Christmas.

So this year we did Christmas - it was madness I tell you, madness! This is only the second time in my 40 years of being that I have cooked a roast dinner - and I choose Christmas, what on earth is wrong with me? Needless to say I was a bit of a stress head for an hour or two, but I didn't poison anyone and the guinea fowl that I cooked was quite lovely - I may even cook it again in the not too distant future! Our day started early - 7.30am for stocking openings and tea in bed while Ivan's (Mr Bicknell's) sister and partner snoozed on across the hall, then off to my folks for pressies and happy Birthday celebrations for my Dad - I don't think he much likes having a birthday on Christmas day, but as a family we do make the effort to wrap his presents up in proper birthday paper so that the event doesn't get swallowed up into  Christmas revelry! He had a significant birthday a couple of years ago and we organised a rather spectacular party - we had a magician, a Frank Sinatra sound alike who was drop dead incredible, an amazing spread and a fantastic cake made by an ex-student of ours - it was a wonderful event. The setting up was like a military operation however, and the surprise element nearly killed us all - especially when the surprise magician rang my parents office and tried to discuss the arrangements with my father! He did recover himself well though by suggesting he had the wrong number and to this day Dad claims he hadn't smelt a rat! I am still thankful that I currently have no significant birthdays to deal with in the foreseeable future!

Next it was home to cook at noon and well, the rest was a blur of champagne and lovely presents, this year I was spoilt by everyone, I truly don't deserve it.

A bit of last minute sprinting around town allowed me to check out this weeks "grate" surprise - loved the donkey/moose/reindeer thing they had going on!

Festive home.

Sticky snowflakes and pastel wrapping this year.

Half way through the openings - helped along by lots of fizz...

New shoes.

Annie and Rainer drowning in parcels...

Ready to recycle - the first of 3 bags...

SPOILT.

There were two bodies who didn't much enjoy Christmas - Scratch and Sniff don't like a crowd - they like peace and quiet and lovely M&S cat food served at regular intervals and big furry sheepskins to snooze on - they do not like lots of noisy unwrapping or chatty hoards of humans - this is the face of disgust....

And this is the face of panic as there is another knock at the door..... damn you Christmas, damn you for bringing so many visitors to my quiet haven!