from our own correspondent

[teafortwo]

Old thread...
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/2423/576865?ts=1222265998268&msgid=12499051

New thread...

to be created below!

Enjoy!

Mmm, lovely!
DH's family used to keep goats. Or, at least, they had a couple of goats they "acquired" - they were looking after them for someone in the village who moved away and never came back to claim them. They were both very intelligent / low cunning. They KNEW when anyone was scared of them - they would always go for BIL's best friend! Sometimes you would go up to check on them and one or other would be standing on the gate post - all four feet together on one small post, six foot up, just to show you that they could escape if they wanted to. Then, having made their point, they would jump back down into the paddock.
Less fond memories of one night DH and I (as 19 year old students) were left in charge and some idiot had put rhododendron into the goat's paddock (it's poisonous). Ended up taking it in turns to hold down the goat and pour litre bottles of vegetable oil down her throat. Not quite the "romantic night in" we'd had planned...

FOOC Paris

Mmmmm.... a butcher at our town market has started to sell goat. DH is very excited and is running the fridge down so he can buy some next Sunday.

I don't eat meat so this is just another horrid thing to have to ignore - the worst so far being the whole skinned rabbits that somehow appear in the kitchen and to top that the pigs feet that he eats with a book stood up between him and I!

One day there was a suckling pig at the market and the butcher, starting at the bummy end was cutting off slices, for people to take home for lunch. I thought DH would get in the queue BUT at the time I was breastfeeding DD. Instead he was really upset by the sight and said it felt sickening to see a little pig being sliced up for food because he had his own suckling and wouldn't like anyone to eat her!!!!

Poor goats worldwide .

My worst memory was on holiday in Spain when dh ordered something random from the menu to see what it was, as he likes to do, when it turned up it was pigs ears with the hairs still attached and he sat and ate them all [eurrrgh]. Not the same holiday as when he didn't believe a plate of pimientos would be peppers including chillis - so he ordered them and as promised they were a plate of the hottest fiery peppers known to man. He finished the whole plate with steam coming out his ears duly dipping them in salt and sipping his beer. I don't think he tasted anything for the rest of the holiday.

Lol at all these FOOC food mishaps.

Sibble, were the pimientos your Dh ordered "pimientos de padrón"? Small, green peppers fried and served with lots of salt?

If so, I know why he spent the rest of your holiday with steam coming out of his ears! They're known as the Russian Roulette peppers - most are perfectly innocuous, but there's always one that blows your head off. They're originally a Galician product, bred to perfection in the little town of Padrón.

Cies - I do believe they were. Having not listened to me I think the waitors 'but Sir are you sure, these are for the locals............' comment should have warned him.

We used to try to eat off the beaten track and where we could see locals eating when away sometimes I have to say with mixed results. I've gone all 'food shy' since having children though, when in Fiji recently I insisted we ate at the complex at extortionate prices rather than at the cafe next door in case the boys got sick. Rather stupid really when both dh and I would have laughed at people only eating in complexes a few years ago.

I think I might give goat a wide berth if ever in Lagos though

Paris Fooc

It is so so very cold in Paris!

Everyone is wrapped up in big coats, scarves and gloves. I notice that people no longer make eye contact on the street...

The Eurostar is calling to me softly.... "Come let me take you to the land of good tea, mincepies, christmas carols and people who say "Merry Christmas" and make it feel like a warm kiss."

"My heart is already there." I reply and buy a ticket for me and dd for Monday morning - I believe in life you should always follow your heart - it generally is wiser than the head!

Tea for two - tour posts are always so poetic and make me smile.

We are off to York with the boys for my birthday treat tomorrow - we may even brave line at Bettys. I am hoping that it is all truley festive - I will report back

I had a lovley day at York yesterday. It was one of those crisp winter days and it didnt rain until we were on our way home.

