Christmas Eve.

While not that cold it has been very wet and windy all day long with the sea looking extremely rough. That didn't stop a few hardy surfers from braving the waves though it wasn't until the end of the day that we saw any of them actually catch a wave.

This morning as we sat nice and cosy in bed (for once free of any aches and pains) listening to the sea and drinking our tea we started to reflect on how fortunate we are. We have a home that is warm enough for our needs, plenty of food, each other, friendships and plenty of things to do. In other words we have sufficient for our needs and what more could we want? In my mind the troubles of the world or at least most of them happen when people look to satisfy their wants rather than their needs. Their wants for power, or for possessions become their excuse for lack of empathy/ cruelty call it how you like or maybe just sheer evil. We live on a world where there are enough resources for everyone's needs but right now the greed of a few keeps the majority in poverty. That is the same whether you look at individual countries or the world as a whole. Oh dear I'm off on a rant, better call a halt now. 

My day was mainly spent preparing for our Christmas Eve meal which in our tradition is an important start to the beginning of Christmas. I still stick to no meat/no dairy which is one of the main features of the meal. Due to being unable to find any pickled herrings in Aber, not even roll mops, salmon featured heavily. My traditional dishes included smoked salmon, vinegretas (beetroot and mixed bean salad), devilled eggs, rye bread and tinned herrings in sauce but then I included vegetable spring rolls, tempura prawns, prawn toast and salmon kebabs with teriyaki sauce. I can't bring myself to do less than the twelve dishes so of course there is a lot left over when there are only two of us at the table. We've decided that the salmon we were going to have tomorrow can wait (it's frozen) and instead we'll  finish off tonight's food.

Better post this now as it's nearly midnight. have a good Christmas everyone.