Categories: uncategorized
Date: 28 December 2006 17:14:38
The run up to Christmas was the usual last minute dash. On Saturday, it occurred to me that we didn't have a Christmas tree, so I went in to town looking for one. The only ones available were great 6' or 7' trees - much too big for our tiny living room. Eventually, I saw one in the window of one of the cheapo "discount" stores that was about the right size. It was the last one they had and it didn't have a box, so the man in the shop let me have the lights and the tinsel for nothing. (Sorry, Auntie Doris, but I quite like tinsel).
Christmas Eve saw the first of what seemed to be many visits to church, (After one service, the vicar remarked "Gosh, you're even more of a regular here than I am!") for the Mass for the 4th Sunday of Advent, then another frantic last minute dash around the shops to pick up any stuff that we'd forgotten the previous day, then in the evening, off to Midnight Mass and on my return home after that, I had my first Gin of Christmas. I had my second Gin of Christmas too and would have had a third had it not been for the fact that I had to be up early on Christmas Morning.
The early start was interesting. I had decided to do cooking type things, such as making the stuffing, preparing the soup and stuffing the goose before showering etc as |I didn't qwant to turn up at church smelling of onions. I won't go into that now as The Beloved has already given a pretty accurate description of what happened. Anyway, the goose was stuffed and put in the oven and the soup put in the slow cooker and we set off for church.
Now, this was interesting. At our last church, Midnight Mass would attract a congregation of about 40-50 and at the Christmas morning Mass, the church would be packed to bursting. At the new place, it was the other way round. At Midnight, it was standing room only, but on Christmas morning, there were only around 50 of us. Even the choir was only half its usual size. It may have something to do with the different social demographic of the 2 congregations. At the last place, there wasn't a lot of money in the congregation and not many people owned cars, so wouldn't be happy walking around the streets of South London that late at night.
After Mass, we returned home to the very welcome aroma of Roast Goose and Leek & Potato Soup. The Christmas Tree lights failed to work. An hour or so (and a couple of drinks) later, we sat down to eat.
This was the frirst time I had ever eaten Goose, let alone cooked it. Very nice it was too! There was plenty left over for lunch on Boxing Day too along with the home made Honey Roast Ham (if "home made" is the right term). Not much else happened on Boxing Day that The Beloved hasn't already mentioned in her blog.
Wednesady was our Patronal Festival and I found myself at Church again. (The Beloved wasn't with me, as she had to work. HA HA). Actually, I have to work tomorrow (Friday) but I wish somebody had told the office that. They've been ringing my mobile all day trying to pass jobs on to me. After the first couple of occasions when I explained that I'm not working today, I just ignored it when it rang. I'll probably have loads of voicemail messages when I return to work tomorrow, but I'll probably ignore them too.
I've rebooked my ADI Theory exam. I do it again Friday next week.