I was treated to lunch at Bettys and then we bought treats for today. The boys were so well behaved, but that was possibly something to do with the fantastic waitress we had and the colouring and puzzle sheets they have. The food was delicious and we were seated right at the window, so we could people watch and the boys could look at the christmas lights.

I love York, it is great, lots of little alley ways and independant shops too, it is not a copycat highstreet, although it does have all of the regulars too. We had lots of fun walking with the boys, listening to the carol singers and then had a nice coffee with them too.

I had a gentle stroll round the minster, whilst DH took them to feed monkey nuts to the squirels in the museum gardens and a good old run around and then it was back home.

SO all in all a lovley birthday was had and it really got me in the festive mood.

I am going to bake today with the boys, mince pies, muffins etc and put the CD on carols on that we have.

But... I am sure your posts make me smile even more though, madhouse!

Pure. Simple. Magic.

Thanks

Oh and talking of good tea - DH supprised me with some wonderful Royal Blend Tea leaves from Fortnum and Mason for my birthday. He knows me too well. My bestest ever birthday was tea at the Ritz and trip to tiffany's and then Mary Poppins at the Theatre, pre magic. I was pregnant with DS1 at the time and they carol singers and the pianist sang/play happy birthday for me and I got a cake and candle. I do love that man .

Happy Birthday ITMH. Your DH is a star.

My DH also has the stress of buying both Xmas and birthday presents close together as my birthday is 8 days after Xmas.

Talking of food mishaps and birthdays. On my 20th birthday many many years ago we went to Salzburg for the weekend. At lunchtime we went into a butchers to get a filled roll and DH pointed to a tray of bitesized leberkäse that was on the counter. We both took a bit only to be berated by the woman next to us that we should not eat her lunch. We beat a hasty retreat, our ears burning.

pmsl - sounds like the sort of thing we would do.

FOOCS - please come and tell me about your christmas traditions MmeHereWeGoAWassailLindt has opened a thread here
I will post about our christmas here in N Yorkshire

DH is working on Christmas eve until about three, but me and the boys are off to meet friends at a soft play in the morning and then we will be coming home to get the raindeer dust ready to sprinkle and also to put a pretend key out for Father chtistmas (as we do not have a chimney). DS1 was really concerned as to how he would get in.

When DH comes in me and DS1 are off to the crib service at the local church whist he preps the veg for chistmas day, DS2 will be helping . He is collecting the turkey from butcher tomorrow on way home from work. He will then start dinner which is a picky sort of affair with fish and chicken bites, wedges etc.

Then it will be baths alround and into the PJ's that the elves leave at the front door.

Storys for the boys and leacing a mince pie, glass of milk and carrot out for Father christmas and the reindeer.

Boys will be in bed by 7 and then me and DH will pile up the pressies and open a bottle and then it will be early to bed for us, as it will be early to rise in the morning.

We will be spending christmas day at home and PIL will be coming for tea (cold meats etc) on the evening after FIL finishes milking.

Boxing day we are at my mothers and will be collecting my neice (3) and bringing her to, leaving bro and SIL to prepare for the evening. The run a local sports and solical club (ex British steel) and boxing day evening is the annual childrens party. We will all be going and having a fantastic night, although it is my turn to drive this year.

The boys will be having an extreamly late night and will have danced the night away and hopefully sleep in!

I'd prefer to avoid the goat, too, Cies, but I've given up being too precious about eating out in Lagos. I seemed to get upset stomachs no matter how careful I was, so I thought b*gger it, I'll eat what I want, salads and all. And nothing too bad has happened. Yet!

Sorry, that should be Sibble! I blame the Xmas sherry.

Thanks for linking to the Xmas traditions thread, ITMH. I can't link from my phone.

What is in reindeer dust? I vaguely remember doing that with the DCs one year when we were in Scotland. We are lighting candles in the garden for Santa's runway.

