This year we are going away for Christmas. Wonderful! No decorations to put up, no extra cooking, I can keep working until the day we leave. Then my daughter asked if I would make a Christmas pudding as homemade ones taste so much better. Okay, that's not too much hassle. I made one large and one small and put them on to steam, became immersed in my writing and when I went back the small one had melted to the bottom of the saucepan. Thank goodness the larger one still had a millimetre of water left in the saucepan. My husband complained thatif he was paid for the time it took him to resurrect the saucepan I could have bought a dozen Christmas puddings from Marks & Spencer's.
Then my daughter asked me to make chocolate mousses, fair enough, very easy to do. But these chocolate mousse had to be three types of chocolate and layered! A hundred bowls and two hours fiddling about and then there's the problem of transporting them tomorrow.
In the current economic climate we had decided not to give presents, the grandchildren getting money. Then my daughter said we should buy adults something but not spend more than £10. Do you know, that's almost as difficult as looking for presents in the normal way -- and there's still just as many to wrap up this afternoon.
I was also reminded politely to make sure the dog had been groomed (she's coming with us of course) and to give her a bath. That joy to come later today.
This is without driving 130 miles at the crack of dawn on Christmas Day hoping not to be held up in traffic jams on the M25.
So much for the joys of going away. Next year the family can all come to me as usual.
Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year to everyone.
Fenella Miller
The Ghosts Of Neddingfield Hall ISBN 9780709086901 Robert Hale
The House Party ISBN 9780799085362 Robert Hale
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