Christmas ups and downs

A rather random review of our Christmas ...

Highlights

A packed Church for the Children's Mass on Christmas Eve. Living in an almost entirely secular country, a Church filled literally to overflowing is a rare and wonderful sight. OK, it isn't the most peaceful, reverent Mass of the year, but it is a joyful one.

Playing alongside Angel in our Church music group on Christmas Eve. This time last year she had never even picked up a trumpet; now she is a capable young musician, keeping up admirably with older, more experienced players and sounding good. Proud mama time!

Smoked salmon rolls for breakfast.

Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and custard.

Star's pleasure in a bright pink, crown shaped bedroom doorbell which allows her to record her own message. (Star has spent quite some time recently trying to construct doorbells!)

Time with family and friends.

A wriggling baby!

Lowlights

Star in tired, whingy mode at Mass. Unfortunately, in our under-sized, over-crowded Church the only place to put the music group (and its junior offspring) is in a highly visible position right next to the altar. Fortunately, Star was mostly hidden behind the Christmas tree.

Trying to load music onto an MP3 player that came with the most abysmal instruction manual I have ever seen. Literally worse than useless.

Making a grab for the top shelf of the fridge at the same time as Tevye and contriving to knock an entire tub of cream over him. Tevye's sense of humour temporarily deserted him, though he did admit later, when no longer dripping, that it was quite funny.