One more of those ditties and I’ll go on a rampage. I drove past the local church to try and find parking. I had run out of balsamic vinegar, an item much needed in my cooking the Holy Raan. This Raan dish is for North Indian Moghuls and Oosterman tribe each Christmas.
As I drove past the church it showed a luridly bright pink sign which said the most profound ; “Jesus is the reason for the season.’ This, just after I had recovered from a solid bout of some clear-sighted despair and much festive gloom. I wavered and felt like another good old re-visit to darkness and despair. Miraculously, a parking place offered itself and was able to get to the sourness of the vinegar. A child was being smacked by an overwrought mother. Noelll, Noeeeelll, the Coles supermarket amplified over the Dairy division. The poor child, trying to help mum had dropped a Kilo of ‘plain yoghurt’ which exploded on the linoleum floor. Poor mum, nothing is ever plain.
I went home and inspected my 4 Kilo leg of sheep sweetly being marinated in a large oven dish in the fridge. For those that want the best Christmas dish, look up Raan recipe by Juli Sahni. The leg of lamb needs three days of marinating in a slurry of all sorts of ingredients. It really works each year and you will get praised to smithereens.
I’ll have to keep this post short and snappy. Within minutes of the grandsons arriving I was sitting in the Emergency ward of Bowral Hospital. Thomas had cut his foot on a shard of glass. This a result of a bottle falling on the tiled floor of the kitchen. Doctor Tony inspected the cut and cleaned it out. Thomas was back playing cricket twenty minutes later. Noeeel, Noellll. Jesus is the reason for…..?. Oh no!
Anyway. This is it till further notice. “A happy Christmas and season’s best” wishes to all of you having had the patience and endurance to keep reading so many drivelling words in some order.. Nothing profound here. Try next door.
December 23, 2014 at 1:39 am |
Ahhh, a leg of lamb. Wonderful. Here’s to the remainder of your year being free of ER visits and festive gloom, Gerard. I enjoy every one of your words, driveling or not. Oh wait, it’s two “L”s down under, sorry!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 23, 2014 at 9:56 pm |
The grandkids have gone to dad but will return tomorrow. I have told mum to make sure they leave their tablets and other paraphernalia at home. They used up in two days our allocated data for the entire month. Grrrr…
I remember the song; Kids, what’s the matter with kids today!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 23, 2014 at 9:58 pm
I get it. Totally get it!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 23, 2014 at 1:57 am |
Canned Christmas music is an abomination. Leg of reindeer could be a cheap option for lunch. Set your trap right where Rudolph lands and SNAP! I’m sure Santa’s red-nosed sleigh-slave can manage with 3. Have a very happy Christmas, Gerard. I look forward to more from the Community of Curmudgeons CEO in 2015.
LikeLiked by 2 people
December 23, 2014 at 3:50 am |
Oddly enough. The first time I heard about Santa and reindeer having a connection to Finland is after I came here in 1956. Oh Andrew, we must stand together; Curmudgeons are under pressure by the ‘happy happy’ crowd as never before.
LikeLike
December 23, 2014 at 2:52 am |
Hah! Another member of the Bah! Humbug! group has spoken.
LikeLiked by 2 people
December 23, 2014 at 3:48 am |
Yes, the small mercies of being deaf a boon for times like these. (and a sense that it will soon be over) Still, the Raan will be shared ,enjoyed and talked about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 23, 2014 at 4:19 am |
I’m rather fond of humbug.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 23, 2014 at 3:40 am |
Shopping centres at this time of the year can really be quite testing. Enjoy this wonderful special meal for Christmas. Enjoy also the family get together, hopefully in a very peaceful and happy mood.
Merry Christmas to all of you! 🙂
We are looking forward to drive to Melbourne with Caroline and Matthew very early on Christmas Day. Peter hopes to be able to eat lots of “Lebkuchen” on Christmas Eve! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 23, 2014 at 3:45 am |
Thank you Uta. Enjoy your trip and let Peter take it easy on the Lebkuchen.
Merry Christmas and may your and Peter’s Blogs go on shining for some years yet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 1, 2015 at 10:29 am
Happy New Year to you and Helvi and also your family.
We are back home now. Had a great time. We’ll soon be publishing some blogs with pictures from our trip. We are rather tired tonight!
Love, Uta and Peter 🙂
LikeLike
December 23, 2014 at 9:01 am |
Ouch! for that poor lamb-the one in ER, I mean. Bet the other lamb is enjoying wallowing festive slurry. Hope you and yours do too!
LikeLike
December 23, 2014 at 9:08 am |
Thank you Red Hen. The one in ER is doing fine. The lot is coming again after tomorrow.
LikeLike
December 23, 2014 at 9:25 am |
The photo is, I presoom, the Boxing Day sales ? Sighh …
I share your loathing. I should like very much to be sharing your lamb raan ! [grin]
LikeLike
December 23, 2014 at 9:49 pm |
Feel free to share the Raan or if the vegetarian pull is too strong partake to share in paring a pair of pears afterwards. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 23, 2014 at 10:32 pm
One hopes they are poached in wine …
LikeLike
December 23, 2014 at 10:45 pm
An aged sherry perhaps?
LikeLike
December 23, 2014 at 11:54 am |
Well a happy Christmas to you, Gerard and to all the folks that you hold dear. I do hope you rack or leg of lamb and fulfills all your hopes for a wonderful meal.
You sound like a a manly Julia Childs.
LikeLike
December 23, 2014 at 9:52 pm |
Thank you dear petspeople I turned the leg around last night for an even marination. The acidity of the mixture is supposed to tenderise the meat in the process.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 24, 2014 at 12:55 am |
It used to be the Winter Solstice for the barbarians until the Christians hijacked it. And now they blame Jesus. He did not do anything but tell us to love our neighbours. I did not hear him telling us to listen to “Jingle Bell” all day.
Seasons greeting to you and Helvi from Uta and me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 24, 2014 at 4:47 am |
We are staying up late in case of Jesus making wine out of water. You just never know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 24, 2014 at 4:37 am |
Ah, I don’t believe the bah-humbug. After all, who is taking three days to prepare dinner.:) I’ll have to try that lamb recipe.
Noel to you, your family, and the dog. –Curt
P.S. Do stay out of the ER.
LikeLike
December 24, 2014 at 4:50 am |
Same to you and all the Mekemson tribe. I can recommend the Raan. High five stars.
LikeLike
December 24, 2014 at 8:44 am |
Canned music – especially xmas carols – is just horrible! Happy holiday time to you and Helvi. Milo will love the lamb bone.
LikeLike
December 24, 2014 at 9:51 am |
Hello Rosie,
Milo already knows, I don’t know how, he will be getting the lamb bone. There is just that aura around him, his confident stance. He has watched me turn around the lamb in the dish, and he has put one and one together. He is not silly!
All the best to you Rosie.
LikeLike
December 25, 2014 at 7:53 pm |
The joys of Xmas. One son, having had too much to drink on the eve awoke with a terrifying headache. When I suggested he go for a wander in the park opposite our house and perhaps throw up/clean out, well the suggestion worked except he only got to the hallway before the urge to vomit took hold and rather than empty out on the carpet resisted and, according to him, vomited into his sinuses. This began a new round of complaints and a lot of weird bugling sounds and cursing. Merry Xmas to all. We had roast pork, turkey, ham etc, plum pudding/brandy sauce, chocolate log. All home cooked/baked of course. Mercifully the bugling stopped before lunch.
LikeLike
December 27, 2014 at 12:06 am |
Always entertaining, Gerard, Happy Boxing day to you.
LikeLike