Christmas catch up!

 Hello Blog buddies! 

I hope this post finds you well rested and bushy-tailed.

I've very much enjoyed my holidays and whilst I'm sad to be going back to school, the sense of doom isn't as pertinent as it usually is, not sure why.

I've somehow managed to largely avoid blogging which is sad in some senses though I have been busy with other things.

I thought I'd write about what I've been up to since the end of school.

Friday 19th:

After school, CBC and I attended his Arts faculty's Christmas party at someone's house. This was fun. I wore a black velvet dress with a white snowflake collar from Hellbunny which I picked up in the charity shop in 2019. It was a nice party with some delicious food. CBC made a Dauphinoise potato dish for it (this is one of many this holiday!), the 2nd he'd made this week!

Saturday 20th:

After a lateish start with some housework being done and a brief trip into town, CBC headed off to meet his old work colleague for late lunch and I prepared to go to church in the next town for our Carols on the Green.  I really didn't want to cycle as there's a really steep hill up to it and I knew I'd be really sweaty and I was going dressed up for both warmth for the outside carols as well as heading into London later.  I left later than was ideal for walking there and was going to be late. I couldn't seem to find anyone on the church Whatsapp who was going that way so I walked.  I was going to take a field shortcut but it was a bog so had to walk the main road instead.  As I reached a certain junction where I would be taking a back road and was going to be late, I saw a van stop at the junction and decided to see if I could hitch a lift!  Luckily, this driver was kind enough to allow me to hop in and he dropped me near to the green. The carols were really lovely. I played my flute and there was a really big crowd. The weather was kind to us this year- mild and not rainy- unlike last year! At the end, I scarpered fairly quickly to reach the nearest station to take a train into London.  I exited at Tower Hill and walked across a heaving Tower Bridge to meet CBC at the Bridge Theatre where we were going to watch the highly acclaimed new production of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. The show was superb with a excellent cast and mesmerising scenery.  Our interval snacks were the slightly unconventional Cinnamon Bun and Sourdough bread! The walk to Fenchurch Street was quick with a weird need to change trains at an intermediate station!

Sunday 21st:

The next morning, I headed to church to play my flute and enjoy the last service of Advent and then onto the sister church for the nativity service which was chaotic but fun! I filled up my toilet cleaner bottles from the church's refill station whilst I was there.  I cycled home and then CBC and I headed into town to buy some presents and then ended up booking at table for the final day of service at Prairie- the vegan Barbecue restaurant. We were their final ever table booking and enjoyed an amazing lot of Vegan food!

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Monday 22nd:

I headed into Southend-on-Sea on the train to meet my friend Margaret.  We had a delightful walk along the seafront to Leigh-on-Sea, stopping briefly in their Refill room for a coffee and then walked back to Southend. We hoped to have lunch in Sababa, amazing Veggie falalel restaurant but it was closed for Christmas so we headed to Utopia Lounge for milkshakes and sandwiches.  It was getting late by then so I walked back to the station to get home. CBC was cross with me as he was waiting for me to be home earlier and consequently hadn't done anything. I helped him wrap and post Christmas parcels last minute  We ate some dinner and the kettle caused a power trip!

Tuesday 23rd:

After a delicious fried breakfast, we spent the morning cleaning and tidying and then CBC and I went to go and buy a new kettle after last night. Soup and some packing in the evening.

Wednesday 24th:

Sorted the house, packed and then recorded our Christmas musical video to send to family and friends- O Holy Night with C on cello and me on piano and then Deck the Hall with me on flute and him on Harpsichord!  We then drove to my Dad's house in Kent to spend Christmas with him, my Stepmum and little sister.  We arrived in time for a delicious Lasagne! The perfect dinner!

Thursday 25th:

Christmas day was spent with scrambled eggs on muffins for breakfast and then shared presents. I was SO happy that CBC loved his Blackwatch tartan suit that I bought him on Vinted to match the trousers he loved and already had. It came with blazer, waistcoat AND trousers-I only bought it for the jacket as he'd said he wanted a tartan jacket as a throwaway comment a month ago and I tried to find the same ones as the trousers he had.  Luckily enough, the additional trousers were a better fit than the ones he already had so that was a bonus! The whole suit only cost me about £25! I also bought him coffee beans, a Ted Baker shirt (charity shop) and a book he had liked from an indy bookshop.  

My family liked their presents. I'd bought them things they'd wanted but also some extra bits. My dad was especially pleased with pickled slaw in a glass jar I'd picked up! I was pleased with the hardback books I'd bought them. The Jackfruit chronicles which was biography and recipes from a Bangladeshi woman for my stepmum, The History of the Apple for my dad and a children's poetry book for my sister.  They bought me some treats and my sister bought me a cute mushroom necklace, a massive Squirrel mug, mint chocolate crisps and my Stepmum and Dad bought me some flute music I wanted including a piece for piccolo and alarm clock - you order comes with an alarm clock!

Christmas dinner was DELICIOUS!! Favourite meal of the year!!!! My stepmum does the BEST roast potatoes and sprouts!

We had a game of Carcasonne and then did an Escape Room challenge in a box which I was given a few years ago set on the Orient Express.  We completed it EVENUALLY with a few hiccups!

Boxing Day:

We had bacon sandwiches for breakfast and then I took the dog for a walk with my Dad and C. 

My sister, niece and BiL came over at lunchtime. We had a lovely dinner of Roast Chicken and gammon and had a game of Herd Mentality as well as a fun game of Quick Stop, a great game I bought for my sister for Christmas. I love it!  Later that evening, after my sister et al went home, my sister and I had a brief game of Qwirkle (an unlucky game for me!) and then her boyfriend came over- he works for search and rescue so had been on shift from 24th-27th for 12 hours a day!

