What a week we've had - hot & dry one day, wet & cool the next and it was a very pleasant temperature on Christmas Day, which is always appreciated by those in the kitchens producing hot meals for friends & family.
We started with Wes being unwell last Sunday and foregoing the Sunday Market & Breakfast. He was much missed at both places, where there was a festive air, with most stall-holders thrilled not to have to wear masks. I parked close to Yvonne's stall which made carrying baskets & bags much easier on my own. Breakfast was fun with lots of gifts for pets and treats for everyone else. The Food Gallery closed that night & reopens next Saturday after spending quality time with their families.
Lewis & Morse, sans collars, getting stuck into Christmas dried pork bones from Janine - their reward for behaving while being bathed
We've enjoyed a social afternoon with our neighbours - Rob, Dene & Glen at Rob & Dene's place. Lewis & Morse were perplexed, but were happy to know where we were! They are very generous hosts & we ate & drank well with lots of interesting conversations. Eventually the alarm went for the boys' dinner, which broke up the party.
Glen, Rob, Karen & Wes on the decking at no 80 - Dene took the photo
As well, Judi & I had a last Jasmine tea & decadent muffin at Muffins & More; I enjoyed another beautiful facial with Emma after 6 months without, and had my nails done on Christmas Eve with Alanna. I made a last trip to Eganstown & Porcupine Ridge for the year and had fun distributing all our gifts to our Garbos; Steve the Paperman; Muffins & More; The Food Gallery; the Post Office; Yvonne, Jeff & Ken at the Sunday Market; Sandra our wonderful cleaner; Tim, who looks after us so well at Bi-Rite; and Emma, Alanna & Lyndal who do wonders to my face, nails & hair.
A selection of the many beautiful roses we have this December - best year in ages for blooms
Wes caught up with an old friend, Mark Higginbotham, for brunch at Jackie's on Vincent yesterday, which was perfect as it was fairly quiet until 1pm when the lunch crowd arrived. Meanwhile I set the table for our Christmas lunch for two and made sure there was a bottle of Champagne on ice to accompany our prawns & snapper & Christmas pudding.
White Oriental lilies gaze over our bon-bons
We took the boys for a big walk on Christmas morning - two laps of all Lake Daylesford, before coming home to shower & change & join other locals at Cliffy's, where the staff were giving their time for free to raise money for the CFA (Country Fire Authority). We sat down for about 20 minutes catching up with friends and doing our best to stay warm in the rather intrusive wind swirling around.
Above is Irene, Gillie, Aileen & Flora the dog & below is Karen
Then we made some phone calls catching up with members of our respective families, which in my case were mostly doing something different from previous years, because of the COVID-19 restrictions in New South Wales. We also spoke to a few friends and heard about what their day was going to bring before we stopped for another hot drink & a date scone, which we called breakfast.
Lovely photo of my sister, Leanne, with her NDIS companion & friend, Nidhi, on Christmas Day
We enjoyed a very yummy meal & relaxed through the three courses, all of which were most enjoyable. Wes served the prawns cooked in their shells with a dip and followed that by an oven-baked snapper with roast vegetables, and I finished the meal off with Christmas pudding & brandy butter. Needless to say we didn't need any dinner & after sharing a beautiful bottle of champagne, decided to read and relax listening to Handel's Messiah & then Beethoven's 1st & 3rd symphonies.
Yesterday was devoted to Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. The Indians played with spirit to dismiss us all for 195, and although they lost Agarwal for a duck, were looking good at 1/36 at stumps. Can't wait to see what today brings. We're off to the Market shortly, then breakfast at Larder, one of the few options available today.
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