The Festive Season at the Casa

Of course I wasn't ready for Christmas. I'm not entirely sure what I was doing, but it certainly didn't include writing Christmas cards. I bought 30 or so and so far have written 2. I'll save the other 28 for next year. It does make me feel horribly guilty, because I've got loads and loads of lovely cards from all around the world. I think I'll be writing January cards to make up for my being totally crap.

On the plus side, the house was made presentable, proper food has been cooked and I haven't blown as much money on stuff as compared to previous years. So I am well pleased. 

Solstice morning, I refuse to write about. If I just say: Local government, piss up in brewery, incandescent rage, I think that will cover all the bases and leave out the tedious re-visiting of the very stressful 6 hours.

Solstice evening was a complete contrast. I cooked for some of my favourite people on the planet. Hanging around with foodies on-line and IRL has obviously rubbed off. I was inventive and arty with the menu. I did one starter, Lawrence sorted the other. 

I did mini-Yorkshire puddings filled with red-onion marmalade and chunks of chipolatas. Lawrence called them Yorkshire vol au vents, at which point I threatened to stuff them with tuna and sweetcorn. He shut up. Lawrence prepared blinis with smoked salmon, creme fraiche with finely chopped shallots, salmon caviar and garnished with dill.

For mains, I prepared braised beef in wine, served with creamy horseradish mash, carrots, leeks au gratin and stir fried cabbage. It was followed by a yummy pear crumble.

This was all washed down with copious amounts of gin, red wine, sherry and coffee and a heck of a lot of laughter. We exchanged pressies, lots of hugs, stories, gossip and plans for the New Year. It was brilliant.

The next day, I tackled the kitchen in phases and it was all sorted eventually, with no stressing.

I did most of the food shopping yesterday, but realised at about 1 am (as you do) I had no potatoes, so I dragged Boy out at lunchtime (morning by his body clock) to finish off. It was also a good opportunity to pick up some more tonic, cider and cream.

For lunch, I made from scratch salmon fishcakes with dill, using up the left-over mashed potato. Boy hated it so much, he ate four. We've had a lovely afternoon chilling out and he's now out with friends. I've been playing on Skyrim again after quite a long break and it's good fun to immerse myself in such a lovely, magical landscape. I also have been grazing on the little treats sat on our dining table, washing everything down with cider.

Tomorrow will be a Casa de Roses traditional Christmas. Boy and I will be in our pyjamas all day. We'll have breakfast, open pressies, open a bottle of something naughty, cook the duck and watch the most awful selection of DVDs. I flatly refuse to do stress or angst on Christmas  Day. I love our Christmases together. He's such great company and he mucks in, so it's not left to just me to sort everything.

Darlings, I wish you all a fabulous, sparkly festive season. Whatever festival you celebrate, whatever path you walk upon. May 2013 bring you and yours love, good health, prosperity and joy. 

Roses
xxx  

Winter Solstice Blessings

Blessings of the Winter Solstice to you and yours.

May the returning sun bring with it joy, laughter, love and prosperity to you and your loved ones.

Winter Solstice Party

Thanks for braving the foul weather we're having. Boy will take your coat upstairs, come in make yourself comfortable. Have a drink. Have several more. There are munchies on the table. I suggest you get stuck into the mince pies and cheese straws before Dave, XL and Cogidubnus start fighting for pole position underneath. Also, Savannah and Beth will need a space to dance later.

It's good to see you. I hope you have a great time tonight. If you do end up sleeping in the bath. There's a lovely cafe up the road, I promise I'll wake you, hose you down and we'll go have breakfast.

Blessings of the Winter Solstice to you. May the Sun return with Light and Warmth into your life and bring you love, laughter and prosperity.

Winter Solstice Invitations

The last time (which was the first time) I held a party. People complained bitterly that I didn't give enough notice. Therefore, consider yourself notified.

I will be throwing the virtual doors of Palais de Roses open next Monday (21st December) to celebrate the Winter Solstice. It's that time of year when we gather to mark the turning of the Wheel of the Year. We give thanks for the blessings we have received and look forward for the lengthening of the days. It's the time of year when we turn inwards and reflect on the goals we will be setting ourselves for the coming year.

It is also the best time to indulge in our friendships and loves. Giving tokens of appreciation. Whether homemade or shop-bought, it's a time for pressies! Woo Hoo!

And I fully expect we'll be indulging in a lot of this:

Let's have a good old knees up!

