Christmas Dinner No 1:

It happens every year doesn't it? Once we get into Advent, every club we belong books a meal for its members and we say we won’t have the turkey we’ll have the alternative and then somehow we end up with turkey, anyway.

It was the Greystoke Social Club dinner today and sixteen of us ended up at Hesket Newmarket, a nice little bus ride away. The bus had its Christmas decorations up and the restaurant was decorated outside as well as inside and lit with tea-lights on the tables.

I chose a seat near a gorgeous real wood fire and discovered the raffle ticket under my plate was 450 – and felt sure I was in for a prize but no such luck. My cracker disgorged a pair of eyebrow tweezers and a paper crown which I wore at a jaunty angle all afternoon.

The dinner was lovely but of such a quantity that I couldn't face a desert. I just settled for coffee, mince pie and a chocolate.

A happy, friendly outing. One down, four more to go!