4th January 2014

Late afternoon on Christmas Eve, all the Palmers gathered around the dining table at Willow Bank, enjoying what would be the first of many meals before the festivities concluded. The decorations were up, the tree sparkled with lights, and the logs crackled in the wood burner. Despite relishing the freshly made chestnut soup I’d so enthusiastically prepared that afternoon as a starter, Charlotte, Jamie, and Sarah decided to indulge further, roasting even more chestnuts throughout the evening (with all digestive consequences cheerfully ignored). Later, Jamie strolled into town to meet some friends, likely benefiting from the “chestnut effect” as he made his way through what, by all accounts, was a very packed Harborough.

After a game of Beetle and a bit of TV, Lucas and Ellis were surprisingly tucked up and fast asleep by 10 pm. The ‘grown-ups’ waited until around 11 pm before giving Santa a hand with arranging presents under the tree, then headed off to bed themselves. Sometime in the night, Jamie appeared in his bed in the study, and the ‘young ‘uns’ blissfully slept on until 7:30 am!

Tradition dictates that stockings are opened first, all while still snug in bed, with their contents proudly shown to everyone gathered there. Afterwards, there’s a trip to see the tree and inspect what treasures might be waiting underneath. Little hands eagerly move, lift, and rattle the gifts on the edge of the “avalanche,” despite many cautionary reminders. Breakfast is then prepared, enjoyed, tidied, and put away at record speed. Once the other adults had settled comfortably, I gathered my two elves and read each gift label and tag, passing each one to them for delivery.

When the piles of discarded wrapping paper became too treacherous for little feet to navigate without risking stepping on already-opened delights, we paused for festive drinks and a tidy-up. Then it was back to the serious business of picking, transferring, and unwrapping packages of all shapes and sizes (with Sue’s bike and Suraj’s table posing quite the challenge for our elves). More mounds of discarded wrappings appeared, alongside an ever-growing pile of treasures. I couldn’t help but notice that the height of each present pile seemed to inversely match the height of its recipient!

By midday, wrapping paper was safely packed away in boxes and bin bags in the garage, gifts were sorted into logical piles, and some had been moved to bedrooms. Batteries were suddenly in demand, with other devices temporarily sacrificed for them, even prompting a trip to the Spar for fresh supplies.

 

 

 

 

 

The aroma of Christmas dinner began to waft from the kitchen. This year, Jamie had supplied a turkey crown that looked magnificent; Sue had worried it wouldn’t fit in the oven, but she managed to squeeze it in. Later, with everyone feeling rather satisfied and full, we all agreed that Christmas dinner is the only meal that truly surpasses a traditional English Sunday roast for sheer perfection on a plate. Hats off to Sue!

After washing up, it was time for the serious business of trying on clothes, building structures, assembling various gadgets, flying helicopters, racing cars, and, of course, charging batteries. Some even managed to find space to tuck into a few treats along the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All too soon, it was time for Christmas tea, and once more, a table piled with salads, meats, cheeses, and chutneys was set. Cutlery and crockery were swiftly cleared, washed, and returned to the shelves, ready for the evening’s main event: ‘Doctor Who’. Out came the projector and screen, and those still young at heart settled in for what we hoped would be the BBC at its best. Unlike last year’s disappointment, which was full of nonsensical plot twists, this episode was an improvement. The storyline was engaging, and the characters struck a good balance without overplaying the humour.

The rest of the evening was spent with a mix of festive drinks, dipping in and out of tech experiments (even Nan with her new mobile), watching TV, and, for Ellis and Lucas, dashing around the house in a spirited game of hide and seek.

Boxing Day saw Sarah and me up early. Her boyfriend, Lee, had chosen a particularly tricky day to be born, and, as he was turning 21, she was keen to join him in Cottgrave for a surprise family celebration. On a very foggy morning, I drove her to Melton Mowbray, where Lee would pick her up for the journey onward. He wasn’t at the rendezvous when we arrived, but with time tight, I left her waiting in the drizzle and gloom with fingers crossed. Fortunately, he arrived shortly after.

Back in Harborough, I took on new passengers, Sue, Jamie, and Harley, and, with the Rothwells and Nan in the 4×4, we headed off to Peterborough for a day of dog racing. After queuing for about 15 minutes to get into the stadium, we found a couple of tables in our preferred spot. Sue and I handled the food orders while Suraj took care of the drinks at the bar. Running like a well-oiled machine, the Palmer Team was the first to be tucking into our meals, leaving plenty of time to study the form and pick our potential winners.

This year, there were 14 races, and as is tradition, we each staked £1 per race (give or take from any winnings). Watching six dogs dash around the track at intervals can feel like watching sheep jump a fence. Nan certainly thought so, as she managed a 15-minute nap in between races!

I decided to try my luck with a TRIO bet for each race, picking the first three dogs in the exact order. It’s high risk but promises big returns if you win. TRIO winnings per race ranged from £390 to £890. I did manage to win one race… for £18.60! We all ended up more or less breaking even, except for Harley, who walked away with a tidy profit of £38.

 

 

 

 

 

The next day, Suraj went to check out some laptops he was considering buying, while Nan opted for a quiet day of rest, so we took her back to her apartment. The rest of us headed into Leicester to visit the Newark Houses Museum.

We parked in a nearby multi-story car park and walked to the museum. With the sales in full swing, the roads were packed, but the museum itself was fairly quiet, and we nearly had the place to ourselves. They’d recently invested over £1 million in new exhibits, which meant it looked very different from Sue’s last visit years ago, when she brought her class. It was my first visit, and I regretted not discovering it sooner; if I had, it would have been a regular school trip, alongside the New Walk Museum. Ah, well, too late for that now!

