The Last Sprout of Christmas

The last sprout of Christmas 2016 speared triumphantly on His Lordship's fork.
How well we have feasted these last six days and how well we will pay for them with blood sweat and tears in the coming days.

To this end, I am intending to do a spot of self flagellation in the land of machines this very afternoon and try to erase all thoughts of the cupboard in the Dower House still filled with Christmas cake, mince pies, Stollen cake and delicious Panettone. I am not even contemplating the thought of Hogmanay and bringing in the New Year with more over indulgence.

As fate would have it, David and Luca's departure back to Hungary this morning coincided with the dawn of the most glorious calm day of blue skies and shimmering dewy grass.
It seems that storms Barbara and Connor made a concerted effort to rain on the visitors' parade, and how well they succeeded.