It got even busier at the Oakstump on Boxing Day when the Hands family arrived, and Keith joined us for the traditional Boxing Day lunch of Christmas left-overs. What do you do with left over sprouts and roast potatoes? Bubble and squeak! Chris and Lucy took charge of the kitchen,
and we somehow managed to fit 8 adults and 4 children round the kitchen table. After lunch the two family halves split, as Matthew and I headed to Kettering, collecting my Dad on the way, for a Cooper family get together with my sister Pauline and her family. Simon and Kate were also there. Pauline provided crackers which included numbered whistles, of different notes, but despite careful conducting by Pauline using a numbered “score” the resulting tunes were basically unrecognisable. We had much more success with numbered handbells
These are excellent fun, and I think we should buy some for the Oakstump when the girls are a bit older.
Thursday was our busiest and quietest day. Simon and Kate came for lunch, and the kitchen was bursting at the seams, but this did give us an opportunity for a “team photo” of our children and grandchildren apart from Steven and Sherry who are sunning themselves in the Philippines.
Would we choose Christmas in the sun instead of a hectic family Christmas? Absolutely not. But it was nice when everyone left in the afternoon, leaving us to have a nice quiet game of “Logo” with Simon and Kate. Just 363 days until Christmas….
Technically we live in Oaktree House, but sadly the tree had to go.
We now have a thriving Oakstump at the front of the house.
