Potatoes, charades and Pictionary

Well, that's it for another year. It was much better then I had thought. With the sister not coming home this year, I was unsure how the day would pan out. Thankfully, it was great. We drove out to pick up the kid on christmas eve and I had forgotten how much she could talk. Both myself and Mammy2's ears were bleeding from her chatting away. In her new dressing gown that the boyf's mam had bought her. She told us all about her full day's work in the restaurent with tbe boyf's mam and how she learned to make onion rings. She would show us but we had no
deep fat fryer. On the way out to pick her up, there appeared to be a competition between various houses as to who would have the tackiest lighting. Mammy2 is convinced one of the houses in Balbriggan takes the title as it had a large lit up train with Mary and Joseph in it. I'm not making this up. Apparently, there are no donkeys in Balbriggan or they were in a rush, who knows. From there we headed to the in-laws and we dropped off presents. Lots of eating junk whilst the kid disappeared into her Nintendo DS. It looks like fun. Not that I know anything about computer games on consoles. The kid is amused by the fact that I work with computers daily and am a progammer, alledgelly, but I don't know the first thing about Wiis and PSPs and all that rest. However I think Mammy2 had her eye on the DS, so perhaps as part of her bday pressie.

We got home on christmas eve and the kid was chuffed by all the presents under the tree which had her name on it. Into her pyjamas in record time and she was online before I could ask her if she wanted tea. A bag in the middle of the floor, runners thrown under the couch, it was good to have her home. Mammy2 always cooks the ham the night beforehand, a tradition passed on from her Mammy. I reckon she only does it for the ham sandwiches she can have. From the sounds she was making after having a hot ham sandwich, I felt we should leave her alone with it. We watched the Hogfather and I have to say I was impressed. Death is very cool. I never really got into Terry Prachett much but he has a wicked sense of humour. I may give his books a try again. I think because the ex S was big into them and constantly going on about them, I never really was interested.

The kid was determined to stay up for most of the night and sleep on the couch, but thankfully she gave up on that idea. It didn't stop her waking up at 5.40 to come into our room and jump on the bed, very excited about her presents. She did eventually go back to bed. She slept until nearly dinner time. Myself and Mammy2 got up and opened our pressies, load of nice things. She was delighted with what I got her, thank god. The sister rang
to wish us a happy christmas. Lots more vegging out before dinner. The kid finally woke up and spent an hour doing her make up? She wasn't even going anywhere. There was a situation with the sprouts which we won't go into right now, as I still can't talk about it. Suffice to say, we were sproutless for dinner. I have a feeling Mammy2 might have had some involvement in it. However the potatoes saved the day. As always. Mashed, roasties AND croquettes. They were all yummy but I couldn't eat everything. We all sat around like boa constricters afterwards waiting for dinner to digest. The kid dived onto the PC to play games, Mammy2 was on the laptop and I was free to get started into the Will and Grace Season 1 the sister had got me. I love Will and Grace. So I have started the collection, only 7 more to go :) We decided to try and move around a bit so we played charades where I got slaugthered. I am not great at charades I have since learned. The kid and Mammy2 did their best to ignore me. A very funny moment happened with the kid was sending a lovey dovey txt to the boyf and accidently sent it to the brother instead. To say she was embaressed was an understatement.


The brother travelled up yesterday for the day, so I was up early tidying the house a bit and having the kettle on. Lots of tea and chats and catching up with all the news. He was very happy with his pressies. He got us tickets to Tegan and Sara and the kid the third season of Lost. I never knew she was into that but apparently she's hooked on it. I was still quite full from the christmas dinner and so suggested to the brother we head up town for a walk. Had a nice saunter up to O'Connell street, down the quays to the Jeanie Johnston and then back up and around Dame Street. It looked like most people had the same idea as there was loads of people about even with not much open at all. We headed into Brogan's for a post xmas pint and a sit down. It was fairly empty compared to last year when myself and the sister headed in. It was hopping. Home to another lovely spud dinner and more charades where I continued my non winning streak and got called a bike. Fun times with my family!