Sunday 30 December 2007

Oh happy days

Good afternoon my lovelies. Well, it's been, we did it, all went without a hitch, and a wonderful day was had by all. I really can't write much more or you might all barf at the total gush-fest that is how I feel about how much of a fabulous and lovely time I've had with people who were great friends but now feel more like family. Maybe they will be able to tell you in better words in the comments box...

In an attempt to share the happy happy joy joy that was our Christmas I've compiled this remix using Photobucket which I'm hoping is going to work or I'm going to feel like a bit of a doofus. Excuse the music choice by way but they didn't have a great deal of holiday selection.






Wednesday 19 December 2007

Christmas by Delia/Christmas by Dizz

The reasons why are far too long and complicated to explain here (try me after a few glasses of wine and lots of music) but this year, my parentals are off to my sister's house for Christmas Day, leaving me to my own devices. Oh thinks I, how can I make Christmas fun? I know, I'll ask Fizz and Wavey if they want to join me in my celebrations. And so it goes that Christmas dinner will be at Dizz's house.

I've only ever made Christmas dinner once before. For 12 people. We told everyone to come round at 2pm, have some drinks, dinner would be served at 3pm. In reality, at 2pm we were still in the very large queue at the supermarket, by 3pm we were throwing the turkey in the oven (forgetting to take out the plastic bag that contained the giblets), by 4pm our guests were sozzled after drinking solidly for 2 hours. I could barely see to cut the carrots and other assorted vegetables as I was so drunk in an effort to make it all seem okay. It was actually around about 9pm when we finally served up the meal. By which time everyone was so hammered we could have served up beans on toast and everyone would have been convinced it was the best Christmas dinner they'd ever eaten. I was hoping that this year's effort would be much improved...

...until I got the Delia book from T at work. All was fine until I read the introduction that suggested we should have started planning the dinner in October. Cue a sinking heart from Dizz. Oh deary me. (Oh just to translate for our international readers, Delia is a British institution, mothers worship at her feet, fathers adore her cos not only does she cook and look hawt in an apron, but she also owns a football team or some such nonsense like that; hope that clears your confusion up!) Good start then, seeing as we're already 3 months behind and have only 5 days until the actual event.

Phew, no need to panic, the last 36 hours are the most important. I will now somewhat wittily show you how Delia's 36 hours and Dizz's 36 hours will differ.

1. Christmas Eve early am: Delia suggests we do last minute Christmas shopping, Dizz will still be in bed as everyone knows that the holidays means staying in bed til 11am everyday
2. Christmas Eve mid morning: Delia says this is when the turkey arrives, Dizz knows the turkey will be living in Wavey's freezer so it will be up to him to defrost it thoroughly and bring it round. Wavey knows Dizz very well and realises that should he bring the turkey round mid morning he will be forcing Dizz to answer the door in her pyjamas which we all know is a major sin in Fizz's book, and so to sum up, mid morning, still in the bed
3. The next instruction is for Giblet stock for the gravy. Hmmm, I was thinking that packet of turkey gravy would work a treat
4. Christmas Eve later am: Delia suggests the preparation of the vegetables, Dizz is still thrown by the concept that anyone suggests she rise at any time that is in the a.m
5. Christmas Eve early pm: Delia says make trifle. We have to have trifle? I thought we had Christmas pudding for pudding, confused
6. Christmas Eve 3pm: Carols and baking for Delia. I can do carols, just ask T at work, I've been singing them all week. And I can bake. But as I've missed out on all the morning preparations I'm thinking that I should probably be playing catch up. Oh and I need a recipe for trifle too by the sounds of it.
7. Christmas Eve later pm: Stuff the turkey. Ding dang doo, bring on the onion baby, I'm a shoving it up yo ass :o)
8. Lots of recipes for stuffing. Hmmm again, I'm thinking packet mix will be just dandy
9. Christmas Eve early evening: Accompaniments. This means making our own sauces apparently. What is this confusion? Doesn't Delia buy anything ready made? Jars baby, that's what jars are for!
10. Get ahead! If I'm still on my feet by this time I can prepare the bread sauce and the rum sauce. See number 9.
11. Christmas Eve before I go to bed: Midnight mass? Spiced cider, sausage rolls and pickled onions...before bed? Ugh. Oh and I need 6ozs butter to soften for the morning. That's a lot of toast!
12. Christmas Day early am: There's some nonsense about children in there. Don't have any of them. Clearly I will be staying in bed, then opening presents, the thinking about what I might wear, which shoes, how will I do my hair...what was that about a turkey?
13. Christmas Day 7.45am: HELLO? What does number 12 mean if we're only at 7.45? Oh.My.God. Oh and I should be putting the turkey in about now...
14. Christmas Day 8.55am: Take a break! Sheesh, thanks Delia. If I have to be up that early I just won't bother going to bed!
15. For the next several hours my day is devoted to wearing an apron, welcoming my guests, and preparing a gazillion homemade sauces and various seasonal vegetables.
16. Christmas Day 2pm: Dinner is served! Dizz goes for a lie down to recover.
17. Christmas Day a little later: Pudding is up. Which we have to set fire to. Good job I don't live far from the fire station.
18. At the end Delia kindly suggests that I can stretch out, fill my glass and have a Very Happy Christmas!

