Could easily have got use to those nice, lazy days of late rising, gentle activity, no rushing about. WAS getting used to them. Then Christmas Eve hit and I had to stir myself from my torpor and get the food ready for Christmas Day. The Builder sorted the vegetables and I made biscuits and party pies and pavlova and more party pies and potato soup and more party pies . The kitchen ended up covered in flour and sugar!

We went to the Three Horseshoes for dinner on Christmas Eve. Mighty fine food it was too. Though I wish I had thought to ask for a small plate of roast turkey. The plate they brought me was ENORMOUS and covered with a mountain of food. I knew even before I started that I was never going to be able to eat it all! It was extremely delicious, mind you. And very good value at £21 each for a three course Christmas meal. There weren't very many people in - I believe it was the quietest Christmas Eve they could remember. It was enlivened by the sudden appearance of about 30 carol singers, collecting for the local hospice. We enjoyed the carol singers, the food and the evening out. We don't often go out for dinner. We usually go out for lunch!

And so to Christmas Day. A reasonably relaxed start. No real need to get up at 5:30, so we didn't. Chatted to Austin and to Mount Helen on Skype once we did. Then I very, very carfeully packed the car. I think The Builder was really very surprised that I managed to get everything in and still leave room for Freyja!

Then we trundled to Sheffield to collect Freyja and the hippos and to open some presents and thence to Cambridge for more presents, a mountain of munchies that Tabitha and Gareth had bought in Waitrose, merriment, festivities, wine and the Doctor Who Christmas special. We ate so many munchies that we decided to defer Christmas lunch to Boxing Day!

I like travelling on Christmas Day. There is enough traffic around for it not to feel like the end of the world, but not enough to be an inconvenience - and there are virtually no lorries cluttering the roads up!

And now it is Boxing Day. The Builder and I are drinking tea in Tabitha and Gareth's bed. Everyone else is sleeping in the lounge room. The sun is shining. I am promised a visit later to the Green Dragon for a Christmas pint and there is still the makings of the Christmas feast in the kitchen. Let the festivities continue! (Mind you, it was as well that Peter and Joan were unable to accept out invitation to join us for a pub lunch today!!!)

Waitrose makes wonderful munchies. The sausages in bacon were particularly magificent. I don't usually like sausages!