Tonight's the night…(as Rod Stewart says)

Here comes Santa Clause…..

Well that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

This year is my first, hosting Christmas for my family.  My mother carried on the tradition when her mother was no longer able, and since 2008 my sisters and I began taking turns.

It hasn’t been easy for Mum to let go, she knew she was no longer able to do the work, involved, but she did try to cajole us into doing it her way.  Fortunately she brought us up to be very independent, strong willed women, and we have each begun to stamp our own personalities on the days celebrations.

The first tradition to change has been the time, we now do Christmas Dinner not Christmas Lunch. Gone are the baked veggies and in their place are fresh home made salads.

My stamp is the handmade desserts and treats to eat with coffee. I am baking the ham and we will have turkey for the first time ever. (I do hope it isn’t dry as Mum predicts!!)

So here I am just a few hours before Christmas Day  and I am still able to smile, not brightly mind, but smile just the same.

Gifts all wrapped and under the tree…..Greg just asked how I managed to wrap my own gift? “With my eyes closed?” I assured him that was the case.

Our gift to ourselves is the completion of our front garden. Greg put the finishing touches on this afternoon.  He has done a really wonderful job.

 

 

We have lived here for almost 13 years and the front was mostly lawn…..well mostly nut grass with just a bit of couch to make it interesting.  So over the last year or more Greg has gradually changed it to this.  In order to keep the nut grass under control he has put in a ‘dry creek bed’ so the soil isn’t disturbed by planting.

 

Work started in January 2008

The final touch was the ‘Lantern’ our Christmas gift to each other!

It is time for this old Santa’s helper to hit the sack, catch some Z’s or just plain go to bed!

Good night and Merry Christmas to you all!

Thanks for visiting.