Christmas Day

Christmas day, the girls wake up at a respectable 7.00am.

Actually, it's the two oldest daughters that disturb the household, the younger two are sound asleep until this time. Thanks girls, there's goes my lie in this morning.

I love Christmas and my living room is awash with gifts. I receive pants, a set of chisels, man flu, half a share in an IPad 2 and assorted books. I also receive a yard of Jaffa Cakes.

Dad, Eric, Kaye, their friend Shirley, Connie's dad, and all my girls are coming to us for Christmas dinner and by mid day we are knee deep in dishes and various courses in mid preparation. Every time I here the name Shirley though, I can't help thinking of that old Naked Gun scene, "Surely, you can't be serious, I am serious and don't call my Shirley"

Sheer madness, we have a rather small house and struggle to fit in all eleven people so end up with two smaller tables split between the kitchen and living room. Not ideal, but we manage.

I don't usually, but I make a toast to one and all present.

After dinner, we attempt to light some Chinese paper sky lanterns in the garden but at the precise moment that I have everybody standing outside in the garden it decides to blow a gale. We manage to light three lanterns which take off like a rocket in the wind and may or may not have set somebodies property on fire. I apologise if this is the case and you are reading this.

Abbie has a strop, which I ignore as it's Christmas and it appears to be her job at present. Bah Humbug.

We retire for the evening and all in all have had an enjoyable, hectic, productive Christmas.

With that thought, it's over for another year and on that note also marks the end of my journal. Thank you one and all for taking the time to read it.

Perhaps there will be a new project in the new year.

Best Regards
Andy597