Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Family Christmas.
Yesterday was our Christmas Day.
This was masterfully arranged by Roger and Sue in Wiltshire.
There were 16 of us there during the day - 14 for dinner.
We had eaten turkey and trimmings on the 25th, but sharing a meal with family makes it more special.
We had roast beef and turkey and I, if I counted correctly, 8 different types of vegetables with roast potatoes, two sorts of stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, gravy etc.
This was followed by Christmas pudding with cream, custard or rum butter. There was also a big trifle.
Thank you Sue.
After our meal there was present exchanging - both sublime and ridiculous!
It was all a bit chaotic with paper everywhere!
Felix and Otto were tired and a bit overwhelmed.
In fact Felix was more than tired he was in pain. I will shortly have news of his condition. He has probably been seen by a doctor.
Jenny and Ruth took the boys home mid afternoon.
Matt and Suzie with Joel and Anna didn't stay for tea. But they were with us long enough to have a laugh and play.
Suzie and I studied a book that Roger had found for me (at a bazaar) which divides personality types into groups, according to points of the compass.
I decided I was a South person with yearnings to be more West.
Suzie is definitely West.
Joel was pleased with the air hockey game we had found at a car boot sale - its a good game. Everybody wanted a game.
Simon and Nicki were with us too.
Megan and Tom had already returned to London.
They are now planning for 2010 and the arrival of a new family member.
After The Cirencester Frosts had returned to their rabbits (don't ask!), Sue was assembling the tea table.
We were joined by Pete and Dabba.
Pete is an old school friend of Simon's and Bill and I have enjoyed Christmas celebrations with him for many years.
I wonder what they all did today. It has been tradition to go on a pub crawl walk across Salisbury Plain sometime in the week between Christmas and New Year.
The weather has been so foul here that I think I would have omitted the walking part and just concentrated on the pub part.
But the young ones might do it differently.
I have mentioned all the people we shared the day with - but the new arrival in the house was the star attraction.
The cat arrived only the day before.
Roger had chatted with a neighbour before Christmas who said that his daughter didn't really want the kitten she had been given.
Roger and Sue decided to offer it a home.
It has arrived with the name Willow - which may well remain its name (or not).
It might be female - but then again, it might be male.
Whichever - it is a kitten and beautiful. And so even tempered - having 14 people unwrapping presents didn't upset Willow at all.
Roger beams for the camera.
Roger and Jenny.
Roger receives a precious clock from Matt.
Suzie poses with Roger and Willow.
Simon and Nicki.
Nicki, looking every inch the elegant ballet dancer which she once was.
Joel can strum a few chords on the guitar.
Joel's sister, Anna. Anna is 8. She loves music and dancing - goes to ballet classes. 
A snap shot which has managed to capture lots of people.
Joel plays air hockey with Nicki.
Rog and Matt play air hockey.
A snap shot which includes me. I failed to get Bill in any picture. Shame!
And outdoors the green woodpeckers feasted on grubs and worms.
This was masterfully arranged by Roger and Sue in Wiltshire.
There were 16 of us there during the day - 14 for dinner.
We had eaten turkey and trimmings on the 25th, but sharing a meal with family makes it more special.
We had roast beef and turkey and I, if I counted correctly, 8 different types of vegetables with roast potatoes, two sorts of stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, gravy etc.
This was followed by Christmas pudding with cream, custard or rum butter. There was also a big trifle.
Thank you Sue.
After our meal there was present exchanging - both sublime and ridiculous!
It was all a bit chaotic with paper everywhere!
Felix and Otto were tired and a bit overwhelmed.
In fact Felix was more than tired he was in pain. I will shortly have news of his condition. He has probably been seen by a doctor.
Jenny and Ruth took the boys home mid afternoon.
Matt and Suzie with Joel and Anna didn't stay for tea. But they were with us long enough to have a laugh and play.
Suzie and I studied a book that Roger had found for me (at a bazaar) which divides personality types into groups, according to points of the compass.
I decided I was a South person with yearnings to be more West.
Suzie is definitely West.
Joel was pleased with the air hockey game we had found at a car boot sale - its a good game. Everybody wanted a game.
Simon and Nicki were with us too.
Megan and Tom had already returned to London.
They are now planning for 2010 and the arrival of a new family member.
After The Cirencester Frosts had returned to their rabbits (don't ask!), Sue was assembling the tea table.
We were joined by Pete and Dabba.
Pete is an old school friend of Simon's and Bill and I have enjoyed Christmas celebrations with him for many years.
I wonder what they all did today. It has been tradition to go on a pub crawl walk across Salisbury Plain sometime in the week between Christmas and New Year.
The weather has been so foul here that I think I would have omitted the walking part and just concentrated on the pub part.
But the young ones might do it differently.
I have mentioned all the people we shared the day with - but the new arrival in the house was the star attraction.
The cat arrived only the day before.
Roger had chatted with a neighbour before Christmas who said that his daughter didn't really want the kitten she had been given.
Roger and Sue decided to offer it a home.
It has arrived with the name Willow - which may well remain its name (or not).
It might be female - but then again, it might be male.
Whichever - it is a kitten and beautiful. And so even tempered - having 14 people unwrapping presents didn't upset Willow at all.
Roger beams for the camera.
Roger and Jenny.
Roger receives a precious clock from Matt.
Well, who knows the value? Matt rescued it from somebody about to throw it out!
Come on! This is a Frost Christmas - the cheaper the present, whether fine or stupid, the better it is!
Suzie poses with Roger and Willow.
Simon and Nicki.
Nicki, looking every inch the elegant ballet dancer which she once was.
Joel can strum a few chords on the guitar.
He has grown up so much in the last year and I found him to be really good company. He is 10 years old now.
I think he quite liked having an aunt who dared to be a bit outrageous!
Joel's sister, Anna. Anna is 8. She loves music and dancing - goes to ballet classes.
She is a sweetie!
A snap shot which has managed to capture lots of people.
Joel plays air hockey with Nicki.
Rog and Matt play air hockey.
A snap shot which includes me. I failed to get Bill in any picture. Shame!
And outdoors the green woodpeckers feasted on grubs and worms.
Today has been quiet at home.
I have been to the doctor today and am now on a longer course of antibiotics.
This evening we are going to a show - actors in masks. We saw their production last year and it was brilliant.
Jenny and Mike are coming with us.
