Christmas roast

Today has a bit of an avian theme. As the classic song goes:

On the first hour of Christmas, the world gave to me: sparrowhawk o-o-on a fence

The day started with an unusual visitor to our garden, this very handsome female sparrowhawk. Isn’t she gorgeous?

I’m pleased to say that mum’s meds did arrive last night, but she still spent most of today with a nasty headache and a bad case of complain-itis. I did get a little fed up after a while; mum sloped off to the loo and came back with apologies and a hug.

Once mum felt better enough to get up, we tried out a game I had bought online.

On the second hour of Christmas, the world gave to me: two deconstructed blue tits

The first stage of the game is to put together the playing pieces, two cardboard blue tits of the tab A into slot B variety. As you can see, we didn’t get beyond this stage, even after nearly two hours of effort.

On the third hour of Christmas, the world gave to me: one owl on pajamas

(Yes, we’ve gone out of numerical order. Can’t be helped. 🤷)

I bought mum a new set of pyjamas, with a picture of an owl on the top, mum being a great lover of all things owl related. Mum cried, then said she hadn’t got me anything because she’d already given me enough. 🤨

Then she apologised for how that sounded, and I showed her the new dressing gown she had ‘bought’ me (i.e. that I bought, with her card that she gave me permission to use then of course forgot all about it).

On the fourth hour of Christmas, the world gave to me: six roasted chicken thighs

This afternoon I cooked a variant on Christmas dinner.

So, here we have roast chicken thighs, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, pigs in blankets, stuffing, and sprouts with gammon and chestnuts. And gravy, naturally.

Followed by apple and mincemeat crumble. Or what was meant to be crumble: I don’t know what I did wrong here, but it’s definitely not crumbly. Just as I thought I’d got the hang of crumbles, too. 😭

Oh well, I’m sure it will taste good, once it’s cooled enough to not resemble molten lava with added sultanas.

And on that note, goodnight and merry Christmas, and may your Boxing Day contain much seasonally appropriate birdlife.