CYCLE 6 DAY 9

So this is Christmas. I wake and find my partner has gone to the kitchen to prepare out travelling Christmas dinner. My younger daughter and I discover that we are both staying out of the way, the eldest is just asleep. After a suitable amount of time we brave the descent to the kitchen for toast and coffee. It’s a well oiled plan that is in operation. Food cooking in the oven, vegetables prepped, sauces ready, all the components of courses neatly arranged with their carriers. This is a clockwork team in action. Breakfast done, the packing begins and we count down to the magic departure hour of 11am.

At precisely 11am we are heading towards my partners mothers house, having relocated the cars on the drive. A magical journey, every time the front windscreen heater/blower is activated there is the delicious waft of Christmas dinner aroma through the car from the boot. We arrive and spring into action and within minutes the oven is warming meat, the pans boiling vegetables, and the pre laid table is being loaded with goodies. There is time to open wine and non alcohol lager and get comfortable. In no time at all a Christmas meal with all the trimmings is before us and we set to and indulge in a lovely feast. Of course this is followed by Christmas pudding, set ablaze with some Spanish brandy that we have discovered in the dresser, and brandy butter. I imagine that at some point on this day most people reach the stage where they just want to sit and stare into space and allow there gastric system to recover. We retire to the lounge and share presents before settling to play a game, which consists of answering questions about Christmas in teams, and decking a Christmas tree with baubles acquired with correct answers. It would appear being question master is more demanding than it looks. A couple of goes at this and we are ready for cold drinks and a DVD. We watch The Greatest Showman and resist singing along. Time to clear the decks, turn a mattress and prepare to leave for home.

I drive us home and we collapse in front of the TV and recover our balance. Soon it is time for sandwiches and more drinks. Tonight is our Christmas Eve and we will go to bed happily knowing that in the morning there will be presents under the tree. It’s magic. So I will down my drugs and hope to sleep. There has been a lot of WhatsApp chat today, mostly people wishing each other happy Christmas or sharing a seasonal or personal thought. I hope they have all had days of fun and warmth.