Christmas Eve…

 Cripes! It’s here already! And it’s wet outside after a massive dump of rain last night so the lawns probably won’t be mowed or the edges trimmed so that when we sit on the patio for dinner tomorrow we’ll just see lots of clover and dandelion flowers. Ah well, the bees’ll love it! It’s their Christmas present.

IMG_1591

Old OH has taken off to the farm to see how the contractor’s going with the driveway and to check the rain gauge (again) and to check the sheep for flystrike. Son is frantically re-fencing the oats paddock (fence had to come down when contractor levelled the mess made by the irrigation pipes being laid and the 3 phase power being put underground). We want to turn the mob onto the oats stubble for a few days. That’s their Christmas pressie.

I’ll walk Young Dog on the beach soon as he didn’t get a walk yesterday in the Big Smoke and keeps looking at me with sad eyes and offering me his toys.

IMG_1176

I’m riddled with guilt ‘cos he doesn’t ask for much really – just my company. Old Dog is sleeping. It’s her gift…

I’m trying NOT to think about dinner tomorrow. Mum and I always have a battle of wills over Christmas Dinner because I try to encourage her to leave the hot turkey and veggies behind and to go for all the delicious fresh stuff. This is modern summery Australia after all.

But she won’t change and at a frail 89 is beyond doing much more than making the stuffing as her shoulders, knees, back, eyes and hands dishonour her. I can’t digest turkey so I’ll make a watermelon and smoked salmon salad and a glazed peach and feta salad for anyone (including self) who want it.

32581_l

I do a warm roast veggie salad too which is FILLED with delicious herbs so it’ll all be okay. Thank the stars above, my brother does the turkey in the Webber.

Unknown-1

I’ll make the peach glaze today and the house will smell like Tobias’s twelfth century spice market in Constantinople (research for writing a novel never stops).

Unknown-2

And because I’m not sure if Heston’s pudding will go down very well with all (Mum doesn’t like dried fruit and brother doesn’t like Christmas pudding) at the table, I’m also making a Berry and Chocolate Mousse trifle.

Unknown

Hoping the raspberries, boysenberries and silvanberries in the garden haven’t been turned mouldy by yesterday’s rain. I’ll get to dig my own carrots, beans and potatoes and to collect all the fresh herbs from the veggie garden for dinner. Love that hunting and gathering thing-o.

I’ll dust and vacuum the adult kids’ rooms and clean their bathroom in readiness and then daughter will arrive from the farm with Red Dog and Mum’ll arrive from the Big Smoke with my brother and I’ll walk down to visit them at their own beach cottage. Then it’ll be the end of the day and I’ll sit and wonder what on earth all this ridiculous fuss is about and why retailers make us so tense and worried about how little we might have spent and have we got enough food to feed the five thousand!

200px-ArthurRansome_SwallowAndAmazons

And once again I’ll wish I could load all the family in a boat with a cane picnic basket and no Christmas airs and graces and pootle across to Maria Island and do Christmas my Swallows and Amazons way.

article-0-0049ACD700000258-840_468x346

Ah well…

Maybe one day…

happy-holidays

Happy holidays to everyone across the globe! Thank you so much for making my living and writing year so very special. Can’t wait to see you all again very soon!