We are never likely to eat carp

Schönbrunn

Having convinced ourselves that the world will not end and we will indeed be here at Christmas  - so we have launched ourselves into full scale preparations.

Rozalin (Bless her!) has ordered for us a Turkey and a Ham which I am to collect on 24 December.

I have complicated things slightly by inviting my German teacher Frau Knickerbocker and her two teenaged daughters to dinner on 24 December so It is going to be quite a day – but Gwenyth will be here to help me.  

The traditional Christmas eve dinner here is fish – Carp to be precise – which we have never eaten and are never likely to.  

Frau Knickerbocker hates it and so do her children  - so I am thinking roast chicken and my wonderful and world renowned Patates Batasi.

One of the major issues here is the size of our fridge. Like (I think) most fridges in Austrian apartments – it is quite small and at Christmas it is just a hopeless to try to cram everything into it.

We alleviate things slightly by keeping the wine and beer on the terrace – but even so it is a real struggle. 

So I am about to start the planning and list making process and hope Gwenyth and I do not repeat last year’s mistakes of actually buying things and then forgetting to cook and serve them.

Waiting for the end

Bird on a wire

Now I have no need to remind you that there are many people out there who believe that the world will end on 21 December 2012. This is when the Mayan calendar runs out and apparently when this happens it all just falls into a heap.

This is why in 2010 we had a rush of Hollywood films about the end of the world. You would think that 2012 would be the best year for these films - but you know what Hollywood is like. They get an idea in their heads and just can’t wait.

Sure there are those curmudgeons who believe that the calendar will just start again – who knows what mumbo jumbo science they base this on.

But you know – based on experience – I am not going to indulge myself this time.

Goodness knows how many times I have sold everything I own and gone to live in the woods with my AK 47 – Bowie knife and 24,000 tins of baked beans - to wait for the end.

Sure this stopped when I cancelled my subscription to Rapture Ready - but if they have let me down so many times how could I rely on the Mayans – who aren’t even here anymore.

So I am sitting tight.

But just in case I am leaving my last minute shopping until 22 December. 

I am having none of it

It is snowing again to day but I managed to get my shopping done before the heavy stuff arrived.

I have lit the fire thrice so far this winter and the cats just love it. The only problem is that the next morning they sit looking mournfully at the cold ashes – trying to make me feel guilty so that I will light it again for them.

I am having none of this – they are not cold – and the pile of firewood has to last us all winter.