Happy Christmas Everybody!

I've looked through the TV/Radio Listings magazine and hope to see/hear the few programmes that I think will be of interest. Radio wins out once again but there are fewer stand out shows than I remember in previous years and more than ever many are repeats from previous years. TV wise I hope to catch the TV showing of two popular animated characters(in the UK)but seemingly also favourites in other countries...Wallace and Gromit. One is a film that was released perhaps a year ago and the other is a specially made short for TV.

And a documentary on the great comic actor Stanley Baxter.

Update:The Wallace and Gromit short was the most popular programme on Christmas Day and pulled in around 14 million viewers which in this day and age where the population have so many interests and the audience is spread across many many channels that's good going.

I'm not sure what kind of a Christmas dinner we'll have this year. Mum is off her food or may find herself unable to eat as much as other years, I hope that I will manage to have some of what I have in the fridge and most can be cooked fresh or from frozen.

So that's turkey, potatoes(probably roasted, I may also do a few new potatoes, what doesn't get used will later)baby brussels sprouts, turnip, little sausages wrapped in bacon and some gravy(and some apple, sage and onion stuffing balls)

If Mum feels like it she can have some raspberry pavlova or a piece of Belgium Chocolate Truffle Gateau and I think I may have some fruit salad.

That's been changed slightly and made things even easier...I have opened some sliced sweet cure slices of pork already cooked, I'll hang onto my Turkey until the weekend or later. And I may use my ham joint this coming weekend.

If we get through that...I think we've done well.

I may offer a glass of wine or later try to make a cocktail using my newly acquired interest and look for a new sensation(alcoholic or otherwise)Or make my first Snowball(an old but easy favourite)all I have to decide is whether to make it large or just a small one between us. I have made certain or will that I have everything I need to make as many cocktails as I can and then find out what tastes similar so I can slim down what booze I have in the house. Sometimes it's just that the liqueurs are made by different companies.

There are so many possibilities...what have I been missing? I may have to invest in a blender. But look after my liver too. I never have been a drinker and have gone months and years without. Maybe an advantage/disadvantage of cocktails is that if you use vodka etc...you can get the effect but hide the flavour. There are few white wines I can say that I love and the same is true of beers. Red wine tastes like medicine to me, I am afraid.

As I write this at 4.30am(I am thinking for Breakfast)and for some time now I have been eating less, I am thinking of having a wholemeal bun spread with egg mayonnaise and some rashers of bacon inside)

I guess there isn't much else to think of today. I think my cough has improved but I have also managed to all but lose my voice. I'll do a little more tidying up around the house(and see if I can get things shipshape as things were allowed to get behind when Mum went into hospital and since she she came home my priority has been looking after her and cooking/feeding her.

We managed to eat our meal(and she ate all but a few sprouts)The cocktail is on for tomorrow...tonight it's a nice cup of tea.

If you are fortunate to be surrounded by loved ones, give them an extra hug, for many Christmas can also be a time of sorrow and loneliness. Material things come quite low on my list of important matters.