'Twas The Season To Be Jolly

Christmas holiday season highlights, in no particular order:

Christmas Eve sitting on the patio of a friend's house, with good food and company, puppies to pat, great cheeses and a pleasantly cool evening.

Christmas day lunch of porcini mushroom and truffle risotto. Not standard Christmas fare I agree, but I was touched that my hosts went to such an effort to create a delicious vegetarian option.

Watching my hosts' hot, hot, HOT 26 year old son making said risotto.

Channeling my inner Martha by taking charge of the table decorations and creating an impromptu Christmas tree with branches from the garden.

Hearing the elderly mother of one of my hosts say that it was the best Christmas she had ever had.

Boxing Day (December 26th) breakfast with my oldest and dearest friend and his girlfriend, a week before they are due to be married and head away to Korea for a few years.

Boxing Day afternoon and evening at another friend's house, with laughs, presents and a 'power nap' on her Chesterfield sofa.

Holding the 7 week old daughter of two of my friends, and watching her gurgle, burble and grin every time I smiled at her.

So, this year was a social whirligig that started on Christmas eve and has only just slowed. Exhausting? Check. Fun? Check. Probably ate waaay to much? Double check, but who cares?

I hope you all had a great time.