Monday 26th December 2011

Ho

Ho

Ho

!

Merry Christmas.

As I write this, it is ten in the morning on Boxing Day in Chez Jelltex. It has been a quiet Christmas for us, but very pleasant. If has been just Jools and myself, oh, and the cats, which was just perfect.

On Friday, I got a stinking migraine at work; I struggled through, as driving home with it would've been just as hard as working. But, by the time it was time to leave I was feeling drained but better.

So, that was another year's work completed, and time now to relax and enjoy a Christmas at home. The one good thing was that we had done all shopping, so we did not have to go into the bearpit of Tesco or anywhere else.

We had a very quiet Christmas Eve, just chilling out. For lunch I cooked steak and fried potatoes, corn and mushrooms; it was wonderful I have to say. And afterwards there was time to go and visit Nan up at Whitfield.



We exchanged gifts and swapped news, before heading back to St Margaret's so we could head up to the village church for the nativity service. We parked up the car outside the house, and headed off for the walk up the hill to the village centre.

In the lead up to Christmas, every house in the village had received a newsletter fro the church and in particular about the Christmas Eve service. But, even knowing that, did not prepare me for the sight when I walked into the church; every seat taken, and people sanding in the aisles. We squeezed in a pew and waited for the service to begin, and even more people filed in.



The service was very good, lots of carols, and with one final blessing and the Lord's Prayer, we headed off into the night. Straight across the road to the White Cliffs hotel for free mince pies and mulled wine; perfect for keeping the evening chill out.

And then back down the hill and back home. And like all good boys and girls we went to bed early so to be sound asleep when Santa came to call.



Santa always knows best, and he brought me two bottle of whisky, which must mean I had been good all year after all.

But, after having lovely bacon butties for breakfast, and before opening our presents, we headed out in the car to head to Battle in East Sussex for a walk and to take some snaps.

Battle is about a 50 mile drive, through farmland and over the Romney marsh to Rye and onto Hastings and then Battle. Battle, as the name suggests, is named after a famous battle; the most famous, The Battle of Hastings in 1066, which, apparently did not take place in Hastings after all. And probably didn't take place in Battle either, but that doesn't stop just about every shop and building having a name based on the battle of something associated with it.
But on a dull Christmas morning we had to town just about to ourselves. I snap various pubs and interesting buildings, including the front of the abbey and the parish church, before heading back to the car and then back home.



Once home, I weigh the turkey and calculate that it will take 3 hours to cook, so I quickly got it ready and popped it in the oven. I peeled the spuds and the other vegetables, mix the batter for the Yorkshire puddings, and then wait. Soon, the house is filled with the smell of the delicious turkey cooking.

And at three, it all came together, and we sat down to overflowing plates of turkey, roast potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts, carrots, Yorkshires and lots of proper gravy.

In the evening we played Scrabble, whilst listening to Dessert Island Discs, before heading to bed at the rock and roll time of half ten!

Phew!