Christmas 2008

A few days before Christmas we went into Sydney by Rivercat to sort out some last minute presents. We caught the usual good service from John Street at Rydalmere and in under an hour we are at Circular Quay in the city. From memory we didn't get half of what we went looking for but, hey, that's Christmas.







These pics are just to remind a certain member of our family, and his partner, what they are missing.

Now to continue from the last blog entry.
The Christmas cakes have now progressed to the stage of adding the marzipan.






and finally to the finished version with icing and decoration. Despite the close attention of Alex, it has not been cut as of mid afternoon on Boxing Day. I think this state of affairs will change about tea time today. Whoopee!!



On Christmas Eve, Alex helped me to put out the candles on the footpath. Actually we nearly didn't do it as it had been drizzling most of the day.




Di doing another last minute batch of mince pies. I can guarantee they, and the rum butter, wont last very long.


Christmas morning and all ready to go, just have to wait for Becky and the boys to arrive.


Once they arrived and the present opening started, we ended up with the usual paper chaos.



The boys!! Alex wins the prize for most hair! Sorry Graham.



Wow, I wonder what this big present is?



I'm still not sure but I expect Grumpy can sort it out.



The meat has been cooked outside in the Webber. Nice pork and turkey.



Just trying to get all the string off the pork. Had a lovely traditional type Christmas lunch with all the necessary bits and pieces, lots of stuffing, crackling, pies, dessert etc.

Late afternoon we all went up to Bonnie and Jumbos to meet up with them and their family and start eating again.


Some people slept through most of the noisy festivities.



The youngest people at the party. Alex with Harry, Libby and baby Ben.



I never did get the final photo. These are the usual high jinks taking place while trying to muster everyone into place. I hope Becky managed to take the final assembly.

One thing you must never do when rushing out on Christmas day, is to shut a magpie and native minor in the shed. Fortunately the only damage from the big bird was three broken goblets with crystalline glaze.


This pic is mainly for Jim to show the skid plate I have fitted below the gearbox cross member. It should help to stop getting caught up on speed bumps!

Its that time again!

I know I have said it before but where does the time go. Its not as though anything extra special has happened that is news worthy. The newest addition to the family, Ben, is still doing well but we don't seem to have as many pictures of him as we did with Alex. I suppose its because Becky has her hands full and when we see him he is asleep or I don't have my camera. He is putting on weight and is at the stage of starting to smile and talk.



Pictures from the archives of the first of this years roses.



Jacaranda time again but one good gust of wind and the fallen blossoms make a blue lawn.

We have been having Alex to stay quite a lot as it gives Becky and Graham a break and we love having him. The only problem is that he has also been going to pre-school for one day a week but always comes home with a cold which is soon passed around the whole family. The biggest problem is that if Di gets a cold it generally brings on her asthma.



This is one very clever little man. He is very quick, has a fantastic memory and is interested in any thing mechanical. He is also very familiar with a computer keyboard and loves nothing better than helping me send out emails.

He found this old camera while exploring one of our cupboards and is quite the expert photographer.



He is still trying to understand that not all cameras are of the digital variety.


But he is happy to cock the shutter and take pictures all day.



Its that time of year again. The Christmas cake baking time. This year Di has made three, with my help of course. This is ours, the biggest ready to go in the oven.



All covered up and in the oven. I shouldn't have put this picture up as it shows trade secrets.




Another bit of our Christmas tradition. Any mix left over is put in the fry pan and turned into small delicious flat cakes which are eaten warm and don't last too long in this household.


Just out of the oven. Now it gets wrapped in grease proof paper and tinfoil but is opened every few days to be dosed with Christmas cheer, Brandy, Rum, Whisky etc. Must remember to take some pictures when I put the marzipan and icing on.