Boxing Day Piccies

Christmas 2008

So Christmas is over but I thought I owed it to my page to do a little updating. This years Crimbo was a bit weird as neither of my brothers were around- I felt like an only child :( but Nick and Emily joined us for the morning and the grandparents came along late morning time. I have to say the Christmas grubsy was a masterpeice, I'm not usually a turkey eater but this was pretty delicious. My compliments to the chef.
OOOO I got lots of exciting things, including Dawn French's autobiography 'Dear Fatty', a personal Digital radio which will be mighty handy on the somewhat trechorous bus journey to work every day and a few CD's I was after. My brother in Cambodia posted over a cool bag that will go very well with the dress I got just before Xmas. Adrian got me lots of very cool dog related goodies, and a silver pen with my name and a little message engraved on it. All very kind of everyone.

Of course we must'nt forget its Ralphs first ever Christmas too. As you'll see in the photos he rather enjoyed himself and got stuck right into his rather overside Christmas sack. He even had his own Christmas dinner complete with doggie gravy.

A good amount of Christmas tele was watched, including the new Wallace and Gromit, which is a lot better than 'The Curse of the Wear Rabbit' if you ask me.
Boxing day was filled with the usual activities, my grandad and dad slept in the chair in front of football whilst my nan, Emily and Mum played Scrabble pretty much to the death.


A rather jolly Xmas was had by all. :)

Crimbo Piccies

Christmas Eve - La Buvette

We had a bit of an unusual Christmas Eve this year. Myself and Adrian, Mum and dad, Emily and Nick all went out to La Buvette (A french restaurant in Richmond). It was quite a posh place so evening wear was required. Emily and Nick were kind enough to have bought me a really nice sleevless dress a couple of weeks before in a little one off shop called Luella's Boutique so I was all kitted out for the evening. I couldnt help but splash the cash a bit and buy some bright pink shoes and a handbag to go with my dress.

I think just about everyone ordered the 'steak onglet'. And this was the most amazing steak I have ever eaten in my entire life. It was so rare it was practically mooing at me from the plate but it was absolutely delicious with a garlic sauce on top. We had a really lovely aperatif (sp??!!?) before hand and then got onto the wine. Oh, then an ameretto, oooo and then a few more if memory serves me rightly. Good evening was had by all, a very nice way to see in Christmas:)

Christmas Yipyap!

YO HO HO, Christmas is upon us again. I'm back to work and everyone there is getting well into the festivities. We all got involved in a secret santa so I recieved a mini game of articulate - rather cool I must say. When I eventually end up travelling I might well take that with me to keep the old noggin' occupied on long journeys.
The Christmas shopping was done well in advance this year, well.... started well in advance anyway. But as is usual, it went all awry, the company I bought some of the gifts from went bust with little explanation if any as to how they intended to pay me back. But we wont dwell there. I got some rather cool bits and bobs for people as I finally have a little cash to play with this year which is a nice feeling, this means my nearest and dearest arent limited to a fiver each anymore - about time me thinks!!
The wrapping was completed today, in front of some Christmas trash tele. I'm rather excited to hear that Wallace and Gromit are coming back this year for another bash. But even more excited to see the Gavin and Stacey Crimbo special on Xmas Eve. Set your videos to record people, this is gonna be a good one.

Mums Birthday

I did some forward planning in preparation for mums birthday this year as I had a bit of time off work and so could shop around a bit. Mum had a great night out in 'ReHab' - a swanky Italian that Emily used to work at in Colliers wood. Mum and dad went all out on a pizza and myself and Adrian discovered the wonder that is Calzone... wow - that was a parma ham explosion!! The food was awesome and Emily made a great banoffee pie back at hers, complete with candels so we got to sing happy birthday to mum and they exchanged some gifts (some Molton Brown hand cream - smelt amazing so i may be borrowing some of that!!?!?).
My shopping in advance paid off as I managed to get a really cool hairdryer that mum was after but am still awaiting the CD I ordered for her which is a bit of a bummer. She got loads of cool goodies and spent the afternoon lunching with friends and doing a little shopping - well deserved I say. I spent the day in the kitchen creating an 'alternative' to the standard birthday cake in the form of a giant chocolate chip cookie - recipe courtesy of Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall. I iced it with butter cream and wrote on it with icing. It looked awesome but tasted the sweetest I've ever tasted ever.... and gave me that sickly headache you get when theres a proper sugar rush!! ewww.. perhaps I went overboard on the choc chips afterall. But the cherry cookies were a success I'm pleased to report and people are asking for a bigger christmas delivery... I think my week of baking has finally drawn to a close... the plain flour ran out basically and I'm too broke to buy more ingrediants to the world of cookie lovers will just have to wait until next year...

Christmas Gathering

Christmas gathering again at the Marriott hotel. This time we had Aunts and Uncles, cousins, grandparents and our other halfs there. Much fun was had, a few piccies taken. And far too much wine was consumed (mostly by myself, mum and Emily) but it was very good wine to be fair. I went a little overboard on the ham and accidently drenched it in olive oil - didnt taste great, Adrian happily took on the mantle and downed the lot for me. Good Lad!

Adrian and I finished off the afternoon by walking Ralphie along the sea front as the sun set. It was beautiful, but i'd forgotten my camera which was really annoying. I hadnt been along southsea sea front in many years and it brought back quite a few childhood memories. Ralph also enjoyed his first seaside experience even if he was frozen solid by the end. As a side note, i think its worth mentioning that the dogs down south are far less friendly than the ones up here in the big smoke! They kept growling at Ralph bot, not very nice at all.
The evening ended with nan filling us with home made sausage rolls and cakes of all varieties - she puts on a dam good spread does my nan. We were all exhausted.

Ralph and Jo (The lab puppy) and Jo (girl human Jo)

Ralphie met an awesome labrador puppy who ploughed me over while he was running after Ralph. He actually wore Ralph out which is pretty tough to do. I took some pics anywho.
He also got the chance to spend an afternooon with my friend (also named Jo) where he licked her to death.