Christmas 2011

Christmas Greetings from Beautiful Ballina (Courtesy local paper)

Adrian & Danielle with our grandsons Blayke & baby Heath

Trying Ribbon Tying - Very Trying!

Sibling Christmas

Aunty Dympna & Yudian with their contribution

Judith caught me up on colleagues

Murray stealing off with great-nephew Jethro

Two Kookaburras join us for breakfast

My Solar Butterfly

The Chooks followed Toby the Pig around the yard

This house sure decorated well for Christmas

Murray Preparing the Christmas Turkey

Turkey ready to take off the BBQ (Murray with Rose)

Another year draws to a close...well it is Boxing Day as I write, so we now have less than a week until the New Year 2012 emerges. Our build up to Christmas was as enjoyable as the day itself. We had my sibling Christmas party on 17th December here in Ballina, and all 6 of the 7 remaining siblings (& spouses) attended (our youngest brother lives in Japan), as did the Matriarch of our family, Aunty Dympna. I think there were just under 20 of us in all, counting 2 nieces, a nephew, and their kids, plus sister in law Cathie and her partner. Lots of delicious food and fun with Kris Kringle. The next morning, almost before the champagne bubbles had time to settle, Murray & I drove 3 hrs south to join our sister, brother (& spouses), as well as 2 nephews & their children at Coffs Harbour. We stayed in a delightful resort and the weather was pleasant. I enjoyed the kookaburra visitors that joined us each morning for breakfast - they perched on the open air rails of our dining room that overlooked the ocean. Delightful ambiance! We went en masse to visit a nearby Butterfly enclosure and I loved the bright blue Dunk Island butterfly (also saw them in Kuranda, near Cairns on a visit with Joe Bill & Sandy a few years ago) and so my thrill on Christmas Day was to receive my own solar powered butterfly - he keeps me entertained in the garden!

My friends Jen & Leonie spent 2 days at our place with my cunning plan to make several lovely Christmas ribbons to decorate parcels. After a day playing with our Mac laptops and iPhones, we had some quiet time to watch some ribbon tying videos, and then got to work - over an hour later, and we didn't have too much to show for our time- apart from a few pieces, and lots of laughs. As usual!

We have enjoyed several pre-Christmas celebrations with friends, including with one family who have a pet pig Toby who has the reign of their rural property. No, he won't be on anyone's plate for Christmas dinner! Another welcome visitor was Judith who was promoted into my position when I retired from Defence. Judith & Jack dropped in for a cuppa on their trip from Canberra to Brisbane, and it was great to catch up on what my colleagues back there have been up to since I left. The homemade jam and Christmas cake she made & brought for us was an added bonus!

My sister Rose came to stay on Christmas Eve, and we took a drive out to see some decorated homes to continue the Christmas spirit that started with a lovely Christmas Vigil Mass, followed by a champagne supper at sister Gemma and husband Bill's home. While we were all there we had a Skype with Kim (Copenhagen) and sipped our champagne as she opened her presents from us. It was a great video link, so it felt as though she was in the same room.

On Christmas Day us 3 sisters, spouses plus our aunt joined us here for Murray's Turkey feast. It was delicious. The weather was warm so we had the air conditioner on, but a light rain shower cooled things off nicely by late afternoon. Now I am waiting for my sister to pick me up for a walk along the beach. Life doesn't get much better...Merry Christmas to all!