Time to Relax

    The meal is over, dishes all clean and put away, and the visitors off home. Lots of leftovers in the fridge and I shouldn't have to cook (other than heating things up) until next week.

    I had the bird (a capon) in the oven by 9:30 a.m. and everything else under control by 11:30 when the guests arrived. Following was a frantic opening of gifts (the grandkids) and some more genteel exchanges (the adults) accompanied by snacking on crackers, cheese and sausage. Soon the meal was ready - shrimp and smoked salmon, followed by capon, green beans, brussel sprouts, carrot and turnip mash. roast potatoes, two kinds of stuffing (probably a redundancy of carbs!) cranberry sauce (Judy's homemade), and gravy. It was quite tricky getting everything hot and served at the same time! It was only after we were finished that I realized I had forgotten the sausage stuffing in the neck of the bird. Well, I will eat it tomorrow.

Getting the bird ready for the oven. It was just under 9lbs.

 

A tranquil time around the tree.

   After a brief respite dessert arrived - fruit and crème fraiche, flambéed plum pudding, and mincemeat tarts. The little ones had to try everything (they have really sweet teeth) and Elliot had seconds of each. Coffee followed for the adults while the kids were excused to try out their gifts

   After a walk around the block with Lucy the dog, out  came the Christmas Trivia and that lasted as long as James's patience. Then the kids decorated gingerbread men while the adults had more coffee and the cookies came out. Surprisingly they disappeared pretty fast.

   Everyone departed around 5:00 p.m. and I have been sitting with my  feet up since. I did finish the kitchen cleanup; there's still  a bit of a tidy up needed but that will keep until tomorrow!