Christmas Eve

My favourite day. I'm going to leave this post open and add to it as I go through the day, so scroll down on your visits to make sure that you miss nothing! Why my favourite? The anticipation, the preparation and, OK, just a little celebration ahead of the big day all go to make it feel entirely different to any other. I've got the radio on playing some seasonly appropriate music, a couple of candles are burning, the fire is on and my tea is tasting good. Things are very cosy thankyou. I'm planning to catch the 0930 Parsnip Special to Fuengirola where I'm also going to try and find a suitable little gift for Lary. I had an email from Pam yesterday, Austen is in The Dominican Republic and Aaron is probably nickin' drunk drivers!! I'm looking forward to some contact with those two tomorrow although Austen may have difficulty. And of course, you. Nice to hear that the card(s) arrived in time. Also, it's nearly a whole year since I stopped smoking. A double celebration so let's get on with it......

1345 That's it, the shopping is all done, even down to the matches needed to light the brandy to flambe the Christmas Pud. If I've forgotten anything it'll have to stay forgot! Kettle's boiling...a well earned cuppa. And while I'm drinking that I'll have a think about my menu :-

Prawn Cocktail
Langostinos & Mussels dressed in cocktail sauce served on a layered bed of Romano lettuce and fresh crabmeat and then topped with "caviar" and fresh mango.
Roasted Turkey with Sage & Onion Stuffing Balls.
Served on a Rosti Pancake with Bread Sauce and Cranberry preserve and accompanied by Bacon wrapped Chipolatas, Roast Potatoes, Honey Glazed Carrots, Roast Parsnips, Cauliflower and Asparragus
Christmas Pudding
Flambed in Brandy and served with Cream

Hmmmm....I might need to be up early!! Sounds good though. Had I known that things were going to pan out the way that they have for tomorrow I wouldn't have arranged the meal out tonight because I really don't think that I can afford the time, but, too late now.

1830 and it is time to go out. I'm popping in to see (English) Erica first in the bar that she is working in then it's on to meet up with Hilde and the rest for a Dutch Dinner. Still a lot to do here so it'll be a late night for me no doubt (including the "finish" in Ana's later) but I've scrubbed-up well as usual so I'm not going to waste the effort. See you later....

0155 I'm back indoors after a nice night out. For the others whom I was with the night continues but I have a meal to prepare tomorrow and I cannot afford to spend time celebrating tonight when, for me, tomorrow is so much more important. The dinner tonight was fabulous and Hilde has been given my full permission to congratulate the restaurant staff on their effort and a job well done on my behalf. But right now I have other things on my mind, including taking things out of the freezer to defrost etc etc ready for (what is probably) the most important meal of my life. Sounds dramatic? You bet. And I'll probably be back with a fresh post in 3 or 4 hours, this one is now closed, I'm going to bed.