It's Christmas Day afternoon. I wish you a very Happy Christmas (or what's left of it). Of course I would expect you to be concentrating on Christmas Day wherever you are rather than reading blogs so it may well be that my benediction is too late. anyway.
Most of my friends and family at this moment will be either tucking into or still preparing, or just possibly have eaten, Christmas Dinner. In the normal course of events I would be one of those people sharing one of those meals. As it is I'm sitting looking out at the fading light of a cloudless sky towards the Scottish Mainland. The wind is abating. It's been a beautiful, if cold and windy, day on this Island paradise.
I've got a dreadful cold and cough: a real doozie. I had a PCR yesterday and got the call late afternoon - negative. Regardless of that I'll not be going anywhere for a while.
The Lebkuchen are a special treat from my family who were over at the Hamburg Christmas Fair. For many years in the 'Eighties our Berlin friends sent the same box for Christmas. I love them.
At least you had the biscuits to enjoy! I hope your indisposition soon passes and you will be back to feeling like your normal happy self. Hugz, Mxx
ReplyDeleteGood to see you Margaret. The last post I read you were taking time out. I hope you had a good Christmas.
DeleteOh, sorry to hear you've managed to catch a cold, Graham! - even if it's no doubt a relief that at least the PCR test came out negative! Glad you have hot drinks and nibbles to keep you company - and your lovely views to look out on. We've been having a proper white Christmas here this year, even combined with sunshine and blue skies - a rare treat. (Photos on my blog when you feel up to it.) Wish you a cozy evening in spite of the cold - hope you'll feel better soon! ♥
ReplyDeletePrayers you feel better soon
ReplyDeleteHave a happier New Year!
I'm sorry to learn you're not feeling well, Graham. Get stuck into loads of fresh fruit filled with loads of Vitamin C...and take loads of Vitamin C supplements...that'll help knock the pest on its butt! Take good care.
ReplyDeleteIt's Boxing Day here so I am still allowed to wish you a Merry Christmas. By choice, mine is being spent very quietly...just me and my two furry best mates. I spent yesterday, Christmas Day, reading, doing crosswords, bingeing on a few episodes of my favourite series (not for the first time)...and bingeing on some goodies. No big Christmas lunch/dinner for me...just fruit, some prawns, shortbread and a rather thick slice of Christmas cake!
All the very best. :)
Lee I've loaded up with Vitamin C although I think it's more psychological than medicinally beneficial. We excrete everything we don't need that day. Your Christmas Day sounds just perfect to me.
DeleteI wish you a rapid recovery from the doozie.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Red.
DeleteSorry to hear you are under the weather this Christmastime and hope you are feeling better in a week's time when we enter yet another new year.
ReplyDeleteThank you, YP.
DeleteSorry that you are under the weather, Graham, but at least it's not the dreaded COVID. Being alone under such conditions seems like the best strategy, for you and for potential hosts. I would be inclined to drag it out a little with all those treats in the house! Once you start to feel a little perkier a good shot of single malt would fit the bill nicely! Don't recover too quickly!
ReplyDeleteDavid, I did try a shot of whisky on Saturday night. My throat was so raw that even the honey and lemon it was combined with didn't stop the shock! I might try again this evening!
DeleteWishing you a speedy recovery, Graham! Bummer about the timing of your cold but a box of delicious German Christmas fare all to yourself well hasten things along nicely.
ReplyDeletePipistrello, I'm just at the stage where I've had a small Lebkuchen.
DeleteGlad it isn't Covid, but sorry you aren't feeling well, Graham. Speedy recovery! and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ellen.
DeleteHow rotten for you. Just when you really don't want to be ill, these things come along. Anyway, a good excuse to stay in bed, or watch trashy TV, whilst consoling yourself with hot Scottish toddies.
ReplyDeleteCro, one of the things I've discovered is that when you are in bed at night gasping for breath the mind plays hideous tricks. I did watch a lot of TV yesterday (probably more than I watched in the whole of the preceding week). I'm hoping that this evening my throat may cope with a wee malt.
DeleteSorry to hear you are unwell but I bet the lebkuchen cheered you up. My daughter, who is visiting from Sydney, has been learning to cook Swiss lebkuchen. Hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteDiana, a daughter who cooks Lebkuchen..... Lucky you.