Annual Rant

I have to say, since I left retail, the festive season no longer fills me with The Fear. This year, I'm really looking forward to Yule and Christmas. Boy and I are in a new house, Hottie is coming to stay for the important days, there will be drunken duck and many bottles of naughtiness. I have my xmas jammies all ready. Hottie says she will be getting hers any time now.

I have already begun the festive shopping. I love Christmas shopping. Looking for the right pressie for the people I love. Even on a desperately tight budget, I still love indulging. Last week I kicked things off looking for Boy's birthday pressie. I'd sorted his main pressie the week before, but I wanted to get him some bits and pieces to unwrap. My problem is knowing where to stop. When I picked up 2 dvds, a book and a CD, I realised I was over-doing it. The good thing is that will go to his Christmas pile and already it's a small pile. Shhh...don't tell him, it's a secret!

The thing is, it's like a treasure hunt. Trying to figure out what he'd like and then scouring the shops until I find it. Sometimes, I go with no idea of what to get him and then as I walk around, I start seeing the things.

Last week, I ordered the duck from the butcher. I don't do turkey. I've said so before, I'll say it again, it's a mutual dislike. Actually, dislike is too soft a word: loathing. That's definitely more like it. We'll get veggies and munchies and fill the house with booze. My poor liver! I think I'll invest in a new tree and decorations.

I was writing this and my jaw dropped. I've been merrily preparing and planning as if it's the most normal thing in the world. Except for one thing: I haven't looked forward to Christmas for years and years.

It's always been a horrendously difficult time for me. In fact, if I'm honest, the last time I really looked forward to Christmas was when Boy was born, that's 16 years! It was around Christmas when the fallout from the disintegration from my marriage really hit. And from that point on, I was always an outsider looking in. Christmas was a time when other people celebrated their families. Bah Humbug. My family was in another country. I didn't have a steady partner/relationship to rely upon. I only had Boy every other Christmas. I was mostly flat broke.

This year, things have changed both externally and internally. We're in a new house, I have Plans for World Domination, I'm not flat broke (for once). During the summer I did some serious Demon Wrestling and Eviction. I'm not an outsider in my life anymore. This year, I have so many things to be thankful for, to celebrate. And the Winter Solstice is the perfect time to do so.

Yuletide Blessings

To my readers, many blessings of love and light on this, the darkest of days.

Life has been a bit tough recently and I thought that I would feel like a bit of limp, frozen lettuce this Yule. The absolute opposite is true today. I woke up this Winter Solstice, excited and joyful. Boy and I have been shopping for our Christmas meal. We decided we would celebrate both Yule and Christmas, so today we had our Solstice meal: leg of lamb, roasted carrots and parsnips with leeks and broccoli. Yummy. I've been a bit naughty and got a duck for our Christmas meal as neither Boy nor I can abide turkey. Bleugh. It's a mutual dislike. We cooked our Solstice meal together and have been having fun, larking about. I've lit some candles and am burning some Frankincense, that and the several glasses of naughtiness means, I'm feeling very relaxed and a bit festive.

I do feel for all the people stressing about presents, meal and festive shite. As crap as the money situation is at the moment, I do feel blessed with my friends, of which I include you, my readers. You've kept me company through the highs and lows of this year; for which I'm eternally grateful. Life would have been very much greyer without your support this year.

I have managed to do some Christmas cards and I decided to cheat and send out a festive e-mail. I know some people think they are a bit of a cheat, but to be honest, I'm never really together enough on the run up to Christmas to write the letters or cards. Plus, think of the trees I'll be saving. Added to which, this is a tight time for lots of people, as well as me. Ok...I'm just rubbish, and can't organise a piss-up in a brewery and this is my easy way out.

Boy at present is killing things on the XBox and when I've finished this posting, I will join him. I feel the need, the need for....a tank!

Winter Solstice Greetings

Many blessings of light, love and laughter to you on this Winter's Solstice. This Yuletide festival marks the longest night and celebrates the return of the sun. Last night the members of the Norwich Chant Collective gathered to eat, drink and be very merry; and we did a spot of fabulous carol singing. Many thanks to Gee for her fabulous piano playing, the mulled wine and mucho mince pies. Hottie spent the night with me and will head home this afternoon, but she will be back Christmas Eve to stay for a couple of days. So be prepared for incomprehensible posts during this time.

I'm afraid the cold has settled into my sinuses and seems to quite like its new abode, despite my best efforts to evict it. I'm working late night tonight which should be quite interesting, by all accounts the pre-Christmas panic has well and truly set in. Roll on Saturday afternoon when I finish work for the moment. Then it's two days of drinking and eating and then onto the dissertation.