The last few days seem to have consisted of food, brisk walks, good books, listening to music and the occasional watching of television and more food.
We had prepared a lot of the Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve the filling for our usual Chestnut and Red Wine Puree en Croute was made ready to be covered in puff pastry the next day, a few mince pies were made with what was left of the pastry. Vegetables like Brussels Sprouts and Red Cabbage were prepared with just the root vegetables left to peel on Christmas morning.
For our joint Christmas present we had sent for Ancestry DNA kits in November, when there was a special offer, and duly sent them off. My results came back on Christmas Eve but Paul has to resend his for some reason. As I expected my results showed my links firmly in the Midlands, Forty four percent Great Britain - Northern England and the Midlands. Twenty Two percent Western Europe and twenty percent Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Nine percent Scandinavia, Finland and North West Russia and five percent Iberian Peninsula. I have yet to work out the connotations of this but I seem to be made up of little bits of possibly Roman, Norman, Celt and Norse with later British/Midlands influences. I find it absolutely fascinating and there are several second, third and fourth cousins whom I can contact which I may do in the New Year.
I found television programmes I wanted to watch a bit thin on the ground this year but we did watch Maigret in Montmartre on Christmas Eve. We also watched The Highway Rat, Dr Who (just Paul) Upstart Crow and Victoria (just me) on Christmas Day. I've spent most of the time reading a collection of short stories by P D James and the latest 'Fethering' mystery by Simon Brett. I've also just started The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz.
I'll leave you with a few photos of Geese spotted on one of our walks
I found television programmes I wanted to watch a bit thin on the ground this year but we did watch Maigret in Montmartre on Christmas Eve. We also watched The Highway Rat, Dr Who (just Paul) Upstart Crow and Victoria (just me) on Christmas Day. I've spent most of the time reading a collection of short stories by P D James and the latest 'Fethering' mystery by Simon Brett. I've also just started The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz.
I'll leave you with a few photos of Geese spotted on one of our walks
and a few photos from our visit to the World of Wedgwood's Magical Christmas.
How was your Christmas? Have you had a great time? I hope so.
I like the look of the PD James stories. Haven’t seen that one. That was a nice Christmas present to get your DNA results. It does make interesting reading. Do they let you know about your cousins through the testing? I’m catching up with TV now as it was a busy couple of days. I love these quiet days between Christmas and New Year. B x
ReplyDeleteIf you have an Ancestry account and have a family tree on line they match up those who may have the same ancestors somewhere in their tree. I haven't made my tree public but they have still given me some contacts. I love this time of year too:)
DeleteYour food looks yummy.We went to our daughter's for Xmas.Our son in law had a terrible cold and cough and I have come back with it.I had just got rid of a cough I had had for months but now have it again!!!We had a lovely time.Lots of fun and laughter.
ReplyDeleteIt's awful when you work hard all year then get a cold over the holidays, just when you want to enjoy yourself. I hope your cough disapears soon:)
DeleteThe PD James stories look interesting. This week between the years is perfect for reading. I just finished another episode of The Crown and look forward to another one tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI usually prefer to read a novel but the short stories are good at this time of year as you can pick them up and dip into them when you want. P D James was such a good writer:)
DeleteMy husband and I have both been thinking about doing the DNA test. I enjoyed the Magpie Murders a lot. Your Christmas foods look so good.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to enjoy The Magpie Murders. It too ages to get around to doing the DNA test but I'm glad we did:)
DeleteI also found TV programmes that I wanted to watch a little thin on the ground this year too. However, I do think this helped us to stop vegetating in front of it so a bonus. Your DNA sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad too that there wasn't too much to watch or catch up with on I player. Have enjoyed what I've seen and also enjoyed doing other things like reading and walking:)
DeleteThe food looks delicious Rosie. The results of the DNA test sound so fascinating - a lovely idea for a joint present. Interestingly I have just read some short Christmas stories by PD James - little book called The Mistletoe Murder and other stories. I have only read a few books by her but am thinking of trying the Inspector Dagleish stories now I am up to date with Ann Cleeves books and nearly finished the Ruth Galloway books.
