Lockdown Diary - Christmas Day (Friday 25th December 2020)
Christmas Day! Staggered start to the day - I'm up first, initially for the first carer call of the day at 7 a.m., then after exercise and showering, up to plan the order of the day and dinner timings. I had initially intended to start cooking the turkey at around 10, with a target of 2 pm to be eating, but two out of three sons struggled to be out of bed by 11, so it wasn't started until after 11. It's a running joke in our house that ever since I took over cooking Christmas dinner, I get very stressed during the process. This year I was determined it would be different. The late emergence of the full complement of sons threatened to derail my best intentions, but as we sat together unwrapping presents and opening cards, it began to dawn on me what was at the root of this unnecessary stress. Ever since my wife became unable to participate in the Christmas dinner process, I guess about five years now, I have spent my energy trying to deliver exactly what she and I woul...