Christmas Week

Presents under the tree

Wednesday was a day of getting jobs done before finishing up for Christmas, fortunately the weather was dry but cold and windy again. I moved the pallet of compost that's sat in front of the sales area for weeks round to the back of the office, good exercise, if a bit wet as the bags were soaking. The cafe flowers are standing up well with their conifer, holly and cones, so I topped up the water and watered the plants on the sales table. Another two trolleys of plants made their way to the tunnel. All the Crocosmias have been re potted and a couple of trays of Chrysanthemums split and potted and once watered, they were lined up in the tunnel for the winter. It was an early finish as we were taking Bracken to the vet and then were going to Granny's for tea. Bracken got his staples out and cone off, so he is a very happy dog for Christmas.

Eldest and middle son with Bracken at Granny's house

Thursday, last day before Christmas and after a long lie David and I went to the nursery and packed up the pop up shop. We treated ourselves to coffee and cake, wished everyone a merry Christmas and headed off home. I divided up the list of jobs needed done around the house and for Christms dinner prep between the six of us, making my life much easier and less stressful. In the evening David went and collected Becky and Adam. Sadly Becky is only visiting for the evening as she's working on Christmas day. We opened presents and had plates of mincemeat pies and truffles before David took Becky back into town in the late evening.

Christmas selfie

Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you are spending it with loved ones and your day is filled with love, laughter and happiness. After a bit of a long lie we all gathered to open presents, everyone was happy with what they got, whew. Although David and I have booked a weekend away in February as our Christmas present to each other, I got a surprise gift too. A lovely wee bat charm for my bracelet, appropriate and cute. It gets better, from Bracken I got Jack Russell charm!

My new bat charm

A Jack Russell charm for my bracelet from Bracken

The what's in here pose

What every teenager wants, an inflatable candy
cane, lol

This year's Christmas cake

Festive dresser

A lot of pigs in blankets

Starters

After the kids went off to spend an hour away with their Dad, we started cooking and putting the finishing touches to Christmas dinner. I'm only catering for six this year, which is a fraction of what I used to do, in some ways that's a good thing, in others not. Our menu this year was

Toast bites, pate and a plum and apple chutney

Roast turkey crown

a mountain of pigs in blankets

stuffing wrapped in pancetta

stuffing loaf

roast potatoes

sprouts with chestnuts and caramelised onions

maple syrup roasted parsnips

orange and ginger carrots

braised red cabbage and apple

thick luxury port gravy

Chocolate orange cheesecake

Christmas pudding

Celebrating

Chocolate orange cheesecake

Merry Christmas from Bracken

Boxing day was very wet but fortunately we were below the snow line. After a really bad nights sleep I had a relaxing day catching up on chores. I scrubbed out the wee fish tank and it looks so much better. The large tank got a normal clean, accounts caught up on and a host of other small jobs done. Dinner was a very easy affair, a cheese fest!

 
 

Sunday and an mixed weather day with the morning spent catching up on emails and "stuff". In the aternoon we piled into the cars and went for a walk along part of Roslin Glen. It was great to get out in the fresh air and stretch ourselves, only a couple of miles but enough that the anti-walkers didn't complain too much. There is a ruin of an gunpowder mill at the side of the river under the trees and a blanket of fallen leaves. From there we walked up onto the disused railway path for 10 minutes or so before returning to the car via the road from Roslin Castle Stat

Ruins in Roslin Glen

Bracken in Roslin Glen

Roslincastle Station

Roslyn Chapel from the road

Monday and another poor night's sleep, not sure what's going on but pretty fed up with it! The weather was dry so I headed outdoors to tidy and water the greenhouses. I've switched the heater off again as the weather is so unseasonally warm! After picking off the dead leaves and potting up a couple of cacti and watering, I got on with the task of lifting leaves on the patio and steps up to to the greenhouse. An hour or two later all the leaves were lifted and put in the compost heap, though my back wasn't happy the place certainly looked a lot better. I suspect after storm Frank or whatever it is has rolled through, there will be plenty more leaves lying about again.

Have a great week, until the next time.

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