It's been gale season here all week on our smallholding in the countryside next to the sea. The only ones who are getting wet and the cobwebs blown away are us humans. The cattle are either chewing their cud or eating nuts and oats or tucking into the hay. The pigs are inside their house either sleeping in the straw or eating vegetable and pig ration and oats.
We have been tidying and swearing at the state of the work sheds. Nuts and bolts and washers all over the floor, old drink cans ("pop" not beer), old oily rags and all manner of farm flotsam and jetsam and detritus. I found quite a lot of rubbish too!
Any road. Since my parents went to heaven for their eternal rest and meet up with all their friends and family. Christmas just isn't Christmas any more. My mother use to say:
"If I end up in Hell or Heaven. I am sure to know somebody."
Christmas is no longer the same especially when your kids become teenagers. You don't even see Mary Chipperfield or Billy Smarts Circus on the television any more. So we decided the other year to change the Christmas dinner menu a bit.
Last year we had a beef curry and a buffet with pizza, onion bhajis, sausage rolls, cheese cake ("my favourite") and what ever else anybody wanted. There's no eating a turkey and all the trimmings and the wife gets a rest instead of waiting on her men folk. Best of all there is none of the left overs on boxing day and for the next week. You know the usual:
"Turkey sandwiches, turkey curry, cold turkey (when the beer runs out) turkey and turkey.."
This is sounding like the Monty Python 'Spam' sketch.
"Spam and Chips, Spam egg and chips..."
We have decided we are going to have a Mexican Christmas.
Chilli Con Carne , Chicken Wraps, Nachos, dips... What ever Aldi have in their Mexican range. I just need some ponchos and some sombreros and make a Mexican cocktail. I will be able to say to the wife;
"Hey Gringo."
Do you have a different Christmas menu? I mean you have never had turkey and sprouts and all the trimmings before have you? Do you do anything different? One year I went for an hike. If I could just press my hibernation button and wake up in Spring. Or at least when it's all over.
We have been tidying and swearing at the state of the work sheds. Nuts and bolts and washers all over the floor, old drink cans ("pop" not beer), old oily rags and all manner of farm flotsam and jetsam and detritus. I found quite a lot of rubbish too!
Any road. Since my parents went to heaven for their eternal rest and meet up with all their friends and family. Christmas just isn't Christmas any more. My mother use to say:
"If I end up in Hell or Heaven. I am sure to know somebody."
Christmas is no longer the same especially when your kids become teenagers. You don't even see Mary Chipperfield or Billy Smarts Circus on the television any more. So we decided the other year to change the Christmas dinner menu a bit.
Last year we had a beef curry and a buffet with pizza, onion bhajis, sausage rolls, cheese cake ("my favourite") and what ever else anybody wanted. There's no eating a turkey and all the trimmings and the wife gets a rest instead of waiting on her men folk. Best of all there is none of the left overs on boxing day and for the next week. You know the usual:
"Turkey sandwiches, turkey curry, cold turkey (when the beer runs out) turkey and turkey.."
This is sounding like the Monty Python 'Spam' sketch.
"Spam and Chips, Spam egg and chips..."
We have decided we are going to have a Mexican Christmas.
Chilli Con Carne , Chicken Wraps, Nachos, dips... What ever Aldi have in their Mexican range. I just need some ponchos and some sombreros and make a Mexican cocktail. I will be able to say to the wife;
"Hey Gringo."
Do you have a different Christmas menu? I mean you have never had turkey and sprouts and all the trimmings before have you? Do you do anything different? One year I went for an hike. If I could just press my hibernation button and wake up in Spring. Or at least when it's all over.
Hi Dave, thanks for dropping by my blog :) we are going for goose this year. I love a full Chrimbo dinner, but your idea sounds fun too !
ReplyDeleteTwiggy
Hi Twiggy. I think the novelty of Christmas dinner is no longer special for so many of us. I don't suppose it really matters what we eat or drink. It's more of a day for celebrating Jesus birthday, being with loved one's and remembering those who will never share a Christmas meal or drink (I'll toast my parents) with again. It's tripe when your kids no longer believe in Father Christmas. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have not done Christmas for years, especially since we came to France. Cooking a full on Christmas dinner in a caravan kitchen was never going to happen, and then once we moved into the house I still found some excuse to avoid the effort of all that cooking. But not this year. Yes, I am going to do it, not in the hugely grand style of family Christmas Days in the past, but just me and Lester, eating a Christmas dinner in between getting the animals up and fed, and then putting them back to bed with their supper!
ReplyDeleteBut I think your idea is a super one, and I have no doubt that once I have a 'proper' kitchen I shall invent Christmas meals which are different to the traditional one which I could can standing on my head!
In case I don't get round to saying this: Thankyou so much for your blogging support, and I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Mexican Christmas, and that 2015 is a very kind year to you all. Vx
Hi Vera. You sound like you and Lester have got your forever home. Yes the livestock always need feeding and you don't get a proper day off when you live on a smallholding. I could never be a dairy farmer, milking twice a day.
DeleteThank you so much for your blogging support Vera. Your blog and the other ones I follow keep me going and lets hope 2015 is great for everybody. Peace on Earth and a wonderful Christmas, Vera.
