Whiteout, then blackout

An interesting Christmas Day so far (I'm blipping before the effects of alcohol make my writing mushier than it already is!).

We awoke to a power cut that lasted for... three hours! Made a slight dent in our dinner arrangements and at the time of writing (four minutes before the Queen's speech) we still have to wait 45 minutes before we can tuck in.

It wasn't just the dinner that suffered, of course. It was pretty damned cold this morning, despite my son's best efforts to get a fire going.

The problem is that the log-burner is barely more than an adornment. Pretty much all the heat it produces goes straight up the chimney. Good bit of work by the builders of this house.

Anyway, we refused to let power, or lack of it, ruin the day. It's been good fun and I think I'm a clear winner in the present stakes. I have had some absolutely wonderful gifts and I'm really, really grateful for every single one of them.

Mrs Dailykeith has given me some terrific clothing, including a fantastic coat. And I'm chuffed to bits to be given packs of Spanish torrefacto coffee after months of trying to track some down. My son had some sent over from Spain and I can assure you it was a brilliant surprise.

My daughter also got me an Ian McEwan book I had been meaning to buy - another nice surprise.

And lots more in addition.

I'm also pleased to say the giving has been as successful. The only blip (pardon the pun) was giving our other son a series of The Wire it turned out he already owned. Oh well, we can replace it in the days to come.

I hope everyone else is having/has had a wonderful Christmas.

Before I sign off, I ask you to remember in your thoughts the family of Bristol architect Jo Yeates after the news this Christmas Day of a woman's body being found.