New Year's Eve

 Morning, everyone.  More mild, more dull . . . it looks as if it's been dry overnight but it's breezy and some of the plastic waste bags are blowing around the cul de sac.  I usually fasten mine to the waste food bin but they're not collecting that this week so I popped them beside Chris' (I asked) because it is a more sheltered corner the other side.

Well - New Year's Eve, the last day of 2021.  It's been a funny old year, hasn't it.  Plenty of ups and downs for us all, some national or even world wide and some very personal and difficult things.  I'm not going to be too reflective in here, you may be relieved to read, but being positive has sometimes been an act of will, not a natural response.

Yesterday, I got through Festive Blast OK although I did feel some twinges later on.  Nothing like before though so I'm calling that a win!  The last one is today but it clashes with the SW meeting so I can't be there, sadly.  I have enjoyed this week's exercises, even though I've had to miss two of them. 
Circuits starts again on Monday so that's very good.

Because it was fairly mild, I sorted out the last remaining 'black hole in the chest freezer - the fast freeze area.  It had been rather full because Dave and Anna had sort of borrowed the space to keep some of their super-reduced joints of meat.
However, Dave took most of it just before Christmas and it still looked puzzlingly full so I explored and, lo and behold, I found, under the bags of ice, a rolled pork joint, a gammon joint and a rolled turkey breast joint that I thought I had used up quite a while ago - obviously not.  They are now in the right bag and I'm pretty pleased as they are things I can do when I have guests.

I also updated my chest freezer audit.  It was so much easier than the last time when it was such a terrible mess; it was just a case of lifting each bag out, checking and amending the contents and then putting the bags back.  No rubbish to throw away, no 'why on earth did I freeze that' moments this time.
I didn't finish though - I have the beef and lamb bag to do and then the top three trays of the upright freezer, the one with the ready meals, etc.  I might get that done today but more likely tomorrow and ongoing as the turkey leftovers are added.

What is really helpful is that when I do get round to defrosting the freezer, apart from Dave and Anna's remaining stuff and some ice, everything is in baskets that I can just lift out.
It's supposed to be getting colder again next week - that would be an ideal time.  Then everything out there would be just as I want it to be.

I really had totally forgotten about yesterday's Twelve Days gift.  If I had remembered, I might not have bought those slipper socks last week and, actually, that would have been a pity because they are quite a different type and I can use both.  Also, of course, they will be washed regularly so it's nice to have at least one pair on, one in the wash and one in the drawer sort of thing.
Anyway, here they are - three pairs of trainer style fluffy socks with non slip pads underneath.  They're warm and comfy and safe in the kitchen and also might work well as bed socks, should we get any really cold nights.

In the evening I watched the old 'Bernstein conducts West Side Story' on YouTube.  I thought the quality would be terrible but actually, apart from that irritating lag between lips and sounds that you often get in the older clips, it was fine and I enjoyed it very much indeed.

Today, being New Year's Eve, sees Beth and Alex round again for what I have to try to remember is a New Year's Eve dinner, not a Christmas dinner.  It is, of course, that not-particularly-extra-small turkey which is sitting in the fridge waiting for action.  I'll take it out about an hour before oven time to get to room temperature and, being a Kellybronze, it isn't stuffed; I just toss an onion and some citrus in the cavity for flavour.  Pretty much everything else is ready to start cooking at the appointed time.

I'd worked out the timetable and then Beth and I agreed that we would have it an hour later so I will re-write them.  Being off work this week, Beth has stuffed a lot of extra things into her days and I think she's pretty tired.  Not a problem, we can eat at three just as easily as at two.  It just means that we may not want anything later on.  That's no problem either as I am sure Alex will take all the unused stuff home with him.

Apart from the meal, we plan to play board and card games again as we all enjoy them very much.  It should be a very pleasant time.

Well, when I next 'see' you all, it will be a new year.  What will it bring, I wonder.  What will change, what will stay the same, who will come, who will go?
Have a lovely day - are you seeing family, staying home, going out?  Whatever plans you have, be happy and be safe.  xx