My nan used to take me to Billy Smart's Circus every summer when i was a mere wisp of a girl. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's the trouble with turkey, it goes on...and on...and on. We haven't decided what we're having yet, but i know it won't be turkey as no one in our house really likes it.
Have a lovely Christmas Dave!
Hi Deb. Why you not blog for a while? I always enjoy reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteBilly Smarts Circus was always watched religiously in our house a long with the queen's speech - yawn!
What about a sirloin steak for Christmas Dinner? The dog and cat get any left overs and we don't get up on Boxing Day and see the half ate Turkey. I think it's very dry and plain and boring.
Have a lovely Christmas Deb and I look forward to reading your blog!
I not blog for a while cos I've been busy setting up my other blog - not that I'm plugging it ;-)
DeleteNow that's an idea, sirloin steak.
Enjoy your Mexican Dave and all the best for 2015.
I looked at your other blog - it's good and very informative. A good steak is far nicer than Turkey. Happy Christmas Deb.
DeleteThanks Dave, and to you. :-)
DeleteHope to be in South of France for Christmas, it's not so hectic there, the celebration foods seem to be oranges and oysters (strange combination?) and all the hype is a lot more low-key.
ReplyDeleteJust the wife and myself, so it's going to be quiet, just how we like it.
Dinner is to be chicken thighs, there's no oven so it's only the slow cooker, microwave and gas hob, a full roast fowl is not possible. Not that it bothers us, the veg are high quality. I need to take some gravy granules and stuffing, neither of which I've seen in France.
Ex-wife used to get a huge turkey every year for 34 years despite the fact that I told her I don't like turkey, I think more of it went to land-fill than we ate.
You'll need some tequila for the Mexican idea, but be careful with it........
One tequila, two tequila, three tequila.......floor.
Oranges and oysters? They have Tangerines in the local supermarket. They are labelled "easy peelers." I always smile when I read instant coffee labels telling you how to make a cup of coffee. Why don't weather forecasters say:
Delete"Don't eat that yellow snow"?
The South of France sounds amazing. Will it still be warm there?
Is Tequila the Mexican spirit with the grub (maggot) in the bottle?
Thanks Cumbrian!
Should be between 14 - 18 c, and sunny this week, so hopefully a bit warmer than UK. Rain threatened for next week-end.
DeleteNot sure if tequila is the spirit with the bug in the bottle, I think it's traditionally drunk with a large pinch of salt and sometimes a slice of lemon.
Sounds excellent, Cumbrian. We have frost forecast for Christmas night. Every year we say we will go away for Christmas, but we never do. Are the pubs/bars open in France on Christmas day? They are closed in Ireland and Good Friday. Must be a long day for anybody living on their own.
ReplyDeleteYeah I remember people selling Tequila at Glastonbury Festival in 1989 for ten bob a shot. There were also folk queuing up for paper plates full of chicken for a fiver. Looked like the bluebottles were include in the price. Me and my mate decided to have a pint of scrumpy each for breakfast.
Apparently the grub is a myth. The Mexicans harvest the blue Agave plant to make tequila. If you get a grub in the bottle it's a moth that infests the blue Agave plant. I know Asda sell Tequila. We don't have them here. Will have a look in Tesco or make up a cocktail instead.
I've seen one bar open on Christmas day, it was an outside one as well, but it was closed on Boxing day.
DeleteAll the shops are closed at least on Christmas day, but the boulangeries open Boxing day.
I thought a boulangeries was a place that sold budgies, Cumbrian. No seriously. It's a place that sell fresh bread isn't it? Have a great time and please post a report of your Christmas holiday in France.
DeleteBoulangeries are bread bakers, they usually have a table or two outsidw where their customers can sit and have a cup of cafe au lait and a fag. Patesseries are cake / sweet pastry bakers, boucheries are butchers.
DeleteDon't know what the place is called where they sell budgies.
That sounds like a fab xmas day! I have been trying for years to persuade my family to have pasties on the beach on xmas day but they protest loudly!
ReplyDeleteHi Chickpea. People in Australia celebrate Christmas on Bondi Beach. Why not have pasties on the beach in England - great idea! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteA traditional one for us, I just brought the turkey yesterday. I'd like to see a picture of all of you in your sombreros on Christmas Day, the thought of it makes me smile! I do love Mexican food and we normally use some of the turkey to make wraps.
ReplyDeleteHave a good one gringo!
Hi Kev. I found some sombreros for sale online and told the missus and she said;
ReplyDelete"Don't be so so bloody stupid."
So we won't be dressing up for our Mexican Christmas.
You have a good Christmas gringo too!
𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬/ 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐬 / 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐫. Kham. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐄𝐒) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬. 𝐢 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧-𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐄𝐒 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐫. Kham 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐒𝐕-𝟐 𝐬𝐨 𝐢 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐫. Kham 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐢 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲! 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐚 (UPS 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞)𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬! 𝐢 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 (𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝! 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢 𝐚𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐰! 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐞! 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐨𝐧 dr.khamcaregiver@𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬-𝐚𝐩𝐩 +𝟐𝟑𝟒8159922297 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 him on his website: drkhamherbalhealingcenter.wordpress.com/
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