Boxing Day

Christmas Eve was spent in pleasant company with my friends, John & Ros. Their daughter was there with her fiance and their dog. Willow is a very pretty small Corgi and just over a year old now. Rex is John & Ros's 7 month old Toller retriever. The two dogs romped, played, wrestled and play fought all evening until exhausted. We had a lovely dinner. Mussels in white wine and garlic to start with. Deeeeelicious! Accompanied by some freshly made bread.
I was looking forward to the fish pie to follow until I remembered Ros does not use sauce in hers :( Just pieces of fish with a potato topping. No savoury white sauce or similar to keep the fish moist and tasty. The potato topping was lovely but the fish was dried out and tasteless. It was salmon, smoked haddock and some white fish, probably pollack. Hard to tell what it was. Beautiful bone free fresh fish ruined! :( But the company was good and we had a great evening. It was -3 when I headed home and the back roads were crunchy. It was only -1 back at home and I didn't envy Honey having to go out to pee before bed. She scuttled back to the utility room bed very quickly and I headed to bed on the sofa again. Honey had me up at 3 am and 6 am too!
Christmas Day was good. I woke up, finally, got up and got organised. Honey, of course, stayed in her warm bed  while I organised the living room ready for Jenny and James and the present opening ceremonies. Jen arrived soon after 11 and helped me by running the Dyson around, although Honey was not pleased at being disturbed from her nap on the rug. James arrived at 12.30 as the smells of lunch were wafting around nicely. I cooked a nice chicken for Jen and I, plus a pile of sausages, mashed potatoes, crispy roast potatoes, carrots, asparagus, roast parsnips and gravy. James had his usual sausages and mash :). Honey had a bowl of chicken bits and skin to keep her happy.
It was snoozes all round after LOL. James went home for his tea. Jen headed off back to Salisbury to do the horses and cook another Christmas dinner.
I had a lovely evening alone. Watched all the soaps, one after the other, then I watched Avatar. I thoroughly enjoyed it and stayed awake through the whole film - unusual for me. We have the film on DVD but I rarely watch DVDs. I just watch movies as they come up on TV. I had a mince pie, warmed, with double cream! Well it is only once a year! I splashed out on a glass of lemonade, and a rather large Baileys a bit later :)
I decided to chance sleeping on my own bed. I removed the staircase barricade and headed upstairs. No sign of Honey following me, she was already bedded down by the boiler. However before I fell asleep she joined me in bed. She made herself comfy and we both slept well through the night. I did not get a leg poking me in the night and Honey managed to curl up well on her side of the bed. I got up just after 8 for the loo and came back to find her spread eagled over my side of the bed so I got dressed. I was downstairs about 10 minutes before I heard her moving. I helped her down the stairs slowly and now she's had her tablets, and some breakfast, she's asleep on the rug again. Tough life eh?
I've had my first pint of coffee and thinking about having a second soon. Today is the time I look forward to most - seeing my grandsons! I am sorry but Christmas without children around is boring! I will be having a light lunch of the remains of the chicken, with some more asparagus, and maybe a bit of bubble and squeak :) We are having tea at Craig's :) I am so looking forward to seeing the kid's faces when they open their presents. Di's dad has not been well lately, and has been having chemotherapy. I hope he does not get too tired by it all.
 I had an email today from my friends in Canada. Carol passed on news of Glen and it's not good. He is back in hospital and has been diagnosed with lung cancer :( It does not sound good. Not a good way to start a new year. I visited them in 2007 when Glen was just getting over heart surgery and a bout of C-Diff. That knocked him for 6 and left him with all sorts of health problems afterwards. He has had a lot to cope with and now this! I hope Carol can cope.
Hey! The sun is shining! and Honey is squeezed up in the corner to try and get the little bit of sun she can feel.
Whatever you are up to today, I hope you have a good day. Hug your loved ones. Tell them how much you love them.
xxx