Christmas was great albeit C O L D ! We were all four together. My parents and grandmother interrupted (erp, joined in) on Boxing day and Pau spoilt us all with courses after courses of traditional Catalan home cooking … This was followed (naturally) by the most remarkable of puddings, dare I go as far as to say the ‘crescendo’ of our Christmas feast: the clementine and almond syrup cake dressed in daaaaark chocolate goo lovingly prepared by mine own fair hands.
Meanwhile out on the streets, local businesses providing the daily hit of inspiration along my buggy route disappeared behind metal shutters with most shops and cafe’s closing for the entire Chrsitmas week! Can you believe it? A typical Stokie I may well be, but approve of this commercial inconvenience I did not - Jee’s c’mon - I NEED MY LATTE!
With all the extra time in the house, Freddie adapted a few new skills - The powers of ‘chuck’ is pretty entertaining - The contents of our home are now divided into Bounce or Break!! It’s really marvelous. And enthusing over chasing Mr. Gin who rapidly trots off in the opposite direction only to find himself temporarily cornered. When Gin reaches ‘fed-up’, he sits on the fifth step of the stairs and watches Freddie pull himself to standing and jump in a frenzy of excitement whilst slamming his hands at the bottom - It’s only a matter of time…