CASA OLIMPIA - CHRISTMAS DAY 2009.

25th December 2009 CHRISTMAS DAY.

We decided at the start of the week to sort the problems out here at the villa after Christmas and so settled down to having a good as Christmas as we could have; it is only in the last few years since we retired that the Xmas period has meant anything to us as we have been working over the festive season all our lives and although it was always enjoyable it was not the same as normal people! So our Xmas day got off to a great start as we called the folks over in Australia from our bed! We knew that Jack and Lyn had planned to go out later to see all the family so it was the right time to catch them and at the same time surprise them; we caught up with all their news and sent out love to everybody over in Australia. We then called Tim over in Colwyn Bay as we got up. He was just starting the same breakfast as us, back here, of scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Bucks Fizz! Joan came down and joined us to start off the day in the proper fashion! We then got the Turkey into the oven; it was a Spanish one but prepared English style, not like last year! I then made the Chestnut stuffing and the Pigs in Blanket with the Chipolatas and Smoked Bacon from the English butchers. Brenda got going on the vegetables; Baby Sprouts with streaky Bacon, Parsnips in Spanish Honey,Galzed Carrotts,Cauliflower and Broccoli florets in a Cheddar Cheese sauce and garden peas; the roast potatoes were cooked in Goose fat, from home, I then made finger coating pan gravy and we also had the crispy bacon from off the Turkey. Joan came back down and we sat at the large table in the main lounge for our starter of Smoked Pink Trout and Crab. We are saving the fine wines for another day so we opened a very nice bottle of sparkling rose Cava and then a fine bottle of Rioja; during the day the phone never stopped as all Joan’s family called and we got through to Jenny and Norah over in Runcorn after their Xmas lunch, Jenny is staying with Norah over the Xmas period. After our late lunch and as we sat at the table we received two surprise calls on our Spanish mobile; one was from our Spanish neighbours in Manilva, who were having their Xmas party and called to wish us “ Feliz Navidad ” and the second one was from a sunny beach in Trinidad – Vidal !! Who is over at his mothers’ house for the first time in years with all his family! The pictures below give you a little taste of the decorations around the villa, the Xmas table and Joan in her cracker hat, Brenda put the bows on the two dogs who were not impressed! Later we settled down to watch TV, one programme that we usually don’t watch is Eastenders but this episode was very good and got terrific reviews in the papers this morning unlike the Queens speech which was terrible, I’m sorry to say.Then the Royal Family was very funny and Gavin and Stacy was excellent.During the early morning of Xmas day and all through Friday the weather has been terrible – thunderstorms with 80km tornadoes and power cuts all the time!! Finally we would like to wish all our family and friends a very “ Merry Christmas ” we hope that you all had a “ Helluva ” day just like us !!