christmas and my niece also has been ill all over the holiday week, so there is lots of it going around. The common denominator seems to be young children as in both cases they have been in close contact with them, have either of you had the flue jab by the way?

[LovelyLadyLux]

WOW RS hope you're not getting something really nasty. LOTS of bugs out there and I've taken to avoiding, as much as possible, getting close to anybody.

The granddaughter is scheduled for surgery January 4th and she has been off and on not feeling overly well so much of the focus has been getting and keep her healthy so the surgery will go forward as overall it will help her decongest and hear again.

The dentist office called me today as they got my moaning groaning message that I needed an app't cause I broke a tooth so will be seen Jan 3rd in the morning to get my tooth fixed. Was out and down to the coffee shop in the grocery store but that was about the highlight of the day. Spent a bit of time this afternoon talking to the daughter re: Amazon Prime and reading about the Canadian version on the web but other than that haven't arrived at any conclusion about it yet.

[Ruby Slippers]

No, Horus, I choose not to have the flu jab after coming down with pneumonia after the last one, and DH has never had one. If anyone has a remedy for a dry hacking cough, I'd.be grateful to hear it.

[Ruby Slippers]

Finally managed to get an appointment for 11.30am this morning. I'm really glad because I feel so bad now. Let you know later what happens.

[Mad Dilys]

We had a lovely quiet Christmas, just my eldest daughter and grandson. We made the most of being together - I haven't seen them for nearly 8 months.

I'm glad that they also caught up with old friends and went to the cinema - the highlight of the holiday for my grandson who doesn't get the opportunity in Ibiza.

The bug hit us on the day before Christmas Eve, Grandson first, my daughter Christmas day and me Boxing day.

My cough got into gear yesterday, it's not like a cold with running nose, it's a high temperature painful throat and cough job.

I've been jabbed, as usual because my doctor insists, but I still get influenza every year, and sometimes pneumonia as a bonus.

Influenza is not the problem I think - it's the secondary infections. In the summer I had two successive courses of anti-biotic to get rid of a persistent lung infection. Never mind, still here to appreciate my loved ones and my plants.

[Horus]

You two have really been in the wars over Christmas, here's hopping you are both soon on the mend

[Grandad]

If anyone has a remedy for a dry hacking cough, I'd.be grateful to hear it.

I always suck Lockets, the original honey and lemon one. I always find that they help.

[Ruby Slippers]

You're speaking to the converted on the Lockets, Grandad! I've always got some beside me, but they haven't helped this time. Back on a course of antibiotics for a chest infection, so the only way from here is up, hopefully.

[Horus]

Just back from a nice walk with my son and his two doggies, called in the pub for lunch and a pint then walked back through the fields to my car. Annie looked like a Warthog who had been wallowing in the mud so she got a pre-wash under the churchyard's outside tap. Just finished giving her a proper legs and belly wash with shampoo over a bowl in the drive, so all in all we have been on the go for 4 hours, so I am now sitting with a cup of coffee and a shortbread biscuit catching up on things.

I got to test out my 4 wheel drive going out as it had snowed again during the night and I deliberately left the snow on the drive which slopes up quite steeply. Flicked the 4x4 lock button and reversed out, it did slip and slide a bit sideways before getting enough grip to drive out onto the road, all my other cars either front or rear wheel drives would have just started to slip halfway up, so a result. Mind you no amount of 4 wheel drive will stop you sliding on packed ice, as I stopped at the T junction and had to apply a touch of brake I slide sideways into the kerb only stopping as the tyre walls hit side on and I was barely moving, luckily the main roads were OK.

[Ruby Slippers]

I hate any of my family driving in ice, fog and snow, Horus! But there's no option if it comes as part of the job, is there?