Merry Christmas!….only 9 days to go….are you all busy braving the hordes of shoppers this weekend…or armchair shopping… I do a bit of both……We have been busy ..still putting up Decorations and tree looks lovely…. but no snow…….I am in a reflective mood as I think we should all remember those less fortunate than ourselves or those alone or recently bereaved as we get into the swing of the festivities…I miss my dad.., especially at Christmas.

He was a strict father and a stickler for meals being on time…..one Christmas I compromised to try to please everyone…as you do… and having about an hour to go…cooking in full swing…my kids said “mum..mum..have you seen what Grandad is doing”?….you would never guess…….there he was sitting up the table in the dining room…knife in one hand and fork in tother……waiting……me… I hissed at the kids ” talk to him..get him a drink..anything” … I laugh now as I picture him in my mind…do miss you dad xxx

My favorite Pork & Basil ( Moo Pad Horapa)…I must cook this at least 3/4 times a week…I have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner and that is another thing I love about Thailand you eat what you fancy and when …no set breakfast dishes, or any meal…just what you fancy. …Recipe next week…

Early morning trip to the market at 6.30 am…..lovely Pork Roast today…..cooked by my son…well he does cook most days… every week…my friends ask if I can hire him out…lol..and love it when they get an invite as his Pork Crackling ” Is the nuts” his phrasing not mine..haha…

I’ll post the before and after pics……the smell of garlic and rosemary stuffing is divine…………….while I am waiting… I am going to watch X Factor before anyone puts the result on FB and spoils it for me..lol

Well no sun today…..just very overcast….no rain yet…..

Tomorrow I think I will get all my Christmas cloths etc out and plan my table and might do a trial run of Mince Pies….the mincemeat has been fermenting, brewing whatever for a few months now so I think a taste testing is in order and just the smell of them cooking may make me feel a little more Christmassy..

it’s definitely the cold and SNOW…that makes that Christmas feeling and atmosphere…you all so know that until Christmas is over I’m gonna keep harping on about snow and cold ….going back to the UK @ the end September for my nieces wedding…first visit in 4 years so think I may stretch it out for a few weeks so I can soak up some Christmas Cheer and do some shopping…proper size wrapping paper for one ! Yay…

Just look at that lovely crackling! I will say my son is a brilliant chef and I will be his Sous chef any day…….Tastes amazing…just saying…sorry peeps if you lived closer I would invite you to taste test…haha…

Once Christmas is over then it won’t be long until my oldest son comes over with his 3 kids and we haven’t seen the kids since we came to Thailand and it is their first visit here so will be busy planning some trips…methinks Big Buddha will be a good one as they can see the Elephants( Chang) and experience some great Thai food and a beautiful view..maybe hire a quad to scoot through the jungle on or an elephant trek.

Tchau…any guesses?…..no?……it’s goodbye in Portuguese.

Until next time…Sayonara.

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