Lighting the Christmas pudding

We've enjoyed a marvellous day of fun and feasting, despite the absence of two guests at dinner. We should have been myself, Mr hazelh, Mummy hazelh, Jack, Katharine, and Katharine's sister Mary. Unfortunately Mary took ill in Aberdeen earlier in the week and has spent Christmas Day in hospital with Katharine at her bedside. We missed them :-(

The other hiccup of the day concerned Mummy hazelh, who is still suffering from backache. She was in so much pain immediately before our guests arrived that she gave up her plan to dress up in her finery for the festivities. We are pleased, however, that she managed to sit at the table for dinner (extra with Jack, myself, and Mr hazelh), sing along as Mr hazelh and Jack played guitar together after our meal (while Jon beat me in games of Carcassonne and Azul in the kitchen), and join in charades towards the end of the evening.

As well as working our way through a small mountain of food - including one of my Christmas puddings blipped here with Mr hazelh and Jon - copious amounts of alcohol were consumed. I hope that my combination of (a lot of) Champagne, ice wine, and sherry will not leave me with a hangover tomorrow!

Exercise today: none.