While it was very sad to lose my mum two weeks before Christmas, the family knew that her 93 years were telling on her, and she was very tired. Her seven live children & numerous grandchildren gave her a warm & loving farewell. She was a wonderful mother who will live forever in our hearts.
While we had all seven siblings in town, and before our brother Chris returned to his wife Mandy in Japan, we celebrated an early Christmas here at our home in Ballina. We had a toast to our mum, dad & brother Peter who we trust were looking down from above! Amongst the errant tears we shared lots of laughter; the joyful celebration was just what the doctor ordered.
To get into the Christmas mood and also a great opportunity to raise funds for our University of the Third Age (U3A) community, I was part of an army of volunteers wrapping presents in a busy mall. My shift was the last one on Christmas Eve, and I worked from 1pm – 5pm where there was a steady flow of people doing their last minute shopping. Murray donned his Christmas hat & helped out in the hot meal center serving up Christmas lunch to the homeless.
Whilst winter storms have been creating havoc in Europe & across North America this Christmas, Australia has been having lots of welcome rain. We commiserate for the farmers who last year were still in the grip of several years of drought, only to now have their current bumper crops ruined by floods, and to the holiday makers who planned to spend Christmas Day on the beach. Although Bondi Beach in Sydney got a fair share of beach goers on the day.
We preferred to have a low-key Christmas lunch this year. My sister Gemma, her husband Bill and our aunt Dympna came to our place – it was our first Christmas in our new home. Bill had made our Christmas cake, Gemma cooked the chicken, bacon (sshhh) & gravy, and Aunt Dympna provided the chilled champagne. Murray baked fresh bread & sliced the ham & I cooked the turkey breast and numerous roast vegetables. A kind friend had made our Christmas pudding & it was served with brandy custard & fresh, thick cream. It wouldn’t be Christmas if everything went according to plan, and in my case, although I had prepared a tasty appetizer (prawn, avocado & rocket cocktails) to kick start the meal, the cocktails were still sitting in the fridge at the end of the meal. Darn! Oh well, I had one with my supper that night, and it was delicious! The fresh rocket, green onions and dill all from our garden added a tasty zing.
Thanks to all of you who have shared Christmas wishes and condolences with us in recent weeks. We have had a very peaceful, yet joyful time, and hope that you are all enjoying your Christmas with family & friends. Next stop – the New Year. May the coming year 2011 be full of good health & happiness for all.
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