Merry Christmas

[Mellsblue]

Liz, thank you for reminding me that although my Xmas has been a bit boring, things could’ve been a whole lot worse.

WiW, good luck in your recovery. I’m studying for a masters and even though I’m in (reasonably) good health, finding time to study over the Xmas break is tricky. 5 hrs on Xmas day itself is solid work. Kudos. Sadly, I’d pencilled the break in as a time to get a load of work done.......right, time to crack open another bottle of wine in preparation for lunch.

[WaspInWales]

Jesus mate that sounds like a knock and a half. You'll find that your hard drive will re-route information and once that is consolidated you will be back up to speed. Hopefully it doesn't result in any alterations to your winning personality.

Read that as whinging personality the first time

Cheers MP.

It has been horrendous at times. Felt like I had early onset dementia as I couldn't focus on much and just ended up wondering around the house thinking what I was supposed to be doing. Struggled to get things like text messages in order and had to read them and edit them a few times before sending.

Even yesterday I managed a huge brain fart. Popped to town with the missus. She wanted to go to a few shops and I wanted to get a quote for a new screen for her phone. She told me where she would probably be so we could meet up. So, off I went to the phone shop with her phone. Came out of the shop when I was finished, popped into one of the shops where she said she would be and couldn't see her, so I thought I'd call her. I seemed genuinely surprised to hear her phone ringing in my pocket! Tbh, I'm not sure if that is down to the concussion, it's probably more from the strain of over studying and being tired, but it's the kinda thing I have been doing lately.

[morepork]

Concussion affects memory and memory is part of executive function my friend. Being tired won't help either. Just remember (HaHa) that the brain does recover if you look after yourself. The brain is surprisingly plastic on many levels and in time yours will unmask functional networks that will compensate for the loss of elements of others that got zapped by the trauma. You also shouldn't tax your brain unnecessarily with studying until you feel better. All that learnin' you are doing requires intense synaptic function which accounts for about half of the available energy in the brain, and the brain has a limited capacity to generate energy. Until your bonce has had time to revascularise and settle in, there will be even less available nutrients getting from your Christmas pud to your neurons. Studying hard is tiring for the brain.

Alternatively, you could just get hammered and walk it off.

[Sandydragon]

Well my family have now all departed and the missus and I can relax, well relax as much as my little boy will let us!

I’ve now got another week of proper leave to enjoy.

WiW

Sorry to hear about your accident. Best of luck for a swift recovery.

Liz,

You had scrabble. I’ve endured Monopoly, with one of the players a cheating fecker. Thankfully he came last.

[Lizard]

To their credit, they stuck at it even after I cracked 200 in 5 turns. Although apparently it’s “unfair” to challenge someone’s dodgy word when you have a lead of 150.

It’s nice and peaceful now having got up first but I’m between a rock and a hard place knowing that using the coffee grinder for my morning coffee will wake everyone else...

[morepork]

Job for mother in law, Shirley. I’ve got the senioritas making mine. If it isn’t up to scratch they go outside and cut the kindling so they can think on for a spell.

[Mellsblue]

Trump’s America in microcosm.

[morepork]

Vaffanculo fiend.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

I tried a new stuffing for the turkey this year. 1 sweet potato, 1/2 a butternut squash that was slightly on the turn, a couple of Maris Pipers boiled and mashed with plenty of butter and pepper. Mix with about the same volume of coarse-ground bread crumbs and throw in a handful of ground chestnuts and a handful of diced dates. This into the turkey's main cavity with breadcrumb, onion, sage and saffron into the crop.

I have to say that while the main stuffing was a little stodgy, the effect in terms of keeping the meat good and moist was absolutely brilliant.

Roasties seem to have been a pretty universal success this year; the secret, clearly, is to use goose fat and I tend to sprinkle them in a bit of tarragon during roasting. I also do roast parsnips coated in herb and parmesan; I'm struggling over the last few years to get the balance between enough oil/fat to keep them moist in the middle and too much so that they don't get crisp on the outside. This year's were far too soggy, but to be honest they taste so fecking awesome I'd take them out of a blender if necessary.

All of this washed down with a cracking couple of bottles of a nice 2013 Chateau Neuf de Pape.

Best Christmas present for some several years this year. Mrs WG got me tickets to go see Kate Rusby in Dublin in January. Mrs WG fecking hates Kate Rusby! Is that a good present or what? I got her a pair of guttees!

[Lizard]

What manner of cunt goes to his beach house and mows the lawn next door at 7.30pm on a Sunday New Year’s Eve Eve just as an ideal sun sets over the rural outlook, when you’ve got a nice brut IPA and 2 kinds of cheese and the kids are already in bed?

Asking for a friend.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

Sounds like a perfect time for you to be taking the jack-hammer to that hard standing you've been meaning to lift; better yet, give it a lick on New Year's morning.

Out-cunt, the cunt.

[Mellsblue]

Or invite him round for a game of scrabble.

[Lizard]

Sounds like a perfect time for you to be taking the jack-hammer to that hard standing you've been meaning to lift; better yet, give it a lick on New Year's morning.

Out-cunt, the cunt.

I thought reorienting the outdoor speakers and introducing him to Rammstein or Shovel Headed Kill Machine at 0430hrs might work.