ReplyDeleteWedgwoods Magical Christmas looks super :)
Thank you. Oh, yes, I read the Mistletoe one last year and then bought it for a friend for Christmas. P D James was a wonderful writer and her Dalgliesh books are so good, have you read any Peter Robinson Inspector Banks Books or Stepehn Booth's Cooper and Fry novels - I love all those:)
DeleteI've just finished the Mistletoe one and recommended it to my son. Have uploaded first Dagleish book. Thanks so much for the other two suggestions I will check them out :) OH got fed up of emails from Amazon and horrors of horrors blamed My Wish List and deleted it!!! I am less than happy because I had saved 100's of ideas of books to read over the last 5 years on there!! So now have to start from scratch!
DeleteJust uploaded the first one in each of the Banks and Cooper and Fry novels - not very expensive. Thank you. Can I ask for some help please - I am sure in the Wish List I had a series of detective novels which also involved an archaeologist (possibly set in the south-west of England?). i can't remember the author and just wondered without you going to any trouble if you happened to know the author I am talking about?? I have a feeling it/they was/were on your reading lists? Thanks so much.
DeleteSo sorry for all these comments! Just to let you know I think I have found the detective/archaeologist books now - Kate Ellis and the first one is the Merchant's House! Have now added it to my handwritten wish list!!! :)
DeleteOh, yes Kate Ellis - her Wesley Peterson novels are very good, I've read quite a few of them, mostly the later ones, what ever I can find in the local library. I hope you enjoy the Cooper and Fry novels I love them because they are set in and around areas I know in the Peak District and I like how the characters of Ben Cooper and Diane Fry develop through the novels. Good idea to have a handwritten list as well, happy reading:)
DeleteThanks Rosie - will try Kate Ellis although I have uploaded enough books for now - I said I wouldn't buy any more until the New Year!!! I really must start using the library more!
DeleteYour feast looks delicious & so different to ours, as are your days over the festive season. Hot and sticky here & spending a few days out with our UK visitors doing the "tourist" things. Your DNA test was interesting & my cousin did one, which threw up some unexpected & interesting titbits, though we both knew there was a lot of British in us as our grandmother was from Manchester. Have a Happy New Year & I'm off to catch up on some more blog reading. Take care.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. Your Christmas sounds wonderful, I've just been over to read what you did, and so different from our Christmas here - except the need to get out and about no matter what the weather:)
DeleteWhat a beautiful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThank you and thank you for visiting:)
DeleteHappy Christmas Rosie. Roman, Norman, Celt and Norse sounds fascinating, there would be such stories to be told, if only they could find their voices. We enjoyed Maigret too, and funnily enough the only thing we watched together on Boxing Day was Rowan Atkinson again in Blackadder's Christmas Carol, almost thirty years old but still making us laugh. We're now catching up with The Miniaturist and enjoying it. Lovely pics, as ever. x
ReplyDeleteThank you Mrs T. I'm sure all those ancient influences are well diluted by now. I'm assuming Iberian Peninsula is roman, western europe is norman, scandinavian is norse and welsh/Scots etc is celt but I could of course be wrong. Love Blackadder haven't caught up with The Miniaturist yet, hope it is still available on iplayer:)
DeleteYour Christmas looks and sounds perfect Rosie! How exciting to find out your ancestry DNA! I watched a bit of telly over Christmas and watched 'The Miniaturist' by myself and loved it! x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Simone, hope you had a great time. Have yet to watch the Miniaturist, I'll catch up on iplayer one day:)
DeleteOh it all sounds lovely, Rosie. Glad that you enjoyed your Christmas. I saw something recently about ancestry DNA kits. You certainly have some interesting heritage. Wishing you a very Happy New Year! Marie x
ReplyDeleteThank you Marie, it was a quiet but lovely Christmas. Happy New Year to you too:)
DeleteWhat a lovely Christmas you had :) I've spent every day working on the house (but my evenings have been spent reading, so it wasn't all bad!). I haven't had a lot of time lately for blogging so apologies for my lack of comments over the last few months, but I'm trying to have a bit of a catch up today and wanted to stop by to wish you a Happy New Year :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting, Louise, I hope the house is ready or nearly ready for you to move into, you have worked so hard on it and it must have taken up most of your spare time. Glad you have been able to take time out to read and relax a little over the holiday. Happy New Year to you too:)
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