See I can do Festive

It has been a very heavy and tiring weekend. No sooner had I recovered from my hangover from Friday night, we went out again on Saturday. This time for a meal, but with another over indulgence in wine as well.

We got to Phil and Karen's about 6.30pm and had a glass of wine while we waited for Adrian and Rose to arrive. We then all went down to Stone Hall which is only about a mile down the road from Phil and Karen's house. It is a really lovely old mansion which is decorated in a very period manner and the dining room has low beams and an open fire, it is really atmospheric.

We had a wonderful meal. I had a twice baked cheese souffle, followed by Welsh lamb in a garlic butter sauce, which was cooked to perfection. For dessert I had chocolate ice-cream with Amaretto. As usual the company was brilliant and it was one of the best nights out we have had for ages.

Phil and Karen's daughter Becky picked us up later and we all went back to their house, where we stayed up talking until 3am. Sunday morning we had a long lazy lie in and didn't leave until 1pm.

When we got back we set about putting up the Christmas Tree. Personally I think it is too early and would prefer to do it next weekend but as usual Noel insisted with the excuse that we needed to get the tree early in order to get a big enough one! This year I have gone for silver and purple and I am really pleased with it. Below is a pic of it taken with the flash on.


And below is one without the flash but with the lights on. It looks very prettyful!!

I know these pictures are nearly the same as last year but I tried to be artistic again and take a reflective one in the hall mirror.

And this is a close up of some of the decorations.

Today I cleared the kitchen and had to go to Haverfordwest to run some errands and pay a pilgrimage to very big Tescos which as usual was a nightmare. When I got back I put the rest of the decorations up and embarked on a bit of a cooking marathon, making spaghetti bolognese, chorizo and red lentil soup, spinach and ricota cannalonni and lamb meatballs for tonight's tea.

Tomorrow I am back in work... yes my 16 days off is over again and my next one isnt until 14th January. I'm not particulary looking forward to it but there you go such is life.