Full house

Well, we're busy busy busy here - in a good way. Daughter 2 is here, having fun with her nephew and niece.

She went out for a run. Cassie the Cat was such a help ...

... but didn't actually go out with her. Snoozing is more Cassie's thing.

Daughter 2 and I went to the supermarket to get the last (I hope) bits of food till after Christmas. There are 8 of us staying in the house - 10 once Son and Daughter-in-Law arrive tonight - and 14 for Christmas dinner and various other meals. I remember the old days when it was just my parents, my brother and I and my grandparents: we had a simple meal of turkey and Christmas pud. Of the 14, we have three vegetarians, three who're veggie but with fish, six carnivores, one nut allergy (he's a veg/fish so nut roast isn't the solution), one citrus allergy, one diabetic ... it requires thought and possibly more ovens than we possess. Daughter 2 and I were pondering the details of the vegetarian and diabetic aspects of the meal as we wandered round the supermarket. "It would be easier if it were just you and me," I mused. "We could have..." - I paused for thought.

"Toast," suggested Daughter 2. "And pudding."

So tempting. But no. We'll have a bit of a feast and are very lucky to be able to do so, especially with the people we love.

Happy Christmas, everyone.