I'm pleased to say we're all here together this Christmas, with partner's families etc it's only every few years we manage it, and this year we even have the added addition for the first time of my sister's dog- Peanut. Rescued from a motorway in Bulgaria when he was only a couple of weeks old he's unbelievably adorable and, as we discovered today, makes a great model.

Sadly we couldn't get on the internet which meant my foray into festive napkin folding couldn't develop any further and we had to settle for more Christmas trees. But my sister and her husband had made us all personalised ornaments so that more than made up for it.

After a traditional Power family breakfast of deep fried camembert and homemade gooseberry jam, mushroom risotto, smoked salmon and homemade soda bread it was present opening and then a walk in the very sunny countryside to build up an appetite for dinner.