When you are an old git, it is easy for days to exceed expectations, probably because you always expect the worst.
The upside of being an old git is that the worst rarely happens, and often the exceptional becomes the rule. As today will testify.
Here is the lowdown.
I was woken up at nine in the morning by my son, the only one of the children up even remotely early, and he didn’t wake until eight, and even then had the foresight to wake his father up before me.
This is phenomenally good value in terms of lie ins on Christmas day, believe me. That was the first present of the day.
I straggled downstairs, made a pot of coffee and lit the fire (first time. Thank you cheezus), while the kids started on their stocking/pillow cases. By the time I threw myself on the sofa with a steaming cup of coffee so strong you could stand a spoon up in it, they were only a few presents in, and I had hardly missed anything.
All presents were received well. All of Tallulah’s delayed, possibly lost in the post presents turned up at the eleventh hour yesterday, and I even managed to make it over to the Spar at nine o’clock to get Tilly’s yearly pint of milk. She has asked for one every year since she was two. Who am I to deny her?
Plus I got a proposal of marriage from an old tramp with scarlet socks, a beard with dead things in, and a dog on a string while I was over there. It’s nice to know I am still attractive to men, even if it is that segment of society that is old, inebriated and in need of a warm bed.
Beggars can’t be choosers, right?
We spent two hours opening presents, not because there were lots, but because the children like to take their time and savour the experience, and I can’t say I blame them.
We then had brunch. Tallulah had smoked salmon after a starter of cereal. Oscar had crumpets, Tilly, who does not do breakfast, had breadsticks. Jason had poached eggs on crumpets, and I had salmon and eggs benedict. They were splendid. I pushed the boat out this year and went for Forman’s smoked salmon from around the world. There was Swedish cured with gravadlax, Japanese cured with wasabi, and Russian cured with beetroot.
Mmmmmmmmm…..
Everyone went off to play with their goodies and I retired with a good book and a wonderful bar of Rococo chocolate with cardamon flavouring bought for me by the lovely Keith and Noreen. I have often bought Rococo chocolates for other people, but never treated myself. It is one of those items that seems too luxurious. It is too luxurious. It was a glorious bar of chocolate. They also treated me to Noreen’s book; The Dictionary of Children’s Clothes, which I have had on my Amazon wish list for a very long time, and which went excellently well with the chocolate.
While the children were watching Toy Story 3 with Jason, I had a small snooze, which I think is a great luxury indeed during the day, particulary on Christmas day. Then Jason and I swapped places. He snoozed and I prepared dinner.
We have just finished eating our rare roast beef in peppercorn crust, with fluffy roast potatoes, nuclear Yorkshire puddings, onion gravy, peas and carrots, all of which the children ate, as predicted, with no squeak of protest. We have had crackers with parlous jokes and dodgy paper hats, lemonade for children and Veuve Clicquot Yellow label with Chambord Raspberry Liqueur and frozen raspberries for grown ups.
We finished off with raspberry Eton Mess with panna cotta ice cream from the award winning company Antonio Federici. It was superlative.
I recommend the ice cream highly. I may never recommend another ice cream company after this, as Jason bought me a swanky ice cream maker for Christmas, along with lots of other thoughtful, beautiful and needful things that made me cry with happiness. I am very, very blessed. My Emma Bridgewater Black Toast collection has increased, which is wonderful, as it is another luxury I adore, but never buy myself on the grounds that it is too decadent. I also received a hand painted Emma Bridgewater mug with my Canadian Ice Road Trucker name on it; Trumpington Fartworthy. It is the best present I have ever had.
My sister in law bought me an Amazon voucher, which was very welcome, and I have spent it already on Georgian history books, which have also been on my Amazon wish list for a while.
I have been utterly spoiled, and so has everyone else, which is just as it should be. The snow sparkled underfoot outside, the sun shone and the fire roared. The food was good and plentiful, the presents were perfect and thoughtful and there has been minimal grumpiness.
We are about to top off the perfect day watching the Doctor Who Christmas special.
What more could a girl want?
Nothing.
