Thursday 24 December 2015

Thursday

The New Born Child by Georges de la Tour
Ever since I saw this painting in a book I have loved it.  It's not a madonna and child but the girl is so young and the baby so much more new born than the usual nativity painting that it calls out to me.  I hope you like it.

Well, it's Christmas Eve.  I'm nearly ready for an influx of guests at around one o'clock.  I have things to do, of course, including cooking the ham (which didn't thaw completely yesterday) and prepping the turkey and the sprouts (because I really couldn't be bothered yesterday) but that won't take too long.  I might even get a bit of a sit down at some point.  That would be nice.

Yesterday was hectic but I made the biscotti (nice) and also some stollen which I have never made before.  I used a simple recipe and it worked out very well indeed.  The results are delicious.  I've frozen half for another time and half is well wrapped and waiting for a suitable occasion.

In the evening I got the pressies wrapped and under the tree which looks lovely.  Small piles of little parcels and, for once, I will have the same number of pressies as everyone else.  Now I'm no longer a class teacher, you see . . .    In some previous years, because of the demands of the Christmas Dinner, I have had to finish opening them much later.  Not this year though.

It's time for coffee and then the ham goes in and I shall get the turkey from the shed and do the necessary.  Fingers crossed it is not too huge . . . I still remember the time all their turkeys grew rather more than expected and instead of a 7 to 8k one, I got one that was so huge I had to cut off the legs to get it in the roasting tray.  Not being a butcher, I made a right hash of it too!  It was nice to have the extra meat though!

Have a great day and don't work too hard, OK?

2 comments:

  1. Happy Christmas Eve Joy. As I read your blog, I just muttered, "Oh buggeration!" As I remembered I didn't take the bloody ham out the freezer last night!!
    Anyway I'm up, so will do it now! The HG is making chicken liver pate today. I'm on with the mince pies I never made yesterday! First though, a brew! Storm Eva is rattling my windows and my bed is rather cosy though.....

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  2. I'm glad I mentioned it! It'll be OK to cook later today, I'm sure. Mum made the mince pies as she always does, bless her. I'm just in the middle of making the soup for today, boiling the ham and making bread - it's the lull in the middle of the storm.
    I haven't looked out yet to see if there's a real storm outside. Hopefully not and also hoping you will be safe and warm.
    I've just realised I didn't have any coffee - I boiled the kettle and put the water in the ham! Better have one, quick!
    J x

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