Here's an update on the holly picture (John Clayton Design). The main design is finished, and now it just needs 'filling in', as the background will be stitched out completely in dark blue, so it will appear almost like a tapestry. It was fun to stitch the design, but filling in the background is rather boring and I didn't make much progress since Sunday. I'm going stitch this holly picture until next Monday, and then start my rotation - Christmas stitching will go back into the box until December 2008 - I doubt I'll have the holly finished by then.

I have signed up with a birthday club in an American-based cross stitch list. there are 16 of us, and everyone post a birthday present to everyone. It is quite a commitment, lasting for the whole of the year obviously, but I;m quite looking forward to it.

And here is our Christmas goose. It was the first year we did goose, my mum does one every year. I don't particularly like the taste of turkey, and thought I give it a try. Well, it was nice taste-wise, but the meat was rather .. chewy, as Danial put it. Don't know if I did something wrong. The vegetables turned out very nice though. I did the usual Brussel Sprouts (which everyone in our family loves!), parsnips and honey-glazed carrots - they went down a real treat. I did trifle myself, but while it was 'eatable', I think it is much nicer readymade - well, I'm not a domestic goddess but try my best. I enjoy cooking for Christmas.

the kids loved their presents, and they are busy playing (for once, don't know how long this is gonna last). Nafees and me, we don't give each other presents, I treated myself throughout this year with nice stuff, like my laptop and my wonderful Daylight lamp. Tomorrow, Danial wants to try out his fishing gear, and I don't like to let him go on his own to the local lake, so it'll be a fishing trip tomorrow. I'm not into fishing at all, and would prefer to sit at home stitching *sigh*