We have a visitor

On our way to the Big Flash Christmas Bash, we went to the airport to collect Debs, the daughter of my good friend Davina from the Island Far Far Away. Debs is doing a gap year and travelling around Australia. She has already seen more of it than I have in the last 50 years! On Sunday we took her for a little drive to help her get her bearings, to the sea and to the Eimeo pub. It was her 19th birthday on Monday so we took her to Sorbellos for dinner.

Hoping that the craziness of preparing for Christmas and the move will let up soon and we can take her on a decent sight see.

Big Flash Christmas Bash

Saturday night saw us attend the Inagural Christmas Bash for KISA's work. It was held in our local brand new Convention Centre. It was a very impressive affair and we had quite a spectacular time. The organisers did a great job, and I think everyone enjoyed getting frocked up and dancing. The food was lovely and the entertainment was excellent. It was a very late night..

Starting to look like Christmas..

We had a bit of a Christmassy weekend here. KISA and I did some Christmas shopping on Saturday morning. We are mostly done now, only two left to get, though these days the list isn't that long anymore. It is starting to get frantic at the shops now. Spent the afternoon cooking and wrapping up gifts.
As A&P and Godzilla are going to India for Christmas, we had our get together for that side of the family on Saturday night at D&M's place. Took the camera, took no pictures.
We all brought a course to share and ended with about 6 courses counting cheese. We started with dips and crackers, a smoked salmon and prawn avocado salsa dish, garlic and calamari stir fried, gnocchi with sundried tomato pesto and spinach, and a Tamil Chicken and rice, followed by plum pudding and custard, fruit and cheese - phew!- which was all delicious. It was a great evening and we stayed over. We do a Secret Santa, which of course is no secret at all and everyone seemed to enjoy their gifts.
After an early breakfast we headed home as KISA was expecting work to call - which they did - lots- till I ripped off my thumb nail mowing the lawn. Now I know why fingernail removal is such a popular method of torture.
After I recovered from that, with lots of water, a big band aid, lots of sympathy and a long rest, we fixed some of the issues with the pool for the pool inspector,( long story) and finished off the yard.
Then it was time for the tree raising! This may be the last year with the big tree, it will be looking for a new home in the new year. Come the evening, it looks like Christmas though. We put the littler fibre optic tree up on the deck.

And swapped out the harsh LED deck lights for softer incandescent ones. We are nearly ready, and apart from the food shopping, can mostly stay away from the lunacy that is December in the shopping centres!

Movember is over!

The chopper moustache was shaved off this morning. So we now have a clean slate to grow back the beard of choice! Wonder which one he will go with?? Doesn't he look so young without any beard or mo??

It's raining men!

Young men that is. Son 18 is home for the summer. To celebrate he had all his mates over for a spot of backyard cricket and a BBQ. I have known most of these boys since Grade One! They have all grown into lovely handsome young men. After a few ales Son 18 became very happy and chatty and lovey lovey. Just like when he was a little boy. Why is he sitting on the floor?? So he can raid the liqour cabinet. Not much in there except the musk lolly liquer that Chic gave me. That would do, though we had pink loo water soon afterwards.

In honour of Ants 18th birthday party taking place on an island far far away, they played some of the drinking games the English cousins taught him.

Still smiling that cheesy grin. Took them up to the clubs about nine and they got back about 3.30am. Got up for lunch.

Been a bit of a cooking weekend, and cleaning up the downstairs..again! Made pizzas with the new pizza tray Nette gave us last weekend. This one is creamy garlic fish. It was very good! Made a tomato, ham, cheese and mushroom one too. No photo, none left either!

Made two batches of chutney, this is the first batch. Got about 18 jars all up, and today my face is red and swollen, must have taken in too much chilli vapours when it was boiling! Will make it outside in future.

Made rum balls for Christmas, put away in the fridge to mature.

Also made the Christmas pudding, also put away to mature. No photo till Christmas Day and it is sealed airyight in that pudding tin.

A New Home!

KISA and I have bought a unit. We settle on the 12 th January. Then we will sell the one we are in now. It will be an emotional wrench, as we have put so much of ourselves into this place, and it the longest I have lived in one house in my whole life. But it is too big for just the two of us. It is a lot of work to maintain, and a lot of expense, considering there are just the two of us. This house is best for a family with kids and works well for that. With the time and money this move will free up, we hope to camp a lot and travel a bit. As part of a longer term plan, the massive reduction on the mortgage this will entail, will help us to save hard for KISA to take an early retirement.

We mostly only use the top floor of this place now, and aside from slightly smaller bedrooms, we are not giving much up at all. The pool will be replaced by a spa which will sit on the patio, and unlike the pool, can be used all year around. It will also require much less maintainence, and cost less to run. We mostly just sit in the pool and drink bubbles anyway!

This is the front aspect of the house. It is one of 4 on a large block, a regular sized small house, just has very little land. It has a double garage and 3 bedrooms, ensuite bathroom, and a main bathroom. It has a water tank and a solar hot water. It is a brand new, virgin house. This is the lounge area. Every room is air conditioned. This room faces east so will be cool in the summer. It is sheltered from the morning sun by the patio roof and away from the afternoon sun.

This is the main bathroom.

The kitchen area, it is all open plan kitchen dining lounge.

Rear windows and door off living area.Note the huge lawn to mow..;-)

Kitchen again.Will have to keep it tidy!

Lounge area

Plans of the house.

We are very excited! So one last Christmas in the old house, as the boys are home for the holidays then the next stage of our lives begin.

While we were away....

Well we haven't really been away. Life has been pretty quiet lately. We have been inside sheltering from rain, or inside sheltering from heat, and doing nothing much. So a few photos to keep you going. Eunice went to Scotland and brought back these presents for KISA. Neither are available here. Actually she brought back THREE bottles of HP Fruity Sauce, and TWO packets of KP Dry Roasted peanuts! KISA is very happy! One packet of the KP Dry Roasted Peanuts is all gone, and they were carefully rationed out.

Dorothy's tree is flowering. Starting at the top and is slowly being covered in these lovely blooms. On a dark night, the tree looks like it is glowing! We have taken 12 cuttings and are trying to propogate them. We want to make a hedge.

We wandered up to the Eimeo Pub for a coffee last Sunday. It was a beautiful afternoon.

Quite the relaxing place to be. Only 7 more days of Movember. Then we can return to our regular facial hair style.

Heard fireworks last Thursday night and got this shot from the back deck. I suppose Santa was arriving at Mt Pleasant. He is early.

On Friday was a social barefoot bowls game wih KISA's work. We had quite an enjoyable time. I started to get the knack of it and even won a few ends. Inside on the honour boards, I saw my dad's name everywhere. He is a gun bowler. Keeps it to himself though!

Nette travelled up from Brisbane to attend a funeral of an old friend. She spend a lot of the weekend hanging out with us. We went to Ants for breakfast on Saturday. Most of the time we hung out at home relaxing. KISA and I got some gardening done.

Been a quiet life!