A family gathering.

So, the big day has arrived but it still doesn't feel like Christmas! Keith and I bought Sophie stocking fillers (as we did with Mike) but that was it, so no presents to open this morning. We're going to Berlin, and that's more than enough! Sophie was very happy with the gifts I'd chosen - a bottle of Spiced Rum, Vogue magazine, face masks, lovely soft socks and lip balm.

Sophie and Keith prepared all the vegetables this morning, and I set the table and tidied up. It did look very festive with candles and silver and grey crackers. The turkey went into the oven at about 10am so we then had time to relax a bit and get ready for lunch.

Sophie and I went over to collect Mum and Dad at midday. I'd asked my Mum to bring the zimmer frame down with her as there was no way I could get the wheelchair into the car (I was driving my Dad's car), and we couldn't have got it into the house anyway. The care home was a hive of activity as people arrived to collect their relatives or to visit, and a car blocked both of the disabled spaces, which was a bit thoughtless.

Mum and Dad were waiting, but no zimmer frame, which annoyed me! It meant Sophie and I had to go all the way upstairs and down the corridor to their room, collect it and then retrace our steps. We then had to wait for one of the carers to arrive with Dad's midday medication.

We managed to get Dad into the car, took the wheelchair back, and put the zimmer frame into the boot. Back home, he was steady on his feet into the house and soon he was settled into an armchair with a glass of sherry. Phew!

I sat with Mum and Dad in the living room while Sophie and Keith cooked lunch. We ate at 2pm and the meal went very smoothly, thank goodness, with no angry words or mishaps. Another huge relief! The meal was lovely and we enjoyed turkey with stuffing, chipolatas wrapped in bacon, broccoli, cauliflower, roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips and Brussels sprouts cooked with more bacon. I served a Bordeaux red and a Chateauneuf-du-Pape white which went very well with the food. Both Keith and Sophie did a fantastic job and there was more than enough leftover for lunch tomorrow.

After we'd eaten, Sophie cleared away and stacked the dishwasher and then we opened presents, from Mum and Dad to each other and from us to them and vice versa, and then had dessert. Sophie had made a delicious Tiramisu and we also had Christmas pudding and Brandy cream.

By 4.30pm my parents were ready to go back, so we got them both into the car and took them home. We went up to the room with them, wished them goodbye and I said I'd see them next Saturday when we get back. 

Back at our house, it was time to relax and we opened a bottle of Champagne and watched the film Frantic, starring Harrison Ford. It's a great film and it had been ages since I'd seen it so I'd forgotten most of the plot!