at the end of the year....well, nearly!

We've been a little lax recently with this blog...well, a lot actually. I've been meaning to make a start, but there's been things going on, and it's only now (as we slow down from work) that I've found time. I know that everyone will be saying "but the days are soooo short, surely there's time during the long dark evenings?"...and our reader would be quite right....but it just hasn't happened. Anyway....

That first paragraph was written yesterday, and now it's Christmas Eve afternoon....24 hours later. In an attempt to remind myself where we all were blogwise, I found myself (yesterday) rereading previous posts...that was a mistake (of sorts) as I went further and further back...I think I must have gone from June right up to September 17th. It was good (and not so good) to remind myself of "stuff". However, I got in a bit of a state really....and consequently wasn't up to much posting afterwards.

However, I'm back on track now....two dog walks today....visits from the St Ouen clan.... and finally getting to meet our turkey....it's a long story....I'll try to be brief. I said (some time ago) that we would do a turkey crown again this year. Dan said "no, I've got a "deal" going with work...I'll get the turkey". He wasn't taking no for an answer...so he ordered said turkey. How heavy was it? He didn't know. When was it arriving? He didn't know. Did he have any details? None at all.

So the turkey finally turned up this afternoon...18 pounds...fresh...with gibblettythings. I think it will fit in the Aga....just. I reckon 4 hours? I'll chuck it in at 8 and see what happens.... I mean how much of a disaster can it be? We've got spuds, carrots, and parsnips prepeeled, rechopped and vacuum packed from our special shop....we've got frozen peas...fresh leeks....Stephe's made some stuffing....surely it's all under control? I mean, we've gt all the food....we just need to warm it up?!

Bex has made a Christmas cake....she's been icing it and making some marzipan decorations this afternoon. They take 24 hours to "set".....I had no idea marzipan had to "set"...I've been eating big chunks of it as she's been cutting out christmas tree shapes. We also have oodles of other super-fattening presents to eat....I can't see us going hungry.

Thomas has also been "cooking" this afternoon...baking actually. He's got lots of "new bits" for his Land Rover. Some of them have been painted....but because it's high temperature paint it needs to spend some time in the oven to cure after painting. The bits will be done in half an hour....

Pops has finally moved. He's been with us up here over a week already. It's all good....there's still some bits and pieces left at Holmchase, but to all intents and purposes we are all done down there. 

I've had my birthday since the last post....apparently it was quite an important one....but I wasn't up for doing anything. Well, it turned out that I got taken out for lunch...then taken out for an afternoon coffee....and then got "dragged" out to the pub for a quiet half (well okay, it wasn't just a half) in the evening. It was all good, and I saw some friends I hadn't spoken to for quite some time.

The real reason that I wanted to send out a post today was just to wish everyone a very peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year (if we don't get to post again before 2019). It's been a real roller coaster....absolute extremes....light and dark....black and white. One thing has been clear to us all though is that we are so very lucky to have such wonderful family and friends. We wouldn't have coped with things as we did without you all. Without all the support we've received we would be in a real muddle....and the last few months (indeed years) would have been very different. I just want to say, very very inadequately, a most enormous "Thank You" to everyone.

I've made a conscious decision to turn over the proverbial new leaf after next week. 2019 will be a difficult year....reminders of things that we did with Jill will appear everywhere....but we will be thankful for those good times, and move on to make some more new good times.

Once again, from all us Luces to all you readers......our sincere thanks.