Christmas Eve

It has been really cool here during the last few days. We haven't had the air-conditioning on at all, so it has been a great time to play outside and do a few things in the garden - not too much ,of course, there are still flies to contend with. At the beginning of winter we planted this ornamental grape and now it is all the way up and two thirds of the way over! I think we can probably get rid of the protective barrier now as our rabbit, Pippy, has grown up and left home. That isn't a euphemism, she has just moved into the neighbourhood in general. Wanderlust I suppose...

The veggie garden is going mad. The problem is I really only have one good spinach recipe (I do know that it is actually silverbeet) and we can't eat spinach and feta pie all the time. What else can I do with it? The tomatoes have also started to ripen. Maybe I should get in soon and make fried green tomatoes and cornbread. It is such a shame Janice isn't really in a position to travel (baby due in just weeks) because we used to make that together. Once, when I was working at a duty free shop in Sydney, Janice brought a gas burner into town and she made fried green tomatoes for us at Circular Quay....we got some funny looks!

These are our quails, Molly and Arthur. Molly is sitting on eggs. Sadly, she has been sitting on these eggs for months now so I don't think they are going to hatch. Does she know? Should we take them away? Especially sad seeing as the Molly and Arthur they are named after have seven children.



It is quite strange having Christmas at home with no visitors. We have still done Christmassy things. Last night, after watching Wind in the Willows (sweet and funny) Andrew took Joss and Tobes on a drive around town to look at the Christmas lights. It is very lucky that I am on holidays really, because it gets dark so late that the children don't get to bed until after 10. Carols in the Domain finished at 11! A Southern Hemisphere problem. It probably gets dark at 4.30 in England! This is Bethany eating our new favourite Christmas treat. It is a magical elf with little bits that explode in your mouth. Toby is doing his maths book.....I hope he doesn't grow out of that.


Merry Christmas everyone!