Mon-Tues

I was back at Murlough before noon.  After lunch I helped Jen decorate the downstairs restroom…the one that is open to the public. We used purple and silver balls, purple ribbon and lavender towels. The balls/baubles are in baskets and others are hanging from the mirror. It’s festive and simple.

She also added lights to the mantel piece in the sitting room and the centerpiece in the hall.  Fresh flowers were added to all the arrangements as well as a couple of vases of carnations and daisies. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I added handwritten messages to 45 of the 120 Christmas cards. Some of the football/soccer guys arranged the tables and carried the decoration storage tubs upstairs.

I left at 7 to drive to the castle at Castlewellan. The Kilmegan Road was flooded in three places but passable. I entered the castle and up the stairs to the ballroom. There was a lovely fresh tree in the landing decorated with blue lights. The women from the Presbyterian Church were gathering. The castle was serving another group in the library. Our group went in and took our places. Each place was set with a cracker! I had never popped a cracker before so that was fun. Our first course was soup and a dinner roll. The main course was sumptuous! There was turkey and dressings, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and cranberry sauce. It was wonderful!

The dessert course was a choice of either a fruit kabob, a chocolate orange cheesecake, profiteroles (cream puffs) or Toffee Pecan Roulade.  I had the Toffee Pecan Roulade. It was sponge cake and bits of toffee and meringue topping with caramel sauce and pecans with whipped cream on the side. Too sweet for words! (and apparently for pics.....blogspot is not loading that one! sorry...just imagine!)

Sideboard at Castle

Crackers on the table

Tree at landing in Castle, blue lights

We played a game to identify candy. I had never heard of about fifteen of the twenty kinds---Double Deckers, Walnut Whips, Marathon, Boost, Whispa, Polo, Quality Street, Yorkie, Mint Imperials, After Eights. There were Kit Kats. And then of course, Turkish Delight!  Then we sang carols and Marlene, the pastor’s wife, gave a short but inspiring devotion.

I was home by eleven and then chatted with Deirdre until after one! When I went to my room, curtains had been added! I’ve had a lace curtain which lets in plenty of morning sun but also cold drafts. This curtain will keep the room a bit warmer but will I wake in the morning in a dark room??

Tuesday

9 a.m. –that’s when I woke in a dark room!! I’ve been up at 7:30 most mornings but not today! I went down and wrote another 20 Christmas cards. There’s lots of activity today. Jo is in to help prepare the food for tomorrow, Jen was in to finish up some decorations, Martin is working today, Cynthia and Alan D. came in to work out details for tomorrow. Richie, Joan and Richard are doing normal stuff. Speaking of “normal”….we haven’t seen Leonard for several weeks. Wonder what’s happened to him?  (Later Deirdre told me that she and Richie had a “Leonard sighting” last Wednesday. Maybe it’s been too cold for the mile walk from the main road.)

At 11 a.m., we (Joan, Sarah, Deirdre, Jen, Jo, John, Richie, Richard and I ) went to the Tea Room in Dundrum for a “going away” gathering. We had a grand time with lots of laughing. It was very nice. They gave me a sendoff as I don’t think I’m returning next year unlike Bebe who plans to be back in January.  We also celebrated Richard’s birthday even though he had tried to keep it a private matter. He was “outed” last Friday when I took the message from his mother who lives in England. Alan Cousins is in England and Alasdair was off on his other job.

I missed the afternoon staff meeting…actually I was in my room and forgot until it was half over. Then I didn’t want to show up late…however, they planned an impromptu Winter Solstice BBQ for next Tuesday night. They came out and headed to the phones to call and invite several connected with the ministry here. We’ll also have a 3£ gift exchange.  Uh-oh…change of event. We will not be celebrating or even observing the pagan holiday of winter solstice even though Richard reminds us that it is an astronomical event, not an astrological. But we shall have a staff party with gift exchange and guests for the BBQ that happens to fall on Dec. 20.

The tables have been set for the One2Four (Wednesday), the flowers arranged and this evening I refilled the salt and pepper (ah ah ahhhh ahhhhhchoo) shakers. I’ve counted out cups and saucers and placed the Christmas cards. Tomorrow I shall clean the entry hall and the downstairs restroom. Deirdre has the cooking under control with the help of Jo (for shortbread), Richard (for Christmas puddings) and Martin (for prep and general kitchen assistance). The three beef roasts were cooked today and the aroma was quite tempting. The turkey and dressing is prepared. The essential Christmas veg here is Brussels sprouts and they shall be on the menu tomorrow! Of course, there will be mash and roasted potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and peas also. Cranberry sauce and gravy will add to the assortment.

The program is set to include Richard reading one of his poems, Sarah singing and me speaking. There will also be carol singing. It will be a very nice luncheon.