Roasted nuts

I've had for the last hour or two a nagging feeling that there is no need to "hunt for a blip" today and that one has already been bagged.
I somehow sensed that something of note was already lurking in the murky depths of my Compact Flash memory card.

And all of a sudden the Christmas pudding episode at 1 am came back to me and I knew that I had photographed it.

No Christmas would be complete without Pepe's flamboyant flambeing of the Christmas pudding.

And he was particularly heavy handed this year. The steady and fragrant blue flame on the pudding gave the open fire a run for its money. It felt like it had gone on for hours when in fact it lasted a mere 15 minutes.

The pudding was never eaten, mind.
There was more chatting and listening to music and laughing and reminiscing.
And when the need for some whipped cream was finally remembered, Mrs Raheny had already revoked our late license and pulled the plug on the event.

A wise move as we were all beyond our bedtime anyway.

And the pudding tasted even better in the morning.

Despite yesterday's outpouring of uncharacteristic sentimentality, normal service has been resumed at Chez Raheny Eye!