Christmas robins

Christmas is unwrapped and lies before us like a purring cat in front of a fire. Hopefully it was a peaceful and happy one free from all distress. If it wasn’t the one you’d dreamed of at least it is over again for another year. Hope is the best gift of all. We all live in hope that however hard the struggles of this year have been, hopefully next year will be better.
All the best bits of my Christmas are recycled from years gone by. Happiness truly rests on little things.
The best decorations are the ones that belonged to my Nanna, little gold threaded Christmas puddings and little robins have lit up my tree with their 70s gleam , or the ones my children made at primary school, messy and ragged and smothered in glitter. These were the only gifts they could afford all those years ago and of course are now as precious as Frankincense,gold and myrrh to me.
I have a fondness for robins , the pluckiest of winter garden birds. They are territorial and stand their ground when bullying bigger birds try to catch their worms.

I also think they are little reminders from heaven of loved ones who have flown this earthly nest.
I was exhausted on Christmas Eve having just finished work at the homeless charity where I cook and didn’t know how I was going to get everything done. I was tidying up my dining room and was putting books tidily onto my groaning bookshelf when a Christmas card popped out. It had a little robin on the front and I recognised the fading glitter instantly. It was an old card from my Nanna ,sent with “dearest love”. I love it when little Advent miracles or reminders hop into view like a little robin from above. My Nanna was a sweetheart darling, always with a sherry and slice of battenberg or pork pie on the go! She wouldn’t have wanted me to be stressed so I sat in my lovely dining room had a sherry and breathed in Christmases past. Both sets of grandparents loved us dearly and were influential giants in my life, Christmas when they were alive were just about being together and having a lovely family time.
I called for my three children, all towering above me now and in no time everywhere was presentable and  we had cleared the way for our Christmas to begin.
It’s ok to ask for help, Wonder Woman is not an enviable role model. I always end up knackered saying I wonder why I am so tired and I wonder where my energy has gone? Next year I’m going to be Super woman instead, super energised and even super selfish at times if it preserves my strength. You cannot serve from an empty vessel and I badly need to rest and ready myself for a super new decade.
I have a lovely friend at work who is always chirpy like a little robin. We were at a charity auction recently and there was a beautiful stained glass robin on a log that we were both bidding for. Friendship is the best gift you can give or receive on any Christmas list and so when I saw they were bidding although I really wanted that robin , I stopped bidding happy for them to get it.
This Christmas morning I found an extra little gift under the tree from my friend...I cried when I opened the box as beaming up at me was that very same stained glass robin.
So happy Christmas to you all and a bright and blessed 2020 full of health, wealth and happiness!

Turkey soup
It seems awful to be giving a recipe for bird soup after my robin fest but it might be delicious!
1 turkey carcass
2 carrots diced
1 large onion diced
1/2 head of celery diced
Butter
Sherry
Brandy
Vegetable stock cubes
Salt pepper thyme, brown sugar.
Boil the carcass for half an hour in water with a carrot, onion and celery to make a base stock.
Strain the stock and remove any excess turkey from the bones
In another pan fry the diced celery, Carrots and onion and add a little brown sugar to caramelise. Then add the stock, herbs and a slug of brandy and sherry and simmer until a clear broth is achieved, add vegetable stock cubes and seasoning to taste. Serve with crusty warm bread and butter.
Happy Christmas angels.🎄😍❤️