merry Mithras to one and all...

dogstar and i have just returned from G's home in the country...

Langley no less but not Virginia!!

we invited him here for the cool yule but he declined but asked if we would like to relocate to his venue!

as long as we brought the contents of the fridge, freezer and drinks cabinet?!!

so we did! good grief it would have been easier to relocate to foreign climes than the strategy required to bring everything 'cept the kitchen sink and i still forgot the chestnuts and the Tequila.. not that i take them together.

what with checking clothes, prezzies, food, booze and last but not least the Goose.

we arrived and i was kissed and given a crystal of tequila and soda.. i prefer it neat but G wanted it to last me longer????? after a day of pleasantries G asked what was for dinner!!!!!

i hadn't even given it a thought. so we rummaged around the 'red cross box' of goodies and his dry store cupboard and he made the most delicious tuna stir fry. Spazz you would have loved it.... i fell asleep on the sofa repleat with comfort and joy. dogstar and G talked computers and sailing and most things nautical then we watched Harry Potter on the black box again.

waking on the 25th we had a late breakfast scrambled and grilled everything that wasnt nailed down copious tea and then started on the Plymouth gin and soda's!! well i like a good lining to my stomach if i am going to eat later in the day.

G wanted to romp through the goodies wrapped under the tree, which caused much merriment and a few surprises. Lady Moonshine indulged me again with gorgeous things, my sister 'WOW!' found a beautiful silver fob of a sleeping cat in memorium to Kazimir for me and a watercolour painting of one of my favourite bridges, Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Saltash Bridge.

Midafternoon G decided he would make a divine smoked salmon parcel filled with tiger prawns and a delicate sauce as a starter, if that had had a mixed green salad on side and crisp Melba toast i wouldn't have wanted or needed roast goose later on! Drunk with a really lovely Hardy's Cava, fabulous.

so dinner menu was Goose with roast potatoes. new potatoes and steamed french beans and broccoli. sweet potato, swede and parsnips roasted with lemon zest garnish. and a deep baked dish of Rataouille veg. and finally a rich glazed dish of carrots, some delicious onion and shallot gravy too. about 13 odd vegetables in all we could have fed the vegeterribles amongst you. and made some separate non meat sauces that would have been ok??

so we quaffed some champagne [courtesy xmas present from my boss] with the meal balanced with a fine red from California.

as you can imagine after a loaded plate i couldn't eat any more, but Dogstar and G decided as fine trenchermen they could and did have seconds!!!!

i retired to the sofa and watched the black box, i may have even fallen asleep for a short while [purely restorative!] but even so i was not able to find room for G's Chocolate ganache, Italian xmas cake and good Cornish clotted cream!!

i simply nibbled on a clemantine or was it a mandarin? and eventually fell into bed

breakfast this morning?/lunctime was bubble and squeak with grilled bacon and creamy scrambled eggs pot of tea and we repacked the car and drove back to our flat in town.

so glad to have peace and quiet and drink more tea!!!

menus and cocktail recipes are gratefully welcomed for any potential gathering i may agree to in the not too distant future?!!

hugs and warmest of wishes to all my blog friends still with 20six and those who have gone to pastures new!!

adieu xxxxxxxxxxx