Happy New Year

New Year's Eve and Santa was there too. What are the chances?

We are over that strange period that falls between Christmas and New Year and now it is all down hill now towards Spring. I popped down to Cornwall to visit Mark on the train in that lull while Sammi stayed at my place and got on with his essay writing. As ever, he has left bits he should have taken with him – par for the course. He did a grand job finishing off the Christmas leftovers and emptying my fridge. Due to a small misunderstanding with Amira, we had a massive kofta along with the Turkey for Christmas dinner. We had more leftovers than you could imagine!

I didn’t think my kitchen could cope with a super large turkey, and the myriad extras we serve besides, so I asked if Amira could make a small meat loaf so there would be enough meat to feed the hordes. I think Amira doesn’t cope with the word, “small” when it comes to food! Anyway, we had some of the leftovers of that as well. Sammi who is “vegetarian” loves the kofta. There are few dishes with more meat in than a kofta but as long as we describe Amira’s kofta as “vegan”, he is happy! He can’t resist it.

Kofta!

Sammi has a good theory about Amira and her cooking. There is always takeaways for us in plastic containers when we visit Naser’s place but the family politely refuse to take anything cooked by me from my place. This can only mean that my cooking isn’t up to scratch. Here is a New Year’s Resolution number one – up my game with cooking!

On Boxing Day I boiled the turkey bones down for broth for Shadow and Lucky. They like my cooking. Sadly, while I was away, Shadow became quite ill. She has difficulty walking. She is still very wobbly on her feet. Danielle has been feeding her the broth through a syringe and hand feeding her food. This poor old dog seems happy enough. She doesn’t bark any more but she can make it into the garden for a wee now and again. Ezra-Mae told me to be kind to her as she is poorly. Good advice!

Ezra-Mae with Shadow 

One of the highlights of my trip to Cornwall was a free game of crazy golf. Mark had two putters and normal golf balls. The course had seen better days and had added unintentional hazards. When we got there small children were using it as a cycle course. My competitiveness kicked in. I am left-handed but I was playing with a right-handed putter. Clearly I had an excuse for losing. Final score – I lost by two holes – not too shabby. I take my hat off to Mark who managed a hole in one. He hit the ball, it left bounced over the edge of the course, rolled on the grass, bounced back over the kerb, rolled around the hole at least three times and dropped in – pure skill! I couldn’t match that – I was outplayed.

I can recommend the train down to Cornwall. This journey was a good experience. The transfers were seamless and the trains were all on time. On the way home I had to get from Paddington to Euston. I walked off the platform at Paddington, walked round the corner and got straight on the Circle Line to Euston Square.

I picked up a train 30 minutes before my connection and was in the Barley Mow well before closing time to see the New Year in. Danielle picked me up at MK Central so I even got to wish her a Happy New Year.

Along with everyone else I have made my resolutions. If I had stuck to half of those I have made over my life, I would be as fit as an Olympian. However, I don’t have a good track record on sticking to my plans. Optimism keeps me trying though and I never give up. I might be able to cook something worthy before next Christmas if I work on it! Who knows!

So now we have got to the first weekend of the year and it is extremely cold and snowy. We had the warmest Christmas since records began and now it has slipped well below freezing. I feel sorry for my plants. My bulbs were sprouting before Christmas and now they will suffer. One of my shrubs hasn’t lost its leaves this year. They don’t know where they are. Sometimes I’m a bit like that – I don’t know what day of the week it is even when it isn’t the Christmas season.