Happy New Year

Hello my lovelies and a happy new year. It's been so long since I last posted, very sorry.

So here we are at the beginning of another year (and some would say another decade). Just to bring you up to date, the Christmas dinner went very well even though the turkey crown turned out to be a chicken breast and my roasties didn't go as brown as they were supposed to. However, my parents were very appreciative and fought to finish the food provided (thus proving to my mum that her eyes can be bigger than her belly). In addition, yesterday I hosted a pot-luck new year's eve lunch for various family members - one way of getting rid of excess food!

On top of all that, my friend R has been staying and we planned a New Year's Eve celebration and, boy, did we celebrate.

It started with a couple of beers (left overs from my barbecue back on the August bank holiday (I don't really drink when I'm on my own), then a brisk walk into town (takes about 25 - 30 minutes). We were most of the way there when R announced she needed another drink. Co-incidentally we were just walking past a new, Russian restaurant which was advertising a special offer of a double brandy for £2.00, so always game for something new, in we popped. The brandy was strong - east European - and the measure somewhat slightly more than a double but it warmed the cockles wonderfully. While we were sitting at the bar, I was watching Russian MTV and let me tell you, those eastern European girl groups leave nothing to the imagination. You may have thought The Cheeky Girls were skimpily dressed but they were positively Victoria in comparison to what was being shown - so lads, if you like a lot on display, Russian MTV the place to go.

From there we wandered into the centre of town where we were greeted with such a choice (there are a lot of pubs in Ramsgate). In the end we went to a pub that I used to frequent in my youth, The Red Lion. As we walked in a band (Purist) was playing and although young, they were loud and enthusiastic which is all that's needed on NYE. My glasses fogged up immediately but still up to the bar and more alcohol. R has a preference for beer whereas I'm more a spirits person - and here's the daft thing, my double G&T cost about the same as her pint of lager! Go figure. I managed to get a stool and we settled in for some music listening and people watching (talking was out of the question). We stayed there until 11:50pm and then we walked down the road to the harbour.

We only saw one person vomiting in public (it was still before midnight) and there was an atmosphere of goodwill to all. We made a quick side trip to the chippy (where I had my most naughty food ever - a saveloy [pigs cheeks, ears and tail in artificial pig gut], mmmm so moist).

At midnight, there were fireworks and some people sent up Chinese lanterns - these have become very popular over the last couple of years. It was good and we saw in the New Year watching the fireworks over the water. In order to bring the warmth back, we went to another pub for another drink but we didn't stay there as they were shutting at 1am. So back to The Red Lion for a final drink (or two) where the band were finishing their second set. While we were sitting there (yes, we got seats again - lucky, lucky, lucky) R noticed a poster which said The Slug Pixies were playing on New Year's Day and guess where we're going tonight?

Did not have a hangover this morning, so that's a result.