A Cereal Bar for Christmas Lunch!

 

     Yep, seriously! While the majority of the wet English isle were crowding around dining tables laden with turkey, potatoes, Brussels, Christmas pudding & crackers, we were eating cereal bars!

     Yes there is a reasonable explanation!  With two of our children 6000 miles south and enjoying Christmas in the sunshine (interspersed with summer showers), and a daughter a relatively short 200 miles due west (and cat-sitting so tied to staying at home for Christmas), we drove under the grey skies and through rain curtains to spend a few Christmas days in the West with her, and the cat!

     After attending a Christmas morning church service in our village, we left The East about 11.30am and arrived in The West around 3pm.  As recommended by Highway & Road Safety Agencies we stopped for a very short break about 2 hours into the journey – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Motorway Services so empty! The restrooms were quiet; the usual constant whirr of the high powered but essentially inefficient air-hand-dryers was missing. It was just a little eerie!  WH Smith was open, fortunately, because we needed milk at the other side. Unfortunately we didn’t check the sell-by date.  So Christmas Lunchtime we were munching on our Cadbury’s Brunch Bar  - ‘The tasty cereal and raisin bar half covered with milk chocolate At last, a "wholesome" bar that tastes great! Suitable for vegetarians Oats, bran flakes, raisins, crispies & honey in a bed of Cadbury's milk chocolate.’ (Of course chocolate is wholesome, it’s made from milk!) …. splashing muddy road water on to the other road users possibly making shorter journeys, and getting splashed with muddy, flood water in return!

     However, while the majority of the wet English Isle were tiring from silly cracker jokes, getting irritated with broken toys or snoring in the most comfortable chair in the house, the three of us were enjoying our hot Christmas Dinner. Eventually. Once Aunt Bessie’s Yorkshire’s decided to react to the gas oven. It was a delightful meal, (eaten on our laps as there was no dining table!) And we were so satisfied we saved the Christmas Pudding and Custard for …. Thursday, the day after Boxing Day!! 

      It was a different Christmas to say the least! Maybe next year we’ll be able to have a few more family members to share it with us!  We missed you, our precious children, so far, far away!