Christmas comes but once a year - thank goodness

This year it is my turn to have the family on Christmas Day (on alternate years I have them all on Boxing Day).

Last night D2 and D3 and I went out to dinner downstairs and I announced that I had spat the dummy regarding gluten and dairy-free desserts and I intended to make a trifle for myself instead of the chocolate mousse which I have made for the last two or three years  -  ever since the D3s went gluten and dairy free.  That resulted in vehement declarations from D2 that she and D1 had always eaten trifle with no ill-effects and that I would have to make a normal-sized one as they intended to join me.  D3 has already offered to bring a GD-Free lemon cheesecake (a contradiction in terms if there ever was one) so her family will be able to eat that while the rest of us eat trifle.  I use my grandmother's recipe which is heavily laced with sweet sherry and cream; it is both delicious and decadent.

I realised partway up the first sleeve the Chunderup sweater which I am knitting that I did not have enough yarn to finish it and would need to order more fibre and spin  up another skein.  The only Superwash fibre which in any way matches is a colourway called Rosewood (very pretty pink and brown  -  I already have a sweater from it  -  but not superwash).  The only Rosewood fibre in superwash is heavily mixed with glitter so it is going to make a very interesting  sweater when it is finished. 

Meanwhile, to keep myself busy I have started knitting a black balaclava for SIL.  He rejected the black yarn when I offered to knit him a replacement beanie for the one which the dog chewed so a black balaclava is probably the last thing he will either want or expect but when he is out on the ocean in an open boat helping to supervise the kids' sailing and there is a southerly gale blowing he might appreciate it.  He is getting it anyway and can do with it whatever he wants.  The black yarn is surplus to my requirements and there will probably be enough to knit and post another one into the charity bin as well, as it will take the Rosewood fibre about four weeks to get here and then it will have to be spun so I need something to keep me occupied.

D2 is home for a while and intends to reclaim her cars  -  hopefully before next Thursday when D1 arrives but I am not holding my breath on that one.  I am planning to email Senor B702 who is in Italy and ask him if D1 can use his spare carpark for a few days.  Hopefully there will be no problem as he will not be back until after the New Year.

I will be glad when Christmas is over.