A recently created tradition (three consecutive years and it's official) is breakfast at The Duke and Duchess of Texas' house, wherein I received a copy of Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and am so enthralled by this book I could have stayed at home the rest of the day reading! Bacon, eggs, crepes, strawberries, cream biscuits, jam, it was such a delicious feast and in such wonderful company too.
The turkey was already in the oven at this point as it is a 6-7 hour cooking event (the way I do it) so apart from reading, not much to do between home and family dinner in the evening. I popped out to visit my darling adopted daughter Shell and hubby Rich who were hanging in there for a big Skype link in with her real family in Missouri.
Then home to a flurry of activity - packing up food and swimsuits and gifts, and everything we could think we might need at my sister's house. It was such a boiler of a day here in Wellington, although apparently it rained pretty much everywhere else in NZ and I was pretty cross - given the insanely upside down nature of Christmas Dinner down under, roasting and boiling for 12 on a hot day is not as much fun as doing it on a cool day! But as it turns out we never had a swim in their lovely pool, as by the time the food was all done (my sister and I work really well together in the kitchen, it's a miracle of nature) the people fed, the dishes done, the tables folded away and the cook curled up on a sofa happily sipping elderflower cordial and soda water, it was cool and dark anyway.
So it was a great birthday bash for Jesus, who I am sure is very understanding about it being on the wrong date. Pretty much all of the gifts were hand made, and very much appreciated all round.
And now down under it is Boxing Day morning-nearly-noon, we had a huge sleep in for the first time in forever, much needed, and I am going to get my nose back into that book.
Peace and good will to you all, dear readers, I appreciate your visits to my little corner of the blogosphere. xo
Sounds like a great day. All the best for the season.
ReplyDeleteTo you too Bev! xo
DeleteYour day sounds lovely. Here in my part of the U.S. it's about 20 degrees. No snow though. My boys bought me sewing related gifts and I sewed them their Christmas presents. We don't celebrate Boxing Day here, so my day will be spent relaxing with a good book. All the best to you and your family for the coming year.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely christmas day. I think my tree needs a christmas mermaid. Merry Christmas
DeleteI think every tree needs a Christmas mermaid! Especially a voluptuous one :)
DeleteDearest Mrs. C.,
ReplyDeleteOnly now found your delightful post. You had a really good day, I think, despite roasting while roasting the bird, and missing your swim. Nothing like a good book to top it all off!
We had a very nice day, with popovers and marmalade, and eggs, for breakfast, and an enormous dinner brought dish-to-pass style to the grandparents' house, and where 8 children rip-roared in and out and all over, and the boys came up from the freezing creek so wet and muddy we had to wash their pants and put their shoes to dry in front of the fire and so they ate Christmas dinner in their skivvies. Then all the cousins went out and did the creek lurking again, in the dark, with flashlights, and hearing coyotes not too far away; this time a large cousin carried them across the water and they, and we, were spared a late-evening second washing.
Hugs and happiest and most restful of New Year's,
Natalie
Oh my, Natalie, this brings back memories of my childhood excursions with cousins in my aunt and uncle's back yard that backed onto a nature reserve complete with creek. We were all so fascinated by the water, which I am sure caused our parents conniptions! I love that the big'un looked after the little'uns at your Christmas. And the spiserinctious twins will remember their exciting adventures for years to come! I also love the expression dish-to-pass as that is an EXACTLY perfect way of describing such dinners, which are absolutely the norm here. But we call them potluck, which is really not true, as everyone knows what to bring and the whole thing is planned and executed with casual military precision by the women. My dear friend Nellie reckons that 'project management' was invented to make men more interested and capable in making lists and organising their time, in other words things that we women do as a matter of course. I tend to agree, and feel the main qualification should therefore be called Princess II not Prince II ;-)
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