HELLO AGAIN!!

I'm back!
Where do I start?
Yes, we had a really lovely Christmas Day - and today has been pretty good too!
There were just the four of us yesterday and we spent the time in a frenzy of present giving and receiving during the morning, with James's birthday just before lunch.
Lunch was on the table at 1.15 and everyone told me it was lovely, although to be honest I couldn't taste a thing because of this flaming cold. In fact I feel a bit cheated and would really like to do it all again. (Not the cooking, just the eating!)
The cold is hanging on and has left me with a nasty cough - it's following exactly the pattern of James's, I'm just about four days behind him. Thank you so much for sharing, Jim!
The afternoon was the usual slump in front of the telly, with a bit of dozing thrown in. And after birthday tea we all settled down to watch one of my favourite presents; the Take That Circus DVD. I'm delighted to say that everyone enjoyed it almost as much as Helen and I did when we went to see them at the Stadium of Light in the summer and James even admitted that TT are his 'guilty pleasure!!!' - mind you he'd had a bit to drink by then!
Today has been an opportunity for me to begin preparing for our visitors, three of whom arrive tomorrow and the rest come on Monday, making a total of 14 in all, so I'm going into cooking overdrive! I hope that the shops are open tomorrow because I am in dire need of salad veg and fresh bread and will be sending Charles out with a list in the morning.
Talking of cooking, whoever would have thought that you could buy a cookery book for dogs! c/o the staff at Charles's school - what an amazing present, I can't wait to try out some of the recipes! Lily and Rose are currently enjoying the turkey leftovers with some boiled rice and turkey stock, but the ideas in the book will give them a much more interesting diet! Thank you - and also for the novels and cupcake cases!!!
Actually, we have a little problem with the rather posh White House kennel we gave them for Christmas. (I will get Charles to video it because you will be impressed!) But he'll have to do it quickly otherwise there may not be a house/kennel left at all as clearly it tastes very nice, and both puppies are chewing at it whenever they get the chance. It's already got great chunks out of it, so I think we may have to take it away from them until I've got some more of that Chew Stop spray, which really DOES work actually.
The puppies had a great day yesterday (and today as well) and have been spoiled with lots of lovely presents and treats. They're going to love the next couple of days, although I'm not entirely sure what they'll make of their big samoyed cousin!!
So. tomorrow will be another busy day, and if I don't get much time on the blog, I'm sure you'll understand why. Normal service will resume as soon as this festive stuff is out of the way!!!