No pictures, too busy cooking together, then eating together then chatting, then eating again and so it went. The main meat was ham, so there will be leftovers for sandwiches and maybe soup.
Handsome Son came through so well, provided all his share, and we had a lovely array of food, all simple, all good. Ham, mustard, snap peas, corn, roasted mushrooms and potato dice, then Dutch cookies and chocolate Santas in foil all if which I've smoothed out for some reason I haven't figured out. Probably to make something. And there was ginger ale and eggnog.
The other day, talking about making, I was recycling a box and found a lovely small piece of corrugated cardboard, which I promptly set aside thinking that will make a nice little loom.
And burst out laughing. Who else but a maker would instantly see a bit of cardboard as a tool?
Back to Christmas and Handsome Son, he was intrigued by the bergamot bowls and handled them, surprised how sturdy they are now they're dried and ready to decorate tomorrow.
They're very tough and sound like pottery when you rap on them.
As you see they'll work better as bowls. The ones on the left fit one over the other but the lid almost covers the base, so that isn't a good fit. And the color has darkened to orange.
I still have two lemons to go, so I can apply what I've learned to them. One great discovery I made was that when you take them off the molds, there's a rush of lemon scent, wonderful.
Next I decorate the outside, stay tuned, but leave the inside so as to keep the lemon scent going.
About going, the cactus put out one rather feeble blossom, almost withered before it opened, on Christmas Eve.
She's doing her best but doesn't feel too well.
After Handsome Son left with his share of the leftovers, after he'd finished playing with a game on my Advent calendar, I fell asleep, combination of food, sugar and activity.
Then the evening was about receiving more greetings and embarking on my Christmas gift to me, an R F Delderfield saga, A Horseman Riding By.
Its about a young man wounded in the Boer War who returns to England where he's inherited a scrap metal company, but has a preference for a country life. That's as far as I've got, but I think this will be great reading over the next couple of days which promise a snowstorm.
And when I needed to rest my eyes, I listened to a seasonal audiobook.
An oldie, but good. The English narrator has a wonderful voice and delivery and the worst pronunciation of American place names ever! He just plunges at them, very funny. But who's counting.
Happy day everyone, I hope your day, Christmas or Thursday, went well.
Happy Christmas blessings
ReplyDeleteIt must be 55 years ago I read A Horseman Riding By, and the sequels, if any on long haul flights to Indonesia where my parents lived at the time. I remember nothing except that I was gripped by them.
It's the kind of long unrolling narrative that's just right for slow times.
DeleteSounds like an excellent Christmas Day!
ReplyDeleteIt was, very low-key and low stress.
DeleteWhat a lovely day together with you son! Merry indeed!
ReplyDeleteIt was. I like holidays so much more now that we've simplified them.
DeleteA very peaceful and full day ! Food sounds delicious, as well as simple fun activities, and best of all conversations!
ReplyDeleteHe's good to talk with about all kinds of issues and jokes, so that's always nice.
Delete"A Horseman Riding By" -- what a classic! The Brits turned it into a mini-series too, a couple of times, once in the 1970s and again just recently, I believe.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely lends itself to tv series. I wonder if I can find it online. Thanks for the heads up.
DeleteI've just discovered that all 13 episodes of the original 1978 series are on YouTube, so that's great. Oh, that opening theme song takes me right back! The CBC played that series incessantly and I always loved that music. I must have been mistaken about a more recent remake because I can't find any trace of that online.
DeleteThank you! I can get total immersion this way.
DeleteWhen I read Wodehouse for the first time, the casual racism shocked me, and I could not bhelp realizing how much the world has changed since those days, and rightfully so. How we circled back to what is happening now, I will never understand.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you had such a pleasant day. Your bergamot box project is fascinating.
There's a lot of racism, classism, sexism, anti semitism, in the writing of the early to mid twentieth century. Yes, shocking now. It's removed when TV series are made of Sayers, Christie, Wodehouse, at least mostly.
DeleteThis particular story is blessedly free of it.
Snoopy is right!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. Good to remember this.
DeleteI find it hysterical how I have become that old woman who says, "Whoa now! That's a good box!" Or bag. I wish I could say I was going to make something out of them. At this point I need a box or a bag to keep the boxes or bags in that I can't bear to throw away.
ReplyDeleteThis is not making sense.
Your Christmas sounds pretty darn perfect to me. We too had ham and I think it may have been the best ham I've ever had. Pineapple was involved.
Handsome Son decided on ham, and I decided he was right.
DeleteYou need a bag box. And a box bag.
Sounds like you had a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year
Cathy
Thank you, it was. Happy New Year to you.
DeleteGlad you had a good day, but I am most pleased about that cardboard treasure. 😜
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a high point of the day!
DeleteSounds like a wonderful day! Our was much more hectic but it's done! Hooray!
ReplyDeleteYes, different groups! And it's all good.
DeleteSounds like an ideal Christmas. The bowls are fascinating and I await the decoration stage with interest.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good day. And I'm interested in the upcoming decorating too. I had an idea about fitting those two pieces, too.
DeleteI'm so very glad you had a wonderful holiday. It sounds like just the way it should be. And those bowls -- fantastic! I haven't read Wodehouse in ages. Always liked him!
ReplyDeleteIt was a low-key and lovely day. Suits my son as well as me.
DeleteI'm glad you had a good day with your son. Good food and good company.
ReplyDeletePoor Miss Katie had a massive meltdown and things did not go well. No turkey was made. We ended up with Indian food which was very tasty, as always.
Oh dear. Is it the pressure of a special day? For some people it's overwhelming. I'm glad Indian food rescued it a bit.
DeleteI was forced to throw out packaging mainly because I just don’t have anywhere to store them. I could see so much potential.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you had a wonderful day
Yes, especially large cartons! Playhouses! Ships! Buses!
DeleteSounds like a perfect Christmas. You can't go wrong with Jeeves. He'll solve everyone's problems.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Including his own. He always wins something! A trip, money, a clothes concession from Bertie..
DeleteFrom this report it sounds like you had a pretty perfect Christmas. Ours was quiet too but interspersed with video chats with both our boys and their families.
ReplyDeleteI must admit I'm surprised that the lemons dried out so quickly. And a note about Christmas cactus plants - mine has never shown signs of budding but the latest news on that front is that she's decided that she ought to throw pieces of herself at a much greater distance than can be imagined. Oddly, a tug on her leaves shows them all to be solid and yet - she's throwing chunks of them off at an alarming clip. T'is a mystery.
A day or two for the drying of the lemons. Then a day between coats of papier mache.
DeleteI think Christmas cactus are confused little things, neither cactus nor succulent, but undecided.