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?