MANILVA 24TH DECEMBER XMAS EVE " NOTCHEBUENA "

FRIDAY 24TH DECEMBER 2010.

Yesterday, Thursday was the big shop day, three supermarkets in record time to stock up for the weekend, Monday is a normal day over here in Spain. The weather forecast is warm and sunny with no rain so at lunchtime we had our first Xmas drink in Bar Rojas and took in the peace and quiet of the village. In the evening just as we were going to have supper Lilli and Brian called and ended up staying for a curry supper!
We finished off up at Bar Rojas !!

First thing on Friday morning I shot down to the English butchers in Ducquesa marina and ended up in a madhouse; the shop was full of butchers and customers queuing around the block! Our Rib of Beef had not arrived so I went and had Bacon and Eggs with Tea and Toast on the front in the Marina – I was the only person there, blue skies, sun and the boats bobbing in the harbor as my companions! When I got back to the butchers it was still a madhouse but they looked after me, they took off the legs of the Turkey and boned and rolled them, the Rib of Beef was cut into a three Rib and two Rib with only the Rib bone left so I will be able to carve them on the bone, the chipolatas had just been made and the Duck Fat had arrived to finish off the order; a bonus was they had just got in some fresh Parsnips so I bought all of them !

When I got back Brenda had finished cleaning the house; I walked around to the open air market down by the sports ground and picked up some plants for our outside display and a bunch of Red Roses for Brenda! We then started on the preparations for the feasts on Saturday and Sunday; I made the Chestnut stuffing. The Pigs in Blanket, Roasted the boned and rolled legs and made start of the gravy with all the bones, meanwhile Brenda prepared the vegetable and potatoes. Mano and Anna called in so we had a quick Xmas drink with them and arranged to see them later in the evening on their way out to the family party. We had Angus Sirloin steak and chips early so as we could open a special bottle of Chablis Premier Cru which Anna had dropped off earlier, the phone went and it was Carlos calling to ask us around the family dinner party and to bring the wine! Just as we got ourselves ready Lilli called in with a large traditional Finnish lunch platter for us to try and taste later ! She ended up being asked by Carlos to join us also around at Abuelo and Abuela;s - Antonia and Manolo’s for a surprise second dinner for us both !! The whole family of Ann Mari was there including the 90 year old Grandmother and all the grandchildren as we sat down to the traditional “ Notchebuena ” Xmas eve dinner with sixteen of us around the table,Mano and Anna joined in before he went off to work. Later we went back to Carlos and Ana Mari’s house as the children opened all their Xmas presents and then Carlos dropped us back at our house to see in Xmas Day! All the Spanish families celebrate in the same way and the village was packed with visiting families from all over Spain, the streets were full of parked cars in every available spot.

Thought for the Day;

The man who writes about himself and his own time is the only man who writes about all the people and all the time.


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