Countdown to Christmas: 1

Santa's coming!



The frogs in the pond are warming up to sing us to sleep tonight with their croaky carols - nothing as good as Dean Martin or Bing Crosby, but lyrical just the same.

I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a blessed 2009. Thank you for leaving me comments, supporting me with kind words and purchases from the shop, and for the hand of true friendship that so many of you have offered. I will raise my glass to you all tomorrow, and I'm so happy to count you as my friends.

But for now, that's me signing off. I have a hexagon quilt to reacquaint myself with, a garden to get lost in, many laps to swim, a couple of show entries to crochet, and most importantly, some reindeer to feed.

See you sometime in early 2009!

Countdown to Christmas: 2

With only two food shopping days left and my pre-Christmas visitors gone, thoughts turn (with alarm) to the menu for Christmas Day.

As there will only be the two of us sitting under the elm tree for Christmas lunch, we've decided to make it a mini-feast of the highlights of Christmasses past.



Vegetables in aspic and soggy potato salad served in an icecream container, as in this photo, do not feature in the highlights, thankfully.

We have the cooked tiger prawns on order, ready for picking up on Christmas Eve. A thick slab of smoked ham was purchased at the farmers' market on Saturday. Kipfler potato and boiled egg salad will feature, just so long as I can find a recipe I like, as will hopefully a chorizo and haloumi salad which my brother made a couple of years ago. ( I must remember to call him for the recipe.)

The Christmas pudding has been bought, and now I need to find the time tomorrow between 3pm when work finishes up for the year, and 11pm when the Christmas Eve church service commences to do some final preparations. Easy.



I'm looking forward to full, happy bellies by the end of Christmas Day, and days of prawn breadrolls and smoked ham risotto to follow.

Countdown to Christmas: 3

Happiness is ...



Being part of a worldwide Toy Society drop just a few days before Christmas.

Countdown to Christmas: 4

A lot of people do it really tough at Christmas - financially, emotionally and physically - and I wish I could do more to help them. Don't we all? Here are some suggestions on what you can do when spreading happiness and joy with a smile and a happy demeanour just aren't enough.

Have you checked out the ABC giving tree in Canberra? You can buy non-perishable food and/or a gift for a child and deliver it to the studios, where'll they'll distribute the goodies to the Salvation Army. Most of the department stores also have giving trees - such a good thing for those kids who really miss out.


© Copyright World Vision Australia 2008. All rights reserved.
Used with permission. http://www.worldvision.com.au/ or call 13 32 40.

One of the things I've done some research on this year is the charity gift. It's where you purchase training, animals, supplies or basic human necessities like safe drinking water from a charity, and they send you a card or email you an e-card. You can then give that card to your friends and family, having purchased a gift on their behalf. Some of the charities where you can do this are:

http://www.usefulgifts.org/
http://www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au/
http://www.caregifts.org.au/home.asp
http://www.worldvision.com.au/Smiles/GiftCatalogue/
http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.204586/


© Copyright World Vision Australia 2008. All rights reserved.
Used with permission. http://www.worldvision.com.au/ or call 13 32 40.

Some of these sites even have gift registries! Now that beats a Myer gift registry any day, I reckon!

If you have any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Countdown to Christmas: 5

One of my favourite things about summer is the smell of ripening tomatoes on the vine.



Once you've touched them, the smell sticks to your hands, your hair, your nose, your clothes. It's the smell of a hope that perhaps we'll have ripe tomatoes by Christmas Day.

Countdown to Christmas: 6

Compulsory reading.

Countdown to Christmas: 7

Sixteen laps followed by poolmade coffee and homemade rumballs.



Bliss.

Countdown to Christmas: 8

One of the things I am looking forward to most this Christmas is the promise of twelve days off work.



Unfortunately I don't get paid for those days off.

But I'll take the good with the bad. That's my philosophy, anyway.

Countdown to Christmas: 9

I'm dreaming of a warm christmas,with every christmas card I write.

Countdown to Christmas: 10

It's beginning to taste a lot like Christmas.