This morning…
Up bright and early-ish, to see in Christmas 2020. It’s a strange day. While we have lights and decorations up (even got the fake tree out of the garage on Wednesday) it doesn’t feel very Christmassy.
My mum is in our support bubble, so she is here with us. The fridge has plenty of food in it and there are presents under the tree. But this past year still overlays it all, with the constant reminder of a mask in your pocket, ready to wear when out and about. Or the box of them on the sideboard in the hall. Maybe it should tie some tinsel around it. 🤔
Outside, the gloom and wet of the past days is gone and it is thankfully, bright and sunny, but cold and more importantly dry. Wet and gloomy Christmas Days are horrible, unless it’s snow.
The beef has defrosted (thankfully, as I suddenly realised I had not taken it from the freezer until yesterday afternoon). I’ll start prepping vegetables soon. But first, presents to unwrap and a walk to get in before lunch.
Some lovely gifts, a weaving book by Liz Gipson, a fringe twister, some blocking mats, and some wool to spin. The wool is 30g of Shetland Humbug, at least that’s what I think it says. A lovely brown and white and quite soft.
And a box of four British Wools; Romney White, Swaledale Grey, BFL in Oatmeal, Jacob in black. It’s a sensory delight to run your fingers over these beauties and feel the difference between them. The BFL is so soft. I could easily leave them in the box and just touch them now and then, but it would be a crime not to spin them into yarn.
Plus a bird feed table. I am determined to get those birds that flock to my neighbours bird table and don’t visit me. I won’t be defeated.
Lunch
After a lovely walk in the sunshine, it’s was straight into lunch prep and cooking. The meal is a Sirloin Roast, with roast potatoes, parsnips with Parmesan, carrots and Brussel Sprouts.
Everything is roasted. The carrots and Brussels end up lovely and sweet. Parsnips and Parmesan we love the combination of flavours.
Sorry, but I had already started eating and then thought to take a picture.
Shameful of me.
As is the tradition at Christmas, it was too much. It I ate my meat! I’d be thrown out of Wales if I didn’t finish my meat, as the other half likes to say.
My potatoes came out beautifully. Parboiled with a bit of saffron, then drained and shook in the pan with some Polenta for a crispy coat, then roast in goose fat.
No Christmas pudding. We were all fit to burst and I always feel let down after it. Well have Christmas Cake this evening.
It’s dark now, so the lights are on outside. I finally have a tree in the garden I can decorate. I had to be careful adding the lights as it’s a Magnolia tree, so the buds are quite delicate and easily dislodged.
The calls to far flung family have started. Some more tomorrow. It for now it’s the obligatory Bond movie.
I hope you have all been able to make the most of today, even if we have not been able to spend it with loved ones we would like to be with.
This is the last Friday Roundup for 2020. Time to get ready for the new series in 2021.
Have a lovely time.
Hook This, Weave That 