Unauthorised Blog - Epilogue

The girls backpacking adventure around Australia and the Far East meant that for the first time ever we were unable to celebrate Christmas together as a family. The girls spent Christmas Day in Brisbane and although we were able to use the wonders of modern technology to video chat, it can't quite replace the physical togetherness and chaos of a typical Christmas Day.

So to celebrate the wanderers return home we decided to have a Riley Christmas Day with the full works. The house felt very festive with a Christmas tree, tinsel, crackers, Christmas jumpers (including Oscar the Dog) and Christmas music filling the rooms.

Breakfast

The day started with our traditional breakfast of Christmas morning muffins, puff pastry chocolate croissants and bucks fizz (that's the drink not the band). As the morning progressed everyone moved into the kitchen, it was lovely to hear all the conversation as I was preparing dinner. I was super organised timings for everything written down, it was almost like a military operation,  but that didn't last long and as the alcohol flowed the list went in the bin and I just went with the flow.

I had a close call with the Turkey, which I'd left on the side before putting it in the oven, Oscar the Dog sensing his opportunity, in a flash was at full stretch with his head at worktop level. I spotted him just in time, he might have had a lick (best not to tell anyone and no one had any side effects, so all good!) and the turkey was saved. Then just as the dinner was coming together, Mrs Riley

Christmas Jumpers

asked if something was burning, I'd forgotten the roasties and sausage-meat stuffing in the oven. They were a little bit browner than I would have hoped but the benefit of everyone drinking is that no one cares and everyone said they tasted fantastic.

Oscar Eyeing Up
the Turkey

The meal was lovely turkey, pork and all the trimmings, an absolute feast, that to be honest would probably have fed most of Baston. But we did it proud, the leftovers made a couple of turkey curries for the freezer and a bubble and squeak the following day cleared the lot.

It was lovely to have everyone sat round the table eating and chatting and Oscar under the table hoovering up, it was just one of those special moments in time. Board games finished the day before I did my usual party trick of nodding off on the sofa. It was a lovely day and great to have the girls back home safely.

Well what comes next? Ellie has decided to move in with her boyfriend Ben who lives in Maidstone in Kent, so I am really pleased for them both and I'd like to wish Ben all the very best of luck. I  didn't want to appear too hasty, but I've offered to rent a van to move all her stuff down to Ben's house. 

Meg is still deciding what to do next in her 'gap year', there is a possible further extension, with a trip to South America and Machu Picchu (I'd better start saving up now!!). I don't suppose I'll live to see it, but my money is on Meg being the first person to retire whilst still on her gap year.

Me and Mrs Riley? Well who knows, but we have got some ideas formulating, so watch this space!

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