Readers of this Editor’s Diary might be surprised to hear what I did this week.
You see, on Wednesday, I prepared and cooked a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings!
No, you didn’t misread the date on this post. And I have not taken leave of my senses.
I really did cook a Christmas dinner in February!
There is, of course, an explanation.
A close member of my family has lived abroad for some years. His last visit home to Scotland was in January 2020, just before COVID hit.
In fact, his return home to Shanghai after that visit was delayed by the onset of the virus in China.
Of course, we all know what happened next, with lockdowns, travel bans and the suspension of normal life.
Then, just as we were all returning to a semblance of normality here in the UK, Shanghai was subjected to many months of draconian lockdowns.
My poor relative spent months trapped in a thirtieth-floor apartment, often with little more than steamed cabbage to eat.
Dreams of a turkey dinner with all the trimmings were understandable!
As soon as China opened up again, he left the country for New Zealand. Where, of course, Christmas is often celebrated on the beach, without a roast potato or Brussels sprout in sight.
So when he announced he was finally returning home for a visit after over three years, I couldn’t refuse his request. He wanted a roast turkey dinner with all the family there to enjoy it.
Which is why, on a Wednesday in early February, I took the day off work and spent it peeling sprouts, roasting parsnips and making trifle.
I am happy to say it all hit the spot perfectly!
Read Angela’s previous Editor’s Diary entries.
Angela Gilchrist I am the former Editor-in-Chief of “The People’s Friend” magazine. My passions include cats, Highland ponies, good books, vegetarian food and long walks in the Scottish countryside. My favourite place to get away from it all is the magical Isle of Skye.
