[Sarah Ann]

Yes, I like Mylo as well. No - don't call him Willis - there's a cat further up our road called Willis and it is a real neighbourhood terrorist. I'm just thankful that our garden doesn't fall in to his territory because he makes his neighbouring dogs' lives absolute ****. How about Arnie? I always give my animals the old fashioned names like Burt, Wilf, Henry that kind of thing.

Jen, your weekend food sounds yummy. I Whitby cod - best in the World.

I like sprouts, too, but only those little button ones which have got a sort of nutty taste. I don't like the big ones plain steamed because I think their flavour is a bit too strong and dominates everything else - I use those in Bubble & Squeak. My fav part of Christmas dinner is the accompaniments - all the sauces and stuffings - and those little sausages wrapped in bacon.

[2frustrated]

I like sausages in bacon too! I still have to buy them for my crimble dinner, that and turkey and some fresh custard!

[YP1]

I had to laugh yesterday. I got the veggie roast and on the plate was... a sausage wrapped in bacon. I don't think they quite got the concept of veggie...

[lou1978]

lol.. thats like my nan.... oh just a little bit dear.. that wont hurt..

[peacock 2]

Helen - loved yoru photo!

Yeah there is always someone who doesn't 'get' vegetarianism.

However, you can bet i f you did eat that sausage - someone would tell you about it! I have know someone tell me that ham is not meat! Right.......

Reminds me of in the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding - when the Greek family are all shocked that Ian does not eat meat - then her Aunt shrugs and says she would coook Lamb.........

[Sarah Ann]

We're having roast rib of beef on Christmas Day this year (just me and DH) - but I'm still making the sausage/bacon thingies and the stuffings and sauces to have on Boxing Day. Actually I think I'll cook some on Christmas Day as well because we like them cold with ham, cheese and salad for supper.

I must be mad - I had a long chat with an unattached friend yesterday afternoon and she was saying how lonely it gets being single on times like New Years Day when people spend the time with their families so I rashly decided to do a roast turkey dinner with all the Christmas trimmings on New Years Day. We had a quick phone round our single friends and managed to come up with another five who are free that day - so we're going to be doing a bit of matchmaking!!!

I'm hoping that the combination of the Boxing Day open house thing and the New Years Day dinner means that I'll have done all my entertaining for the next year.

[Sarah Ann]

My family never really got to grips with it when I was in my vegie years. I was always given the third degree about what I would or wouldn't eat and at the end of it they would always say 'so..... does that mean you don't eat [insert meat item they were planning on cooking]

[BritinNJ]

Morning all

Didn't get on here much yesterday... was very busy getting this house in order for my darling boy arriving with his Dad tomorrow (his name is Justin by the way... LOL... but we call him 'J') but I don't think I'd call a cat that...we had one called Myron.... have no idea where that name came from and once i fell pregnant, he hated me, would jump out from behind things and stick his claws in my legs, it bloody hurt! And once J was born, he wouldn't come in the house past the kitchen threshold...and about six months later, friends came round and told us they had seen him on the main road, dead Dave and a friend marched off down the road with a shovel and a plastic bag and brought him back and we gave him a nice funeral.

I had a friend with cats, so I took all his food and bowls and stuff and donated them to her, and a few nights later, I was up with a teething baby, making a bottle and I heard me-owing outside, it sounded very like Myron, and scared the sh** out of me, so I woke Dave, he opened the door and in strolls.....none other than Myron... we'd buried someone else's cat!!!! And I had nothing cat like to feed this poor thing that had apparently decided he had another place to live as well as our house, so decided he'd only come home every few days....when we moved, he scratched Dave to bits when he tried to put him in the car, so he stayed behind and a neighbour told us, she'd been feeding him for months, so he had a new home.

It's a tad warmer today, and I have to get outside and poop-a-scoop, and sweep some more leaves up that are gathering around the doorway...I was going to do it yesterday, but the wind just blew them back where I'd swept them out....grrrrrr.

Frus, your dinners over the weekend sound very yummy. Glad you had a good one with the parents, lovely knowing you're a bit mad like me, singing carols on an untuned piano... that's what Christmas is all about with your family times, sharing and caring.

Sarah, matchmaking hey? Sounds like fun, you'll have to keep us up to date if anyone pairs off.

Ok, time to get the washing in the dryer and get to curves...by the way, did I tell you I hate wooden floors? I just cleaned all these yesterday and they look horrid again! Double GRRRRRRRRRRRRR...

[Sarah Ann]

Hmmmmmm - I hate wooden floors as well. They're lethal when they've just been polished (picture uncoordinated ice skating Great Dane) and never stay looking nice for more than a couple of hours - well not in this house anyway.

[shmoo]

Ello Chicks!!!!
Hope everyone is having a very merry time and counting down till christmas. I have had laptop problems for a month and so have not been able come and waffle away, and have missed it sorely.Howeva mow tht iam back home frm leeds for a month, there is going to be plenty of time for tht.
YP1- Love tht foto, school gal out fit is a classic after all.
Frus- hope ur toe is better!
Sarah ann- Rost beef for xmas sounds betta than the traditional turkey. I ate xmas food at my coratian friends last year and her mum had made lamb, mint, and honey roast, which i was v.reluctant to try, but then one i got started there was a risk of me finishing off the whole thing. But tht's old news, the new me wont do tht, mainly cos im not going rounnd hers for xmas this year!

Newho the on the weght loss front several disasters have occured!!!! I am not even gonna start blaming xams or christmas for this- where was my self restraint??!!! I looked for it sooooo hard. But now i am back on track. And am about to head off for a swim even tho it is freezing and my legs are hairy!!!!!
shmoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[peacock 2]

BritNJ - LOL at Myron's funny ways! At least you know he is being well looked after.

Schmoo - Didn't you know your legs should be hairless when swiming? It makes you swim faster!!!!

[lou1978]

ahhh i think we have settled on Marmite.....

ive moved the DVDs outa the cubby hole next to the DvD player... hes happy in there now lol.... sleeping ... i took him to the kitchen while i washed up.. he freaked out a bit as there are men diggin up the rd... so was noisy... but he ran back into the right cubby hole..so thats gd... but now i need to find a place for the stuff thats in there ... lol....

[peacock 2]

Marmite is a lovely name for a cat!

Keep us posted.

Our have never tried marmite (to eat) but the first one adored Bovril! You did not dare leave a mug of it around or leave some on toast- she would stalk it!!!

[lou1978]

lol... bless... hes still too shy or lazy lol... ... hiding away.... but comes out eventually if hes going to get some cuddles lol....

[peacock 2]

He will get there. Maybe he will always be shy or he may perk up! Out last one - another stray had days when he was really friendly and other days when you could not get near him. He seemed to have trouble working it out himself!!!!

I especially loved it when after explainign to my friend that he is not that friendly and would run a mile, he marched straight up to her and demanded a fuss be made of him!!!