I used to like Delia.

Any helpful suggestions to make the Dizz Christmas easier will of course be welcomed. Please? Anyone? xx

Sunday 16 December 2007

Iiiiiiiiiiiiiit's Christmas!

Oh yes, the festive season is well and truly upon us now as Christmas has arrived in Dizz's house in the form of much tinsel and sparkly lights. Since it's all about the visuals at the moment here are some photos for your delight:

The tree:
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The fireplace-y thing:
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The pretty fairy lights don't show up very well in either picture. To appreciate the full beauty you'll just have to pop round for a visit. Whilst you're there you can enjoy the oh so comfortable new sofas!

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And in close up:
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Oh Dizz is a happy bunny. I've been playing Christmas songs all day on my stereo. I bet the neighbours love me: "All I want for Christmas is yooooooouuuuu...and yooooouuuuu...and yooooouuuuuu..."

Ta-ta xx

Saturday 15 December 2007

In the meantime, you will look artistic

It's Saturday. Which means that it's fun day round at Fizz's. Today the fun included a red ink pad, a green ink pad, a black felt tip pen, cardboard, and a lot of mess. So you intrigued yet?

We started off quite small with Santa:
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Moved onto Rudolph:
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Then we had to honour the blog:
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Whose that flying by in his sleigh:
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Getting more ambitious...
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Now that really is coolio!
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And here's one I did earlier:
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Nice balls:
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And there you have it, Saturday afternoon fun for Fizz and Dizz.

Oh, by the way, it's official now. The festive season is finally upon us for real as I've now heard Fairytale of New York not once, but twice in the space of one day. Merry Christmas!

Wednesday 12 December 2007

LOL

Well would you look at that? For all of November I was there (almost) everyday and since then, where's Dizz? My only excuse is that I'm trying desperately to get myself organized for the approaching fast festivities...am not doing such a good job. I spent 2 hours of last night writing Christmas cards and that was just the ones for work, sheesh, there's a lot of people where I work!

Anyhoo, the reason I entitled this post LOL is that I've been doing a LOT of laughing lately! On Monday it was Fizz's birthday. At her request, we headed off to the cinema to see The Golden Compass, oh it was mighty fine. I liked the bears, grrrrrrr, they were really quite amazing. And I've decided that I want to be a witch cos Serafina Pekala was one cool lay-dee. On the drive home, from the back of the car Wavey said something that started us off laughing and we continued on and on and on and on and, yep, you guessed it, on, until we were laughing so hard that we had lost the ability to breathe. By this time we were also in serious danger of crashing the car cos Fizz was laughing so hard. So we literally pulled over to the side of the road. And just when I thought that I'd got myself under control I started again...by the time I got home I had to lie down cos my stomach was hurting soooooo much. Eeeeh it was funny.

The other laughing incident was on Sunday whilst watching Elf. Hardly a life changing movie by any means but there was one bit that was so funny, I bellowed out laughing and had to rewind it to watch again by which time the tears were pouring down my cheeks. The bit in question was when they were putting up the Christmas tree and they had to put the star on top. The tree was massively high so Will did this thing where he ran with the star, jumped on the sofa, landed on the tree and then it collapsed...see I type that and it doesn't sound funny at all, but trust me, it was fuuuuuuny. I'm sure that when I put my own tree up at the weekend I'll still be laughing. Although no sofa jumping will be happening...

...from MY NEW SOFA! Oh yes, they're all here. Photos next time I promise!

And on that note, I have to go and laugh again at the scene from Elf.
Ta-ta xx

Thursday 6 December 2007

Woohoo!

Welcome home Tizz!!!!!!