DeleteThe next Lebkuchen I eat I'll think of you.
ReplyDeleteU
Well, Ursula, I hope you think of me in happy rather than in this temporary miserable mode.
DeleteYou did the best you could do under the circumstances, and I think such a quiet Christmas may have its very own charm - especially if you are feeling so rough and are no good company around a group of people enjoying a feast.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, you will soon feel better and manage to see your friends and family in time for New Year‘s Eve or so.
Meike, the last thing I could have coped with is company although being ill and alone in the dark in the middle of the night gasping for breath did make me wish there was someone else around.
DeleteOh Graham, I am so sorry to hear you are laid low. The cold which seems to be doing the rounds this winter is a nasty bit of work, and does not give up easily. Your Hamburg hamper looks fabulous.
ReplyDeleteJayne, I think this 'cold' is especially fierce having had so few victims this last couple of years because we've all been wearing masks. It's just unfortunate for me that the people I caught it off thought that they were over it when we were together.
DeleteWhat a coincidence we've both blogged about German goodies. That selection looks great. Off to show it to Mrs. D. now.
ReplyDeleteResponse: envy. That is very remininscent of what their family friend Ingeborg used to send.
DeleteTasker, I had intended to spend my Christmas catching up in Blogland seeing as I couldn't visit any family of friends in the flesh. Unfortunately it's not been like that. However I don't anticipate going anywhere for a few days so tomorrow may be the day!I'm glad that it sparked good memories for Mrs. D.
DeleteSorry about the cold, but glad the test was negative. Still, not easy being ill around the holidays. Hope you are well soon and able to meet with friends and family in the near future.
ReplyDeleteMary, being ill isn't easy at any time I find. The older we get the less time we have to waste on 'downtime'.
DeleteOn the bright side it isn't plague, but sorry to read you missed out on a companionable Christmas. Here's wishing you a rapid recovery and full health in time for Hogmany.
ReplyDeleteAs you said, Tigger, it isn't the plague. Thank you for your good wishes.
DeleteI hope you feel better very soon. Merry Christmas, Graham. X
ReplyDeleteJules 27 Dec 2021, 08:35
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better very soon. Merry Christmas, Graham. X
Very strangely Jules, your comment didn't publish. It's only because it was the last one I read in my inbox that I noticed. I'm now wondering what this new Blogger glitch is.
DeleteThank you for your good wishes.
I've never heard of Lebkuchen but I did look it up, it would probably be perfect with a cup of tea or coffee to dunk in, right? I hope you get better though.
ReplyDeleteAmy they are certainly perfect with tea or coffee but I'm not a dunker! The idea of half my ginger nut/biscuit disintegrating into my coffee has never appealed.
DeleteI love lebkuchen and usually buy a lot when it (they?) are on sale after Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI find the middle of the night makes everything more terrifying than daylight hours.
I hope you did manage that small malt!
Kylie, you are so right about the middle of the night. Three of my very worst sepsis induced rigour attacks have occurred in the middle of the night - a time when we are at are loneliest and most vulnerable.
DeleteHope you are on your way to full recovery now Graham and that you'll greet the new year with great gusto.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jill. It's taking a lot longer than I expected to shake of the cough and tiredness.
DeleteYour Christmas celebration sounded delicious after seeing that box of treats, Graham. Glad your test was negative and hope the cold symptoms will be easing soon. It is definitely no fun to be out and about when feeling miserable. Sending alll good wishes for recovery and for a Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteAnd that spammer Ratana has struck again and I would suggest that the comment preceding this one be immediately deleted.
Thanks, Beatrice. Unfortunately I've not been out and about anywhere.... not even in Blogland apart from a few short sorties.
DeleteAs I'm so late to the party (which turned out to not be a party at all) I hope you are feeling a lot better by now. Hopefully you can see in the new year in your usual fine form. You're right how feeling ill is so much worse in the middle of the night when one is alone. Take care, Graham.
ReplyDeleteHi, Pauline. I'm on the mend today thank you. I think New Year will be quiet but at least I'll hopefully be well enough to enjoy it.
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