Come and Go

Well Christmas day has come and gone.  It is amazing how quickly it all happens when it finally arrives.  Days are spent in preparation.  Getting the place looking ok, doing the cooking, seeing who wants to come along.
Before we know it, it is time for the guests to arrive.  They do so.  Six turn up plus Merril and I.  That’s eight.  We had cooked for 10 with the “just in case” scenario.  One person did turn up after having been invited the day before and calling to ensure it was still on and he was invited.  The answer was yes and it was great to see him.
Soon it was time to serve the food.  Ham, chicken, potato bake, veges.  And lots of lollies beforehand. No one would have ever known it was my first time cutting up a ham unless they looked at it.  Still, it tasted good.  Then dessert was on.  Ice cream, tarts, pudding, custard, vinetto.
Drinks were a constant goer.  I did up the punch (after Merril had shown me what went into it.) Merril was incredibly well organized. I took what was ready to go and made up the punch.  I did take a drink or two as I could not believe how close it had come to overflowing and I just wanted to lower the level of the punch.  That was my excuse anyway as the punch tasted really good.
We had a time of present giving, eating and drinking.  But the time I thought was great was sitting around the table talking.  Everyone who wanted to be involved was and that was everyone.  We ranged far and wide in the conversation but again it was so absorbing it was 2pm before we knew it.
People made their way home.  It seems for most it was to sleep off the good eating.  It was just in time to as a storm rolled in right around leaving time.  Most had gone before the storm arrived, and for the one caught in the rain it only lasted a brief while.
Now it is time to pack up all the stuff again.  We have made a start but determined it will be at a gentle pace.  Much is packed but has not made its way to its home yet.  To us that is another day thing.