My youngest, Kellogg. and the two boys, are now well out of their 14 day confinement, so we decided to celebrate with a slap-up lunch. It was such a beautiful day, we decided to eat outdoors.
Roast Chicken for most, stuffed red Pepper for one, and a wonderful selection of roasted vegs for all. The children, of course, demanded ice cream, and it was Lady M's delicious Sticky Apricot Pudding (Mary Berry), with thick cream, for the adults.
A friend later turned-up for coffee, and the dogs played in the sunshine.
Back in the 70's (I can't remember the exact year) we actually ate outdoors on Christmas Day. At the time we were astounded that such a thing was possible I remember it being a similar day to yesterday. I wonder if we'll ever be able to do that again?
And who had the healthiest appetite of the day? Without question it was Boo Boo.
At 1 pm it was 18C.
Sounds very pleasant.
ReplyDeleteYes, we haven't had many of these days recently. Lockdown, self-isolating, and even self-distancing, have meant we've been unable to socialise; even with family. It was a very pleasant change.
DeleteHow wonderful that you were able to do that under French lockdown requirements. Alas in the UK one cannot meet with anyone from outside your household even outside, unless it is to meet one person outside in a public place, but not a garden.
ReplyDeleteSticky Apricot pudding sounds lovely.
This is exactly what I was going to say too.
DeleteTotally within the rules here!
DeleteIt is interesting I read an article complaining that Uk lockdown isn’t stricken enough and was put in place too late (again). The article used France as a comparison saying it was much stricter and you needed an exception certificate to even take daily exercise on your own!
DeleteGotta lovel reporting sometimes!
That looks lovely. Rules in France are
Deleteso much more relaxed!. Wish I could meet family and friends sadly no.
How wonderful.
ReplyDeleteIt was Yael... I wonder when we'll do it again?
DeleteWe grab sunny days to eat outside when we can, and with the addition of family it sounds perfection.
ReplyDeleteWe seem to be in a period of really nice weather, so maybe this won't be the last such meal of 2020.
DeleteLovely. The weather here is also good.
ReplyDeleteOurs looks to be lasting for a week or more.
DeleteWhat a lovely family photograph .... food with the family is always special. None of that allowed here at the moment unfortunately but hopefully soon .... maybe ..... perhaps ...... possibly .... God willing !!!!! XXXX
ReplyDeleteWe regard ourselves as one family. If anyone says different they'd better come armed!
DeleteAh that explains it. In the Uk it is based on household not family. I have friends who live next door to his parents. They can’t even meet in the garden. One can meet with one of the parents outside. Crazy.
DeleteThe French approach is more sensible, though does carry more risk of spread I guess.
It sounds like a great family gathering. Christmas outdoors on Christmas Day? Nothing to do with climate change.
ReplyDeleteThis was back in the mid-70's... it's never happened since.
DeleteWe are having unseasonably mild, warm weather here in Ontario, too. Your gathering looks idyllic. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteSounds like it's world-wide. All the better!
DeleteSounds like you had a perfect day - a mix of lovely weather, good food and family.
ReplyDeleteThe perfect Sunday. It could only have been made better if we'd had The Sunday Times delivered.
DeleteYou have painted a perfect family picture. I hope it is warm enough for an outside family Xmas dinner. Now and again we get that warmth and sunshine too at Christmas. Marvellous to sit and feel that winter sun warming your bones
ReplyDeleteIt was just like Summer yesterday. Somehow I doubt if we'll ever have another outdoor Christmas lunch... but you never know!
DeleteThat sounds like a wonderful time and a day to remember. We've been having gorgeous weather, too. Sitting outdoors is a joy right now. And Boo Boo is growing fast!
ReplyDeleteHe keeps showing me his muscles... he eats Spinach!
DeleteIt was a beautiful day here as well. We started out the day with plans to work on a building project. We scrapped that and went for a long leisurely stroll in a state park.
ReplyDeleteKeep that project for when you need to be kept warm. What are you building?
DeleteGosh. Outdoors. I wish. Christmas Dinner outdoors reminds me, of course of my New Zealand life when Christmas was summer and a BBQ. Very strange for the first few years.
ReplyDeleteYet, don't they still have Christmas trees, Reindeer, Snowmen, etc, in NZ?
DeleteChristmas is still celebrated and indeed it is the one of the few days that day that shops must shut. We had a Christmas tree but many celebrate with an image of a Pohutakawa Tree which is also known as a New Zealand Christmas Tree. I don't ever recall snowmen either fake or, obviously, real making an appearance but perhaps they did elsewhere. Father Christmas and reindeer are part of Christmas legend in New Zealand as you said. In my experience a tree, presents, a pavlova and lots of bubbles being blown (and drunk before breakfast) were far more part of Christmas than house decorations in general.
DeleteI would have a Christmas tree wherever I was in the world; and hopefully a Turkey too.
DeleteAw are all jumping up and down in Scotland with happiness!. Pfizer has a covid vaccine with 90 percent effectivness. Old vaccine for SARS just tweaked. Programme for vaccination starts end of Dec. Yipeeeeeeeee
ReplyDeleteYes, I just read about it in my online paper. Fingers crossed!
DeleteWonderful family meal outdoors in the sunshine is truly perfection. 3 generations together, superb.
ReplyDeleteIt's really lovely having them all here. The boys are a real pleasure.
DeleteHow wonderful to have days like this. They are even more memorable because of the circumstances. I hope you and your family can have many more of them. I heard winter may not be bad this year. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteI'm not keen on prolonged cold weather. So, if your prediction is correct, I shall be extremely happy.
DeleteSuch a lovely Lunch.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it was all the circumstances made it so special for us.
DeleteWhat a lovely thing to do and I guess that the time on the clock did not matter a hoot.
ReplyDeleteAt present, time hardly matters to most of us. Mr Pfizer now tells me that could change.
DeleteWonderful to share a meal with family. We once ate at the picnic table for our Thanksgiving day. That was forty years ago. Now it's not uncommon. And I still live fifteen miles from my childhood home.
ReplyDeleteMy only Thanksgiving meal was spent in an enormous beach house in Grand Cayman. The main room, where we ate, was like an aircraft hangar, and the ceiling was painted like the sky! Not typical, I'm sure.
Delete