MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

 

Wishing all my blogging buddies

 

all over the world

 

a wonderful, safe, Happy Christmas

 

filled with laughter and good cheer.

 

 

NO WORDS NEEDED

# All photos today from the internet. 

UNDER SIEGE

The world has heard about events that are unfolding in Sydney tonight.
Below is an entry I read on Facebook tonight

"Sent from a friend on the train home from Sydney:

I just caught a train home through the central Sydney line. The mood was very different to my usual Monday afternoon trip home.

 Less people were looking down at their phones. As you walked past complete strangers they gave you a little nod and a smile.

 As I got off at central station I saw two grown men in suits run into each other, they obviously knew one and other. They gave each other a manly hug and asked "How ya goin?"... they both responded with "Yeah... shit day but good, I'm going good mate."

I realised on my trip home that terrorism WILL NEVER work in Australia.
We are not scared.
We are not terrorised.
We are gravely concerned about our brothers and sisters in that coffee shop. But you will not win. You will never be able to tear apart this nation.

Why?

 Because we have a weapon stronger than yours.
Stronger than your religious beliefs, stronger than your hatred, stronger than your pathetic fear mongering, stronger than your misguided violence, stronger than you.

We are Australians and we have a secret weapon you will never have or understand..

mateship.

We are a nation of mates who will never be broken by the actions of a cowardly few.
What I realised on the way home was that in your attempt to scare our nation you have galvanised our mateship.

You failed. "

Let's hope this is right !

GETTING READY

I'm not a huge fan of Christmas because it's so HOT ! 

No matter what I do I can never get cool on Christmas Day.

This year it's our turn to have the family gathering here ....

Which means Tony's family as mine are all up in Hervey Bay...

So I have to start making plans.

No heavy fruit cake for us this year ( or any other year !)

In honour of our recent holiday in Italy this year we are having Panforte.

Yesterday I gathered the ingredients together and in no time it was done.

TICK  !

Next standby was Almond Bread

TICK !

So there's a turkey breast in the freezer, 

a whole ham on order.

The tree is up, 

presents purchased and wrapped.

I seem to be on top of it all.

Cheers

THIS WEEK

This week I've been:

 

 

* Babysitting Scout while Sally went to Bali.

 

 

Making a start on Christmas shopping.

I have the wrapping covered, now I just have to buy the gifts !

 

 

* Buying cherries - love the dark red ones.

There's supposed to be a huge crop this year.

 I wonder if that means they won't be expensive !!

 

 

* Stopping for lunch while Christmas shopping.

Sushi is my weakness ! ( well, one of them !! )

 

 

 

* Marvelling at how clever Nature is !

Although we badly need rain, this Ixora loves the Summer and the little bit of water that I have given it and here's my reward !

 

Here's a more recent photo of poor Scout.

 

 

She has a badly strained Achilles tendon

and will be in a splint for a couple of weeks.

Oh dear !!

 

Cheers.