This is a firm favourite with the family, except for one memorable year. Adjust seasoning and liquidise to required thickness.īridget Hall’s turkey soup, made using leftovers Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20-30 minutes.
At this stage, leftover stuffing and cranberry sauce can be added for extra flavour and richness. Add the mushrooms, turkey and curry powder and stir for a few minutes before adding the stock.
Melt the butter and fry the celery and carrots until softened.
Every Christmas dinner since, my brother has made my teenage children laugh by perfectly mimicking Granny teasing me about the Christmas I spent wearing out that record.ĭanny Dice We love to eat: Turkey soup with the leftover bird It’s summer,” he replied, though in a kind voice that I know meant, “But I can tell you’ve truly lived the lyrics, mate.” From my front row seat I shouted to Les Gray, “Lonely This Christmas!” As they built up to their finale at Dunstable Civic Hall, their biggest hit was noticeable by its absence. Long after Mud’s heyday, I saw them perform live. As we drank tea together, I realised my heart no longer ached. Eventually, though, the girl and I became sixth formers and began chatting on the bus. But I heard only painful truths in each line and bought the single. Mud considered their 1974 Christmas No 1 a parody of the heartaches of the newly dumped. The girl I was in love with even had a lovely mum. Her mum promised that either she or her daughter would ring me back. My brother explained that “he” knew her daughter from the bus and wanted to invite her to the party. I held my breath as my kind brother rang her house, pretending to be me. I was too shy to invite the girl from the bus, but knew where she got off, so found her number in the phonebook. Soon, I was constantly repeating her name in my head. Then I noticed her name in the hood of her school raincoat. “ It’ll be lonely this Christmas/ Without you to hold / It’ll be lonely this Christmas / Lonely and cold”Įvery Christmas dinner, Mum used to joke: “Do you remember that Christmas you spent in your room with the light off, playing that record over and over again? What was that all about?” Because she was Mum, neither I nor my brother felt we could tell her.Īt first, I had just registered the girl’s presence on the bus. The snapshot makes me smile so much as Evie is so happy in it, and so are Benson and Alex!Īnne Sharman Playlist: My first crush said no, so I lived these lyrics He never invades her space and neither does she his. Evie decided she wanted a tummy rub, too, and adopted the same pose as Benson – lying on her back with legs and arms in the air to indicate that it was her turn.īenson just turned on his side as the photograph was taken, slightly changing his pose.Īlex had to multitask the tickling and Evie was soon laughing hysterically at being tickled as well as the dog.Įvie and Benson respect each other and get on just fine. My 18-month-old granddaughter, Evie, was feeling a bit left out when Uncle Alex (known to Evie as Bubble, as he buys and blows bubbles for her), was tickling Benson’s tummy.Īlex is my youngest son and Benson belongs to his girlfriend, Gem, and is a lovely, gentle rescue dog – a staffie and border collie cross. Snapshot: Uncle Bubble’s double tummy tickle