Christmas 2008 (part 2)

Thursday 25th & Saturday 27th December 2008

Ok, now where were we?  Ah yes, we'd just sat down to Christmas dinner.  Well, let's fast forward a bit (besides, the photographer had better things to do than take photos - there was grub to be scoffed), to dessert.  Marnie shows off her carefully constructed cheeseboard, with each cheese helpfully chopped up into edible chunks.

Marnie and Louise get (a little too much) into the spirit, but Paul has been somewhat hypnotised by the festivities - either that or he is making a late claim for Mr Gormless 2008.

Here's Graham, doing his very own rabbit-in-the-headlights impression, although it wasn't really fair to fire off a photo from across the dinner table.

Once the table had been cleared away, it was time for the obligatory games, including Family Fortunes.  Louise, predictably, nominated herself as organiser, as demonstrated amply by this shot.  Avis looks mildly shocked, while Graham looks mildly disinterested.

Once the hands of control are withdrawn, however, the mood doesn't change particularly.  Everyone is deep in thought.  Come on people!  Christmas games are meant to be fun!  Never mind that: name something that flies...

Guess who wins the Mr & Mrs game!

The sisters Schofield get into the spirit of things...

...and this is how things were in the olden days.  Altogether now: awwww.

Back in the present, copious amounts of wine were having a strange effect on some of the party-goers.  First, Marnie...

...and also Graham & Avis.  It wasn't even that late!

No, they weren't drunk really... well, most of them.

Well, all this frivolity was too much and it was time to retire to the lounging area, although we had to improvise a little when it came to seating, as we can see in the photo below, where Louise is intense and ready to launch and Paul stares, transfixed.

The same intensity was seemingly not present for Warne and Jeanagh.

Time for charades...  it's a film!

...and, er, a dog?  101 Dalmations?  Turner & Hooch?  Erm.. a pig?  [If anyone can remember what she was actually trying to depict via the wonder of mime then please let me know.]

Back to the more sedate... yes, two words, come on, get on with it.  Or Escape to Victory maybe.

Dammit, I wish I could remember what all these mimes were.  Answers on a postcard please.

It all proves far too hypnotic for Louise.

Marnie and Jeanagh pose for the not-quite-like mother and daughter pose.

Miming time again.  Oh man, what's this one.

In the background of the above photo, there lieth a selection box, which reminds me of the great Christmas Day selection box crime, for which the culprit was never found...  I reckon it was one of the girls, though, given their penchant for chocolate...

And finally, I know this one.  It's the one Tom Hanks won an Oscar for.  It was called Why Don't The Lot Of You Just F*** Off.  It was an edgy drama.

Well, that was Christmas Day.  Boxing Day was off to the pantomime and fun & games at the Rowlings house.  And on the 27th, Graham's birthday, it was time for a long lunch down at the marina, but not before Lynne had taken some wintery shots of the garden.

A shot of the table, with the birthday boy at the head.

Uh oh... Louise isn't feeling too good.

Oh my god, she hasn't!?  In the bowl?  Surely not...

Louise seems happy, though - look what I did!

And, to finish, a moody shot of the lighthouse in front of a reddened sky...

And that is it.  Cheers.  Back to the Secret Portal.