Wednesday 10 December 2008

December update

Here we are at the darkest part of the year, cold too. I have not written since October because things were piling up.

The kitchen was finished....it is fantastic and we have done so much great cooking in it.

The Japanese grandparents came for a week and we had fairish weather. We did not get to do all that much as I was ill and in bed for part of the week. A day trip to London, a trip to Standen and lots of trips to Wickendens in town (the very old sweet shop).

In November Adam turned 17, we celebrated with a meal out at his favourite eatery in town. The girls bought him a beautiful blue Saimese fighting fish, which very distressingly for all, died only two weeks later. He was spotty, therefore ill.

I too, turned a year older and had a great day. John gave me perfume and a frozen (dead) rabbit that he bought from the Farmer's Market for me to cook. I love the idea of game and have wanted to cook rabbit for some time now. The kids are not convinced.

We had dinner at home on my birthday after dropping in to a Dutch friend's house where they were celebrating Saint Nicolas and Black Peter's arrival. John had been asked to pound on the front door, which made all the kids inside scream, while they were trying to see who was at the door, my job was to sneak around to the back of the house and throw handfuls of ginger cookies and chocolate mice in through the window. The confectionary missiles caused even more screaming, but they loved it.....
Now we are in the middle of Christmas planning, and we are having a big party for John's 50th in January, at home, so that too is very much on my mind. I am going to take a day off work next week to start cooking. First of all, pork and chestnut stuffing balls....they are divine!
Hope you are all well.