Packing for fair weather...

With one eye on the weather forecast we were packing and preparing.

Looks like we need light clothes during the day and something warmer at night. I have lots of things to remember to do and to actually do AND fit in a trip to the panel beater as well. I'm looking forward to rolling out on Saturday morning.

Merry Christmas to all...

Dear Hayley,
 Today started like every other Christmas morning with Erin waking us up and asking 'can we open presents now?' but this time it was 9am. The present opening wasn't as frenzied as other years and I hope every one was happy. The awful part of facebook is all the bragging that goes on with pics of superloaded Christmas trees. Ours was minimalist this year but that's how it goes sometimes. We went down to Big Sister's and had our usual lunch with prawns, turkey, pork, ham, loads of roast potatoes and gravy. It was all delicious. The surprise this year was a small gift with the bonbons which was a very nice touch. It was good to hear everyone's news. Big cousin is working in a pub and going off to Cambodia in January. Middle cousin finished his VCE this year and has a place at a city Uni/College to do a Bachelor of Music Production. Littlest cousin is not so little any more and will be in Year 10 next year. You will definitely be the shortest grandchild in the picture now. Little cousin is doing her IB next year as well as fitting in some part time hours at Wendys scooping icecreams.

Dad hates posing for photos

dad made sock puppets and a silly hat with his new socks

They all wanted to know what you are up to and how you are going. I missed you acutely today and thought back to you saying last Christmas that you wouldn't be with with us for this one. I didn't believe you back then but you knew what you wanted to do and I'm so glad you have gone off and done it. I hope you have a lovely day and that the people over there realise how lucky they are to have you spend Christmas with them! love you lots, Mum

Pickles...

A good last day at work that brought about more gifts and platitudes was marred by a fender bender for Erin. Someone pulling out of a driveway failed to give way and she couldn't stop before bumping into him. No-one hurt, no major damage just a shake up that an experienced driver may have avoided but with only 9 hours under her belt did not. His admission of "I wasn't looking, I didn't see you" helps a little. His insurance will have to pay but  over the Christmas break may not happen for a while. 

So the mood around here was a bit sombre as we did the last minute things but she made me laugh out loud tonight when she proclaimed that she hadn't realised pickles were...vegetables.

Erin had thought that that's what they were, just pickles, not that the vegetables were pickled to get like that. Not that she eats pickles. She sees them as the annoying thing that (other) people pick out of their burgers. She was a bit embarrassed that she hadn't realised that. Some things you learn you don't get taught you just sort of know them. This wasn't one of them.

Christmassy pics...

Christmas is really close now. I think I have all the gifts done and also the food done. I bought some alcohol today so really all I have to do now is work tomorrow then let the festivities begin.

 I'm not cooking anything else now. The panforte, rocky road, cashew clusters are done and I've just the pork to roast, the pear sauce to make and a salad to put together.

The over achieving neighbours are putting everyone else to shame

the Police Box lights up

 At least we had some lights going

And I got to play some more with my camera

The Queen's colours...

I liked this pantone of the Queen's fashion over the past year

I think my chart would be heavy on white then blue and throw in some orange followed by red.

What would yours be like?

What?...

I did a double take this afternoon when we turned into our street and saw this in the neighbour's front yard.

A life size London police box.

Forget Dr Who I was hoping Hayley was going to pop out.

The day where nothing happened...

Still having internet problems but was hoping that the NBN connection that was booked for today will fix them. And it might. When they come and install the next bit we will know. We are one of the first areas to roll out the NBN in Australia and during the year it was commonplace to see men working in pits outside our homes or digging up the nature strips. We had the outside connection put in some months ago. The next step is to install another box inside your house then your internet provider installs a new modem. They (NBN Co) didn't show and the next booking is for 30th Dec. So maybe then we will be a bit closer to fast reliable broad band. 

We were feeling the love today when the Specialist gave us our Christmas gift.

One each, for a special occasion

He celebrates Chinese New Year instead of Christmas but always thanks us generously. Thank you Dr F, I will enjoy.

Dear Hayley, anniversary edition...

Dear Hayley,

Congratulations on your 6 month anniversary!!!!

The last 6 months seems to have flown by. 6 months since I squeezed you goodbye at the airport and watched you go through those doors with a mixture of emotion. Having to let you go on your adventure was hard for me as a mother. I want to be there, for all of you, to help you with things, to make things easier for you but you seemed to have done a great job figuring it out for yourself.

I am immensely proud of you for going off to the other side of the planet, to see and do things I have only seen on TV. I am so glad we are able to message chat so frequently. I look forward to the video chatting more though as I want to hear your voice. Sometimes I ring Erin's phone to hear your voice mail message with your Aussie accent. I know things haven't always been perfect for you but you have matured so much in the way you handle them. I know people will love you wherever you go and your personality will get you far.

Celebrating Christmas away from family and old friends will be different but you survived your birthday in a foreign country, and you've travelled on your own and gotten a job. Who knows what the next 6 months will bring and how many countries you'll visit in that time. Like I said to you before, while you are away I have something interesting to talk to people about, even on Saturday night at the Christmas party I was telling all manner of strangers about you! All things here will be exactly the same when you get back, just you will a world traveller. You'll always be able to say " When I lived in England I..." When I lived in Spain I turned 25..." "I saw in the New Year in London..."

We love you, we miss you and we live vicariously through you, keep it up!

Love, Mum,xxx

The wedding/christmas party...

We inadvertently became wedding crashers today. Our work Christmas function was booked at a local restaurant and our tables were upstairs. On the other side of the big room was a wedding party. We seemed to have the same menu and were able to enjoy their entertainment. We were  joking about photo bombing and catching the bouquet but they were a very sedate group and didn't have any speeches or cake cutting while we were there.

The bride was very pretty.

Mrs G and I had a nice time

The food is nice at 'Stone Bar & Grill'

The weather is warming up but I can smell smoke in the air, hopefully the smell of cake cooking will cover that up. I hope the family don't mind a toasted sandwich for dinner, I'm all partied out.

The kitchen's heating up...

I started on the Christmas baking. Finally. Erin had made peppermint truffles, some to give to her guitar teacher and has nearly eaten the rest herself. Today I started the rum balls and the almond bread and made some of these yummy spice cookies

Tomorrow in between our Day Medical Christmas Lunch and shopping I will make the Christmas cake, some gingerbread, roll the rum balls, slice and dry the almond bread and hopefully make the panforte, rocky road and cashew clusters.

I had to drive 70km to get the glace fruit I needed. Nowhere closer had any. Chris and I zoomed over to the Nut Shack in Werribee to get it and then they didn't have any figs. While I was being served an older couple struck up a conversation about glace fruit. In the 10 minutes it took to get my requirements I learned that they were travelling from Adelaide to see family and cant get glace fruit anywhere in Adelaide. He was born in Seddon and tomorrow is their 50th wedding anniversary. They were lovely people but chatty.

We are off to our favourite restaurant, The Plough, for Chris' breakup. Should be a good night, I know several of the drivers but more of the wives from tennis or work. There is nothing worse than not knowing anyone at your partners function. That is why Chris will stay home tomorrow while I go out and enjoy some more good food at Stone.