Christmas Eve 2018 2040

Most of the shopping is done, Alice came with me this evening. I am dubious about the parsnips though. We have just one and it is huge but she assured me it was a parsnip. I have never roasted one before and I can but hope. Doesn't look like a parsnip.....

Potatoes are still to be sourced. There is little doubt I will end up with Lanzhou Leftovers, crappy things that even parboiling sees them disintegrate. I was hoping the half-decent ones would come back in season but no luck. I have to make the best of it.

The soup is made. Acceptable but not to me. Not “peaey” enough. No more split ones here so in the morning I will use my tin of processed ones in hope and chuck in a spud to thicken it. I need to bake a loaf too, the baguettes that are out of date are not up to scratch.

Families all over the world have someone fretting over such things right now. I would love to say I am immune but last night was a horror. I woke up in the dark and panicked because I couldn't feel my phone. It wasn't there simply because I don't need the alarm until Thursday! I thought I had to go to teach.

And then there were the weird dreams. I had started at a new campus and some arsehole came into my class and berated me for my teaching and God knows how that came into it, my catalogue deliveries! All this in front of the students.

When I awoke I was ready to go into battle with this school bigwig, it was that realistic. Stupid really, in real life I would never allow anyone to dress me down anywhere other than in private!

And it simply has to be because I am cooking for five others tomorrow. Bloody idiotic seeing as I cook for four of them weekly anyway and they love my food. But I know they are expecting a Christmas dinner to email home about and not just bolognese and apple pie. They won't get that. I know it, so why the disturbed nights??

Anyway, no snow here, I haven't seen a Christmas tree, tinsel or anything Christmassy in the shops. Now I am not against such things but I am glad, certainly in the UK they overdo it with festive stuff starting in October.

No tree here. Crackers yes and with luck good food and booze. Company and again with luck (and hats from the crackers) a good time for four people far from home and the two who aren't but who have never celebrated a western Christmas.

So for the final time this year, to all my readers wherever you are and whoever you are with may your day be joyous and the food at least be edible.

Now if I had the money I would go to Russia as their Christmas day is on the 7^th January!

Merry Christmas and remember it is NOT Happy Holidays!!!