Survival

Well that's another Christmas gone west. We had a nice few days and the food all turned out really well. I especially like the wee splash of cherry brandy in my cranberry sauce. Also did Nigel Slater's Christmas pudding sauce, which is pud and fresh orange and a little brandy butter melted together and poured over really good vanilla ice cream.

Happy to eat simple food today, as you can have too much of a good thing!

I got my annual jigsaw as one of my presents, and I'm enjoying putting it together. It's very difficult, as it's a pictire of a barn at sunset, which is perfectly reflected in a mill pond, so it's hard to know what's barn and what's reflection. No-one else in this house likes jigsaws, but putting one together reminds me of doing them with my brother and sister as kids, it was a bit like our Monopoly games where we'd all stash a get out of jail free card, except with the puzzle we'd each keep a bit back hoping to be the one to put the last piece in place, sometimes the thing would stand all but complete for days, with only three pieces missing while we tried to psych each other out.

I've done these photomosiac puzzles before and they're very good, each piece has a small picture on it, helping to make the larger picture.

I think jigsaw puzzles are really good things for teaching you patience and how to really look at shape and colour variations. They are also very good at keeping you in the moment, which can be helpful at Christmas.

Anyway I don't care if I'm considered a sad,old eegit,my puzzle is keeping me sane this holiday season and that's all that matters.