Well, we've survived 2009

Indeed we have survived it well. What I'd like for 2010 is more free time to visit family and to spend in leisure on Knocknagow. Unfortunately that would mean having to give up what is a lucrative occupation, but maybe this year I will gain the strength to do something different, and be ready for the consequences.

Kristin arrived yesterday. It was a well planned surprise for Ian, and the real reason I was attempting to make a nut roast. So, the full family is here now, all 8 of us (that includes the 2 dogs!). It's very cold outside so I think we'll just batten down the hatches today and enjoy the splendid feast Brian has planned for us.

We'll also enjoy the second of the "Three men in a boat" series on BBC 2. They've picked a nice selection of modes of transport so far - a barge driven by a Bollinder engine, an amphibious car, a cycle-rail vehicle, and now they are on Reggie Goodbody's amazing wooden sailing boat. Mullingar pulled out all the stops for them, with a very good-humoured festival in their honour. It's a new view of Mullingar, and may help to show the citizens of Mullingar the value of the Royal Canal route once it is re-opened for the full circle.

I've just been listening to a fascinating, and emotional, interview with Lord Mountbatten's grandson. He was on the fishing boat that was blown up by the IRA, killing, inter alia, his twin brother and his grandfather. I'm sure it is available for listening to on Radio Eireann on the Ryan Tubridy show for today. I recommend spending 20 minutes of your time to hear it.

Cooking more

I've made some successful sour dough bread. I'd forgotten how tasty if can be. It was a bit crusty, so I'll try to pile it higher next time before baking. The next lot of starter is nearly ready so I can make more tomorrow. The loaf was so big that I thought it would last for a week, and then go stale, but it is nearly finished already. Greedy lot here!

I also attempted to make some nut loaf. I've never made it before but I thought it should look dark when finished. However, that doesn't make sense as all the ingredients, except the mushroom layer, are light coloured. We'll have to try it out. Ian has to take the first taste as he has to determine whether the recipe is OK for the next time Kristin comes to visit.

The fire is lovely and bright and warm. I'm so glad to have this week off to do precious little.

Ice cream

Ice cream made so far:
Blueberry and banana yoghurt ice cream
Caramel ice cream
Raspberry yoghurt ice cream
Melon (and brandy) sorbet
Is this enough to keep us going? I still have pears and pineapples to use up so have to think of some way of being creative with them.

Coldest Christmas gets milder

I didn't think that a temperature of +2C would be something I would consider as mild, but after the big freeze of the last few days it seems that way. I brought the dogs out for a walk and found that the most surprising places are still slippy. I think the melting ice is flowing over unmelted ice. Tomorrow could be nasty if there isn't a full melt today. Last night my weather machine recorded -7.8C, the coldest ever.

It's the quietest Christmas day we've ever had. We're holding gifts until Carolan and Andy arrive on Sunday so it is a day for taking it easy. Brian has a big meal planned and estimated serving time is 7pm. I've made my fruit salad special, with all the fruit I could find in the supermarket thrown in together. It looks yummy. I now need to use what is left over for making lots of ice cream.

Leavy is very smelly. She and Pippa have found their way into the front room as they feel they should accompany us sitting in front of the fire. Leavy must have rolled in something unpleasant while we were out for a walk. She chased a handsome pheasant. The pheasant got quite a fright!

This photo was taken at c. 9 o'clock this morning

It hit -3C in town

I made the ground floor of a car park in town just after 9am today. That is evidence of how cold it is as everyone must have been having difficulty pulling themselves out of bed this morning. By the time I left town there were traffic jams everywhere, all going the opposite direction from myself. I felt good!

I don't intend to leave the house until it gets warmer. Leavy and Pippa take note - if you want a walk you'd better ask someone else.

Christmas tree

The Christmas tree is now re-potted and inside. I have to wait for it to stop dripping before I can do anything more with it. I've also established that there are no birds' nests in the chimney so the fire is happily burning in the front room. It must be near to Christmas! Brian had to go out and get some coal and logs, but now we are all set.

Pre-Christmas freeze

We're getting weather of biblical proportions here - rain first, and now "the big freeze". My thermometer registered -4.7C last night. It snowed on Sunday night and the snow is still lying in large quantities on the ground. I've never known that to happen before, when no further snow has fallen. There has been sun during the day, but not enough to bring the temperatures above freezing in spaces that don't get it shining directly.

The impact on me has been to reduce my energy for doing things. Or, is that a reaction to a busy autumn? This week was supposed to be spent doing all sorts of householdy things that I've neglected over the past few months. However, I find I'm doing the minimum. I have managed to tidy the glass-fronted shelves in the kitchen, though, and the glasses in it are all neatly in rows.

I've just made some really nice raspberry yoghurt ice cream. It is very creamy (proportions of cream and yoghurt match) and yummy. It just might last until Carolan and Andy come home, but maybe I should just make more.

The meat delivery from Jack McCarthy's didn't arrive yesterday. Disaster! The driver said we were up on a hill and so he couldn't reach us. I think that's excuse number 1 from the list of the top 10. In spite of the cold, the roads are very clear. We have been promised that he will arrive by lunch-time today.