Reindeer dust is just oats and glitter, although as we have wee beasties roaming, I now just food colour some sugar green and red and add that

Also a poem for the bag

Sprinkle this reindeer food outside tonight.
The moonlight will make it sparkle bright.
As the reindeer fly and roam.
This will guide them to your home

We made some and gave it to my niece for her house too.

I bought oats and food dye so we are set for the reindeer.

When I was shopping earlier I was trying to remember the french word for turkey and I heard the woman next to me speak to her DC in English. I was going to ask her when she turned to me and pointed to the poultry display, enquiring if that bird was a turkey. She at least had come prepared and knew that turkey was Dinde (afair) but the label said "poulard". I asked the butcher and he told us that it was not turkey and when I asked what kind of bird it was he replied, "chicken, but... ah..."

So today I learned that turkey is dinde in French and hens that are castrated to fatten them up are poulard.

And that a real Swiss turkey costs CHF 150 (about £70)

I am going to France tomorrow to check out the turkey situation and if the are the same price then we will be having chicken.

Anyone else incredibly homesick after watching the Waitrose Xmas advert? The buggers, I was ok till I saw that.

Our turkey would have been £70 eek - but it was a gift from one of DH's clients (a butcher). It was a free range organic affair, we would never normally pay that TBH. I am looking forward to see how differnt it tastes. DH has told me you can really see from looking at it the difference, but then he is a farmers son!!

FOOC from not very Christmassy Galicia.

This is my first Christmas in Spain, not with my family, and so far it's going fine. The fact that DH and I are flying back to UK at 9am on 26th December might have something to do with that though .

It just doesn't feel Christmassy yet. The weather doesn't help. It's unseasonably warm and sunny. Yesterday we went for a long walk in the hills, and it was hot enough to strip off down to our T-shirts. It'll be a huge shock to the system arriving in Gatwick at 1pm and only have a couple of more hours of daylight.

This evening is the first big event in the Christmas celebrations. It's Nochebuena , or Christmas Eve, and we'll be celebrating with a large meal at ILs - fish soup and cod with raisins. ILs are not big drinkers, and I asked DH yesterday what they usually drank at xmas. "Oh, a bottle of cava". This for 8 adults. So at least I won't have a hangover in the morning!

Happy Christmas to all FOOCS. I don't know when I'll check in again, but I hope Santa brings you all what you wish for (if you've been good), and coal if you haven't.

Christmas greetings to all FOOCs and may we have another 'corresponding' year in 2009!

My Xmas has gone a bit pear-shaped as ds1 and his dw are delayed at Chicago O'Hare. They should have been here this afternoon but will now arrive in Manchester around 8am tomorrow morning. Ds2 has driven down to Manc (6hr trip), is staying at an hotel overnight then meeting them and bring them back, getting home between 3-4pm tomorrow.

I was feeling rubbish about it but I'm more resigned now and will try to regard it as Chrsitmas Day starting late.

Have fun, everyone!

Christmas greetings from here too. Mid afernoon, ds1 woke at 3am wanting to open his presents, then about every 30 mins thereafter until I gave in at 5.30 and let him get up. We woke ds2 at 6.30 so by 7am the mad frenzy was over. It's mid 20's sunny, we're going for a swim shortly and all in all feels more like a normal Sunday than Christmas Day except for the mess, wall to wall presents and ds2 playing his toy guitar with amp singing twinkle twinkle at the top of his voice oh and ...........
'blah blah black sheep,
henny any more,
yes sir yes sir,
three fat four,
1 for the master,
1 for the lame,
1 for the little boy who lives down the lane'
which I have of course taken a video of for his 21st as he is most adamant his words are right and I don't know the song

Happy Christmas all FOOCers

Hello from Abu Dhabi. My first post on this thread!
It is v. foggy this morning but warm.

DD1 is exploring what Father Christmas brought.

Dh had to pop into work for a couple hours - Islamic country and all. Then she gets to see her bike!

Happy Christmas!