Sunny Day

 Not much to write about today. Last night I made 2 more fruit cakes to give away and 3 jars of onion chutney to give away. K was bored so I made him cut up the onions and leeks. The onions were strong. Both our eyes were streaming. No substitutes necessary this time for the fruit cake and I followed a recipe for the chutney. 

He wrapped the few Christmas presents we will  give this year. Then he humphed because there was nothing else to do. He doesn't read and rarely finds something he likes on TV. These long evenings can be difficult. Thank goodness he has discovered Facebook and loves social media. 

Tomorrow serious prep will begin.  Making the breadcrumbs for stuffing , slicing cabbage for festive coleslaw and all the other things on 'The List'. MY List. K will be busy prepping pork and lamb and checking the Greek food List, more than twice.  He will be plenty busy tomorrow and the next day. No time to get bored.

It was warm and sunny during the day. Good for drying washing. Every day now is a Saint's fiesta day and in olden days you wouldn't dare hang out your washing on a Saint's day. The older generation still goes by that. I'm often told by the elderly members of the extended family that they haven't done any washing, or ironing, or sewing or cleaning  because of the old tradition. They're still allowed to cook, serve and wash dishes though.

24th December is the feast day of Saints Eugenia, Protus and Hyacinth. Never heard of any of them.

Grandson and his girlfriend texted that they would be coming up to see us so that got K into action this evening. Fire was lit. Then we whizzed down to buy pork chops and the beer and wine grandson likes. 

Pork and potatoes now in the oven. They'll eat, drink and be merry. Or else.

They came and ate...... melomakarouna, fruit cake and cheese pies. 

Nice of K to cook pork chops for tomorrow's lunch for us 😂

Grandson told us stories of his days in the army, tramping up to the top of the Acropolis to lower the Greek flag at sundown.  Of standing guard in the pouring rain waiting for inspection by the President of the Republic. 

He's having a good time serving his 9 months in the army but can't wait to get out. 

K has just found a programme to watch. The history of one of the 20 Monasteries on Mount Athos. Called the Holy Mountain in Greek it is a peninsular in northern Greece, cut off from the rest of the country and no women allowed.

And so this day slowly ends. 

We need more Brussels sprouts and no-one has found any fresh ones. Someone will have to pick up another bag of frozen sprouts tomorrow. 

One daughter loves them, the other hates them, doesn't even want to smell them, let alone clean or cook them.  She posts green faced GIFs on our Viber group every time they're mentioned.

Shops will be open tomorrow here . I doubt we need anything, but sprouts. So much shopping done. So much food to be cooked. As usual.

Goodnight and goodmorning