The museum offered an intriguing mix of eras and exhibits that held our interest, not to mention the fascinating history of the building itself. The weather was cold, damp, and miserable, but that didn’t stop us from exploring the Tardis-like walled gardens and snapping plenty of photos. I had hoped for a spot of window shopping, and Sue had wanted to visit a park in Oadby, but with dusk fast approaching, we opted for a quiet journey home. Suraj, meanwhile, wasn’t impressed with the laptops on offer and decided against buying one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah arrived home by train the next morning, and Jamie, who’d been scheduled to work, managed to negotiate the day off. That afternoon, we were off to the pantomime! Sarah had invited her friend Abi and Abi’s son from university, who joined us for lunch before we drove to the Lighthouse Theatre in Kettering to see ‘Snow White’, starring Russell Grant (the astrologer).

It was a far more professional production than the usual pantomimes we see in Corby, so Russell’s lack of talent didn’t detract from our enjoyment. Ellis and Lucas each got flashing lightsabers from Nan, and luckily, Sue and I were seated two rows back on the opposite side of the theatre. One highlight was when Suraj was spotted by ‘Muddles’ while playing with a lightsaber and was affectionately dubbed “Mr. Grumpy” for the rest of the show!

That evening, we unpacked the Wii Family Trainer that Sue had gifted me for Christmas. Sarah figured out how to set it up, and soon she, Ellis, and I were having a go at the various activities. Let’s just say my energy didn’t hold out as well as theirs, and after an hour, we packed it away. I slept soundly that night!

The next day, while Jamie was at work and Nan took a well-earned rest watching sports, the rest of us headed to Shackerstone Station to catch the “Mince Pie Express” on the Battlefield Line to Shenton. We aimed for the 11:15 am train and, by some luck, managed to board despite a detour by the SatNav to the wrong side of the tracks. The eagle-eyed station master spotted us hurrying down the lane and held the train until we made it on board.

With only 26 other passengers, everyone seemed relaxed, especially as the ticket collector graciously took the cash we had on hand. We made the boys “disappear” and Sarah an “under 5,” which made the mince pies, sherry, and wine feel all the more rewarding! The trip through the Leicestershire countryside was beautiful and familiar to Sue and me from our walks around Bosworth Hall.

At Shenton, we watched the engine turnaround and took photos before re-boarding for the return. The ticket collector mentioned our tickets allowed us to ride all day if we wished, so, after a quick family vote, we decided to enjoy the journey once more. It was just as delightful the second time, something to revisit in the summer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Shackerstone, we drove to the Bosworth Battlefield Centre. After a wander around Ambion Hill and reading the information boards, we stopped for a warming drink of hot chocolate in the cafe. Although the day was sunny, it was bitterly cold, and the sun was starting to dip low in the sky. Our return journey was uneventful, and we arrived home in the dark.

The following day, the Rothwells packed up and left for home. Peace once again resided over Willow Bank, and strangely, it seemed odd. And, when Sarah left to travel to Nottingham to see the New Year fireworks display with Lee, it made it even quieter. So quiet in fact, that when the New Year did arrive, Sue had been in bed for two hours and I for one.

The usual explosions around Harborough at midnight briefly roused me, but I resisted the urge to peek out the window and instead buried my head under the pillow. Some might consider this sad, but come 7:30 am the next day, I felt as fresh as a daisy, cycling through the fields of Leicestershire and relishing the peace and solitude, reassured that all was well with the world as I took it all in.
That lunchtime, the clan gathered once again (minus Sarah) and enjoyed a New Year’s Day dinner that, in the words of our usually grumpy Nan, was “the best dinner she has ever had.” I must admit, I wholeheartedly agree.

On Thursday nights, I play pool at the Catholic Club. Unfortunately, there had been quite a few burglaries in Harborough over the Christmas period, and David Tomlinson, one of our team, was among the victims. His family had their cash and belongings stolen while they slept on Boxing Day night. Coincidentally, I spent the entire Thursday morning testing our alarm system and fixing the external siren that had stopped working.

This year, I decided to give Charlotte, Jamie, and Sarah money for Christmas, transferring funds into their bank accounts on the 25th. Jamie has been having issues with his car, leading him to sell it for something more reliable. Sue got quite the surprise when I gifted her tickets for a few days in New York, travelling on the Queen Elizabeth. We’ll be heading to Southampton by train to catch the boat and flying back from JFK after exploring what’s currently a very cold and snowy New York. I tried my DJ on yesterday; while the jacket fits fine, I no longer have a chance of getting into the trousers, an overindulgent Christmas, indeed! I’ve also arranged for Nan to have afternoon tea at the Sedgebrooke Hotel in Northamptonshire with Charlotte.

Jamie was keen to be a chef for the Curry Night, arranging for Sarah to assist him, but she was still in Cottgrave, recovering from New Year celebrations (or a nasty cold, as she prefers to call it). Charlotte agreed to step in, but she and the rest of the family were visiting Suraj’s sister in Coventry, so Sue and I were uncertain if it would happen. However, the Rothwells arrived late in the afternoon, and about half an hour later, Jamie appeared with 2kg of lamb mince and all the necessary ingredients for a Mexican Night! I briefly helped by chopping onions, then left Jamie and Charlotte to it. Following Jamie’s instructions, his elder sister dutifully helped, and around 40 minutes later, the dinner bell sounded.

We assembled our own fajitas from the spread on the table, accompanied by a tangy, cheesy taco side dish. It was lovely! Luckily, Sue had advised using only 1kg of the mince, which proved sufficient. We ended up with a quarter of the fajita filling left over, and despite my best efforts, I couldn’t fit any more into my stomach. Any thoughts of being able to squeeze back into my DJ have now truly evaporated. To top off a wonderful evening, everyone headed home just in time for me to watch the Saints beat Harlequins on BT Sport!