December 27th:

After breakfast, we headed for a walk at Lullingstone country park, my sister and dad had to leave us as the dog had been having some ear problems so they got him an emergency appointment, and CBC and I had a longer walk which we really enjoyed, I spotted a few mushrooms!  We drove back to get our luggage and bid goodbye to my stepmum (others still at the vet) and drove back to Essex. A brief turn around, eating left-over soup and then my Mum, sister and niece headed over to ours.  We had some crisps and lots of tea, opened presents and then my sister and I drove to go and fetch a Chinese takeaway! We ate most of it, watched Harry Potter and had a couple of games of Pass The Bomb and Herd Mentality! CBC and I headed to bed.

December 28th:

Church started a 10.30 instead of 9.15 this morning and was a united service for both churches so was delightfully packed! It was a super service and the first time I've been there for this post-Christmas service which felt very special.  Back home was a very lazy day and then we cooked more roasted veg from my 5p Lidl bargains bought at least a week ago! Started packing.

December 29th:

We packed and drove to Hexham in Northumberland. I packed a lot of car snacks! We arrived around 7.30pm and enjoyed a hearty lentil and veg soup from CBC's Mum, J, who we were pleased to see!

December 30th:

After a lazy start, I slept really, really well (which is a rarity in recent times- stupid 40's cortisol body!) and then we headed into town. We looked round the shops, buying a new game in Mr Wolf and having a lovely catch up natter to Mrs Wolf, and then met J for lunch in Small World cafe which had a super new menu! I had a crunchy chicken foccacia and milkshake!  C and I headed to Corbridge to go and pick up tickets for the Allendale Ceilidh from a lady who had a virus and couldn't go. This was a miracle for us as it had sold out in 2 hours, months ago and there was a massive waiting list. But we were the only 2 on the waiting list so they were ours!!! CBC dropped me at the bottom of the hill and I went to drop in on my friends Jane and Chris. Their son and his family had just arrived for the new year and I ended up not chatting to J and C at all as I got embroilled in two BRILLIANT new games- Whirly Derby (marble run races!) which I came last in and Scrawl (a hysterical mixture of Pictionary and Chinese whispers!) which I came a respectable 2nd in.  I chatted to T's wife, who is a teacher, and then headed home up the hill.  J prepared salmon and potatoes and then we watched another Harry Potter and headed to bed.

December 31st:

Another late start.  CBC and I went to the supermarkets to buy food for our new year's day meal.We had some yummy canapes and then we got dressed up headed into town to go and watch the Berlin Philharmonic concert live screening at the Forum Cinema. This was superb.  After this, we headed off to Allendale for the ceilidh.  We walked into the village hall feeling a bit awkward as we didn't know anyone or where to sit but luckily, one of the organisers invited us to sit at his table and we felt better. I wore a green patterned J Crew charity shopped dress, an Isle of Skye tartan Tam O'Shanter and CBC wore his new Blackwatch tartan suit!  The village hall was quite compact but it was SO much fun dancing! Every one was very friendly and I felt I danced quite well! At 9am, it was supper time and we enjoyed Chilli and rice and then Apple cake and custard! There were a couple of new dances which were brilliant! Had a lovely moment, where two really nice girls, who'd danced in our set, put their arms around me and did a gig in glee at how well we'd danced together. I felt so welcomed!More dancing and then at 11.30pm, we walked into the village centre to see the Tar Barrel burning parade

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January 1st:

The next morning, after a very late wake up, CBC and I headed out for a walk in Swallowship woods.  We were really glad to do this as it was a bright day and it was good to get out. I saw a few fungi though not loads.  We headed back via the Coop to pick up J a newspaper. I picked up some bargains- Mint matchmakers reduced to 89p a box, mini cheeseburger canapes for £1.26 and a cheese, olives and chacuterie platter for £2.25!  We had some canapes back home and then CBC and I prepared the dinner of Prawn, Salmon and Whitewine wellington, potato dauphinoise, brussels and pancetta and prawn skewers to start! It was delicious! I went to pack.

January 2nd:

We had a bit of a fraught start to the day with getting packed and aiming to leave by 9.00am (ended up being later!), bid goodbye to J and then drove to York to visit the National Railway Museum.  We JUST made out slot in time, after finding some parking around a half mile walk away.  It was so much fun.  The drive back to Essex was not so fun as CBC's clutch started behaving very oddly and thank the LORD, it finally gave out completely as we tried to get into the drive! It could have been very dangerous if it had gone on our journey! We ate left-over Potato dauphinoise and brussels and pancetta and I watched Stranger Things 5 finale.

January 3rd:

I slept so well! CBC woke me at 9.30am with porridge and tea. This was nice!  Did some washing and sorting and tidying through the day. A mechanic  called in to look at the car! New clutch needed! I cycled to town to return my library books, recycle some small electricals, try (unsucessfully) to renew my train ticket, go to recycle soft plastics and then made roasted potatoes, parsnips and lemony aubergines and asparagus (Lidl reduction in Hexham) with some breaded haddock. We watched a Christmas Princess Switch and then headed to bed.

January 4th: 

I was late to church! Lovely lot of carols and celebrated an Emerald wedding anniversary with cake and tea and then I cycled to the station to renew my train ticket.  Had a bit of a faff as the system said NO and the nice vendor had to do it a very convoluted way of getting it through!

Back home, I cooked us scrambled egg on toast with masses of Three Cornered leek which has started growing in the garden already, sorted washing, hoovered, procrastinated by sorting CBC's tie and smalls drawers, did marking and then made an epic vegetable stew with carrots, swede, onions, shallots, Cannellini beans, sundried tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, courgette, stock, paprika,rosemary, tarragon, three cornered leek, garlic, served with my homemade croutons and then did some more marking!

And now, I must REALLY go to bed!!!!