So here it is, once again, it's, yes indeed, Xmas!!

Playlist

Xmas Day!

Up early, of course...

...and some "work" done re my stats for 2025, and looking back at all our Xmas Days since 2005, all recorded here...

...while I waited for Anne to emerge...

Then...

Present opening accompanied by the usual Xmas EP...

These, the results...

Boots were the only thing Anne wanted so the rest was cobbled together without clues...

In order of excitingness they were..

Boots...

Pickleballs...

A power bank...

The 28th in the annual "Milano Jukebox" series...

A game...

A crosswords book...

A mysteries book...

A science book...

A bird book...

After Eights...



A dark chocolate orange...

Cadbury Dairy Milk...

Mint Matchmakers...

...and chocolate money...

For me, in order of opening...

 Chocolate money...

...and chocolate money...

And a kind of chocolate orange which isn't orange...

Alice Cooper Record Store Day release - I have it as a bootleg - disappointingly, no booklet...

10CD box of rather old recordings of symphonies but all with legendary conductors...

12CD box of Joseph Haydn...

6CD box of Erik Satie's piano music...

3CD box of classical music from world cinema releases...

4CD box of Beethoven's complete piano trios...

3CD box of Friedrich Gulda playing Mozart...

6CD box containing one piece each from the subjectively 100 best composers...

There's actually more than one piece by J S Bach, so I reckon it's 99 composers?

Well, no...

It turns out, "Ave Maria" was falsely attributed to Bach re the database used for my rip.  It was of course written by Gounod.  So, yes, indeed, there are 100 composers included...

Lovely collection!

3CD box telling The Trojan Story...

Two of three sdiscs and, possibly, some of disc three, seem to stem from a time prior to Trojan's existence.  But I am yet to read the booklet so, you know...

Uriah Heep's debut LP, remastered with a disc of exclusives...

Uriah Heep's third LP, also remastered with a disc of exclusives...

A tasty 5CD box of instrumental baroque music...

And, finally, a lovely new black shirt...

That CD haul in full - 57 discs with over 62 hours of music...

Managed to rip the Alice Cooper before it was time to go...

11 till 12, over to the care home to see Mary....

She was unaware it was Xmas until we told her - although she had, no doubt, already been informed but, sadly, already forgotten...

She liked her new jersey...

At 12, a drive to Penicuik to see Ali, Julie, Harris and Bonnie...

Harris likes Lego and was looking forward to building a camper van later with his cousins...

Beau was a little overwhelmed with it all...

Harris opened Belle's present for her...

...and buttons were soon being pressed and noises were soon emanating...

Fridge art was noted...

...as was a record plyer from Julie's dad...

Then, some lunch and some metal detecting...

...and some attempted escaping...

Around 1:30, to Sheila's...

Maisie was overwhelmed by it all...

A family portrait eventually emerged...

...although Senior never did make it out of the shower he started just before we arrived...

At 1:30, we drove back into town and to Jane and Bob's, to meet up with them, Olly, Kitty, Keith, Maureen, Betty, Rae and, of course, Rafa, here, painted by Mary...

...here in a picture created by Kitty for her dad...

...and here, in person, with his new Xmas carrot from us...

Presents were exchanged...

...and hors d'oeuvres were enjoyed with drinks...

It would soon be time for the Xmas meal...

The tree was as spectacular as ever...

...and drinks continued to be enjoyed...

Then, it was time...

Spicy pumpkin soup...

...and a humming game via the crackers...

Followed by turkey and beef with all the trimmings...

...a break...

...and two puddings...

...and a game of something like pass the parcel where we all ended up with prizes, courtesy of Rae...

Upstairs for more drinks and the great big Xmas quiz - we each asked 10 questions, having been asked not to make things too hard...

Maureen came out on top with a score of 33 out of 90 - clearly a lot of the questions were too hard!

22 and 21 respectively for me and the EP meaning we came 3rd and 4th after Maureen and Keith...

A good time...

My 10 questions were 10 of those I asked on this very day, in this very room, 20 years ago...

Then, the winding down...

...followed by a very generous lift home from Rae...

It had been Xmas...

It had been packed...

Highlight of the Day: Family visits...

Today's New Music: