Good day all....good night

Well, that were a reet good day, weren' it? Got to our friend's house at eleven to start the roasties (planning on a late one thirty for two o'clock start), to find the thermostat of the oven had crashed and the bird was already done! Attempted a turning but decided better to cover it in a wet cloth and leave it out for an hour of two. Fortunately, roasties (which we boiled to soft) crisped up nicely under their flour and olive oil, and in record time too. We all sat down to a super lunch at one o'clock and as usual, over-did it. 8 hours later we got home, hoping never to see turkey, Christmas pud & brandy butter, or indeed cognac ever again. Several glasses of water and a few minutes with a good book has calmed the waters. We'll get up early to wash up yesterday's breakfast things!

Nic, how did your meal turn out? We all know a turkey dinner takes hours to prepare and minutes to eat but just to set the record straight, how quickly did your extended Singaporean family take to strip the bird to the bone? I'd love to have been there with you all - don't know if I'd have got much turkey though, eh? Still, 16lbs is no wee babbie. Roll on Hogmanay?! Get yourself a haggis, some coal, a bottle of Tallisker, an anthology of Burns poetry and introduce the family to some more wacky traditions! Lest old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind.....etc.

Thanks for all the bits and bobs Ma and Pa. I've yet to get the code-cracking juices flowing but as I'm reading the Da Vinci Code it is certainly the hot topic of the day! The girls were very pleased with their jewellery which we divided up on your behalf. I won't list what we all got now though! Suffice to say we had a really nice day and Jess has flicked a few shots with her new digital Olympus that we'll try to download tomorrow.

Goodnight all - loads of love; Pete, Jan and the girls.

ps. Congratulations Mandy and John! You chose a good day....
pps. Ruth, do you eat jambon? No doubt in my mind that Julian does.