It's been a quiet time for me over the last few months. The autumn into winter transition is always a favourite time of year for me, but it's also a time when I tend to isolate myself a little, to take a step back from things, and that's especially been the case this year. It was a quiet December, but a pleasant December, and now I'm excited to get back into the swing of things at home, at work, and here on the blog.
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How was your Christmas? Ours was calm and cosy, full of relaxation and fun.
On Friday Emily and Adam came for a visit and we have a lovely evening catching up over veggie curry and champagne. Then on Saturday we went to the Wolseley for a delicious lunch before going to see Hamilton. Which was AWESOME. Everything I'd hoped for. Then we waved Adam and Ems off and had a chilled evening of cocktails and Wahaca.
Christmas Eve was a day at home (I love how festive our sitting room looks!), wrapping the last few gifts, reading and relaxing with the cats. I made a piri piri rice dish and then we curled up with popcorn and cups of tea to watch Elf.
Christmas Day began with Smudge working out how to get into our bedroom through the window and making fast friends with our little tree up there. Then coffee and baked good before opening so many lovely gifts. I got thoroughly spoiled with books, toiletries, stationery, and the Kate Spade bag I'd been lusting over for months!
Matthew was a bit coldy, so he curled up for a sleep while I set the table and cooked dinner, while watching Love Actually. We had a proper feast - chicken and beef; roasties and mash; peas, sweetcorn, carrots & sprouts; stuffing and Yorkies; cranberry sauce and gravy. I don't have the sweetest tooth so the meal was a big treat! After the dishes were conquered we had an evening of Monopoly and poker, as well as finally drinking the port we had been gifted for our engagement (four and a half years ago!).
This picture of Poppet sums up our Boxing Day succinctly.
For supper I used the leftover beef to make a pasta sauce, along with peppers, onions, tomatoes and chilli. It was yummy, if I do say so myself, and so nice to enjoy a 'proper' meal after a day of snacking.
Boxing Day evening was booking hotels for our February trip (more on that to follow soon) & watching football for Matthew, and reading and It's A Wonderful Life for me. A perfect, quiet Christmas. And now it's the time for tidying, for catching up, and for getting back into the swing of things!
How are you spending your time between Christmas and New Year's? What do you have planned for NYE?
