My Christmas Dinner Has Arrived
These pictures show my Christmas dinner, which arrived today.
Note.
- As the pictures show it is now safe in my fridge.
- I don’t think I could complain about the packaging.
- Full cooking instructions were included. Most look like time in an oven or boil-in-a-bag.
The Christmas Feast came from Roasted by Jack and Scott.
A London Mongrel Gets Ready For Christmas
I constantly, refer to myself as a London Mongrel, as my father did.
This extract from a previous post, explains why I do.
On the other hand, I’m a London Mongrel of German Jewish and French Huguenot roots, with quarters of stubborn Devonian and solid Northants yeoman stock thrown in. A large proportion of my ancestors are also real East Enders and of course my father was a genuine Cockney.
The older I get, the more I think, the Devonian genes of my Dalston-born maternal grandmother are asserting themselves.
I was going to my son’s house for Christmas Dinner, but we felt last night, that it was best to call it off, as although, what we had planned would have been within the rules, it would be better not to take any chances.
Yesterday, there was an article in The Times about how Michelin-starred chefs were doing Christmas meals in a box for home warming through!
So last night, I bought one for sixty-one pounds from Roasted by Jack and Scott.
I’ve already got the beer in, as this picture shows.
But then it’s all gluten-free, low-alcohol beer from Adnams, that tastes just like the halves from the same brewery, that my father used to buy for me sixty years ago.
My father didn’t want me to be the alcoholic his father was, so he introduced me to beer in social settings at an early age and now at seventy-three, I can honestly say, that, there are few times in my past, where I’ve got really drunk. So thank you, Dad!
But then my father was unconventional and didn’t follow the rules.
A year or so ago, I was reminded of a story about my father by someone I was at school with at Minchenden.
My father had ordered a new Vanden Plas Princess 1100 from a garage near the school. So one morning over breakfast, he asked the seventeen-year-old me, if I wouldn’t mind picking up the car after school and bring it home.
So after school, I picked up the car and took it home.
I can’t remember, if I gave any of my school-mates a lift. But I may have done!
Football
The one problem, I have is not being able to watch Premier League football on television, except on Match of the Day.
The Premier League have sold the Christmas rights to Amazon, which is a company, I don’t do business with!
Anyway, as the pictures come by broadband, I doubt I’d be able to watch it, as my broadband is crap.
BT told my MP, it’s because I’m too close to the exchange!
Conclusion
I’ll be OK. But then like my father, my sons and my granddaughter, we all seem happy in our own company.
I am also lucky in being coeliac on a gluten-free diet!
The more I research my health, the more I’m convinced that my genes have given me a strong immune system and that is protecting me from the covids.
But then, self-isolating by habit is not a bad trait in these terrible times.
I’m Not Dreaming Of A Wet Christmas
I took these pictures yesterday, close to my house.
I have a feeling that a Wet Chistmas, is what we’ll get in London.
My Christmas Wrapping
I don’t use traditional paper, which because of all the glitter goes into landfill.
I use these coloured cotton bags from Clever Baggers, which are very reasonably priced.
I hope most get reused.
An Oasis In A Gluten-Free Desert
I took this picture, this morning in Mark’s and Spencer’s cafe in Ipswich.
It was the only place, I could find a gluten-free breakfast in the town.
Note that Christmas must be coming, as it’s a turkey feast sandwich.
I Don’t Wrap Christmas Presents Traditionally!
I don’t give many presents, as I only have three relatives, who I’m in contact with.
These are the presents all lined up on Christmas Day, before taking them to Christmas lunch!
The drawstring bags are bought on-line from The Clever Baggers.
The larger pink ones are just £0.72, which is probably cheaper than traditional wrapping paper.
Putting the presents into a bag and pulling the string is probably a lot easier, especially if you have a gammy hand, as I sometimes do!
They would also be ideal in a family with lots of children, as each could have their own colour.
As I nearly ran out of bags this Christmas, I have just placed an order to replenish my stock.
Christmas Card Messages
I received a card with a stylised dove of peace on the front. Underneath were the words.
All is Calm
Inside the sender had added.
The makers of this card clearly hadn’t heard about Brexit!
You wouldn’t want to send it to a friend or relative in France either!
There are some very inappropriate cards in shops.
My Christmas Presents To My Son And His Partner
They usually like me to give them gift vouchers, for somewhere like Liberty or Selfridges, so they can choose something for themselves or their home, which has just be renovated.
To complicate matters my son’s partner is Korean, so I couldn’t be over-the-top in a way only the English would understand.
The frames were simple ones from John Lewis and the translation was courtesy of Google’s English to Korean translator.
It was totally correct. Isn’t the Internet a wonderful thing?
Who would have thought that this idiot, who had trouble getting O levels in French and English, would be able to get a translation into Korean right?
Merry Christmas From Chiltern Trains
I photographed this at Marylebone.
Merry Christmas From Chiltern Trains
I’m surprised I haven’t seen this before as the Class 165 trains were built twenty years ago and have been refurbished since.
Is This The World’s Most Annoying Christmas Present?
A guy on the radio, has just claimed he had a Match of the Day mug for Christmas.
That bit is fine.
But every time he picks it up to drink, the mug plays the theme tune.
Now that is a superb way to annoy someone!
The Anonymous Widower 