It was the most beautiful morning - sunny and warm with clear blue skies, just right for a pre-Christmas, Christmas!!!

It was my turn to cook today and I thought that as we had most of the decorations in place and my festive play-list on the I-Pod we should make the most of the day and make it special for Mum and Dad.  The conservatory was toasty warm but the lounge wasn't so we lit the gas fire so it looked cosy and inviting.

I was trying out a new recipe today and had a chicken dish in the slow cooker and Cypriot roast potatoes on the go which I was going to serve with green beans and hot coleslaw (carrot, cabbage and leek sauted in butter and then finished off with fresh cream).

The conservatory looks lovely and it is a great place to sit for a pre-dinner drinkie.

Today I thought I would go the whole hog and do some mulled wine and get to use my new insulated glasses.  Last year when I went to Kate's (Beauty by Kate) before Christmas she served her mulled wine in these glasses - they are fabulous because they keep the drink hot but the outside of the glass remains cool.  I ordered some straight away and think John's Mum must have brought them out with her or John did when he went back for his reunion so today was the first time I got to use them.

We had a lovely lunch, the house was warm and cosy and the food was good even if I do say so myself - I have added the recipe to my food page here as I shall definitely do it again but I did have a disaster with the pudding when I put it in the oven to warm and forgot about it and the top went beyond caramelised to burnt!

The gas fire has been behaving itself and after all the problems we had with it initially John persevered to get it sorted and I am so glad that he did - it is a lovely look and it warms the room - a win-win!

If our Christmas Day proper is as good as this then I will be well happy - we shall have the addition of a Christmas drink at the hotel (if we made that two then no-one will probably care what my cooking is like!) and our already selected Christmas Film plus a few presents thrown in - we will be together, warm, fed and safe - what more could we want?

Ain't we lucky?  yes we are and we should remember that!