Christmas and beach holidays

Great grandmother

The feast cooked by Bec

The choir in action

Well, after all the trepidation, anticipations, build up, trying to pretend it's not happening Christmas is over for another year. And what were the good things about it? Quite a few, however still thinking of doing something completely different next year.

First so far things have apparently got no worse between the two Koreas, so we can all breathe easier for a little while.

Second, my niece brought her daughters along with some friends and their music teacher, to my mother's nursing home to sing for them. What a delightful thing to do and the people their who are capable of showing emotion seemed to enjoy it. Mum appeared to be quite pleased and loved having the kids there. So good to see the girls enjoyed it too and had such confidence in performing and doing something to add pleasure to someone else's day, true spirit of Christmas I would say!

Third, started off Christmas day with a scrumptious breakfast cooked by Raph, and had a lovely beginning to the day at their place, with the kids. Then went to my mates for a delicious lot of crackling which the lovely Norm had cooked on his barbecue, yes it was around pork, but it was the crackling that got to me - cooked to perfection. And...... I cooked my first and second Pav, trialling it with the doona stealing weasel's daughter and family on Friday night then again for A and N on Christmas Day, and, even if I say so myself, it was pretty lovely, forgot to take a photo so will have to make another for a photo opportunity! Thanks to the lovely Stephanie Alexander and her recipe! Is that what Christmas is about sharing good food that has been cooked with thought and care, with people we love and spending time with them?

Then a little downer as Mum was unwell, so went to see her instead of taking her out, she was quite tired and found it hard to even stir from her bed. However, after helping her shower and getting her back to bed with clean PJs, A and I sang to her, dredging our memories for the old songs and she seemed to enjoy that (despite our relatively tuneless voices). Or maybe that's what it's about - remembering the people who are lonely or ill and thinking about what we can do for them?

Fourth the beginning of a whole 7 days down at Rye - what bliss! And even blissfuller is that bec and the kids are sharing it. So we've been down to the beach several times, T went into the water fully clothed despite the cool weather and A ended up taking all his clothes off to go in the water and then made sand angels several times so I ended up with a car full of sand. We all spoke to E on the phone and she sounded like her day was good, so all is well with the world! A has been carrying around the 'rainbow' dinosaur with him that his lovely aunty sent over. In Australia, christmas and the beach can be synonymous - seafood, games on the sand, kids in the water - is that what Christmas is about and making connections with people we love who are far away?

Drank much Australian sparkling wine, bit of red because it's been so cold and have a lovely glass of Cool Woods Eden Valley Pinot sitting by the laptop at this minute. Now that is definitely part of Christmas!

Fifth B cooked us a most delicious meal last night - see pictures, slow cooked lamb shoulder with a zucchini and tomato dish, salad with dill and yoghurt dressing all quite yummy. Then tonight went to my favourite pizza place on the Peninsula, Pizza D'oh who make the best seafood pizza I have ever had - prawns, scallops, calamari and fish with fetta - washed down with a local Pinot Gris. so maybe it just all comes down to food, sharing time with family and friends we love, connecting with people we can't be with and finding time to do the things we enjoy because we have a holiday.

So it would be hard for life to get better, the boys are sleeping peacefully on the loungeroom floor, having decided they wanted to watch Harry Potter, picked up a children's bike for $10.00 at a garage sale and after T's first remark of 'Grandma why did you buy a girl's bike?' he has found he can ride it and says it's a bit like a BMX bike because it has fat wheels.Loved the gregarious ans trusting natureof kids when T decided he wanted to make friends with some boys he saw playing on the street (another great Australian tradition) And, to top it all off, have an excellent book waiting on my bedside table.

Peace and good wishes, may you all find a sanctuary to share with your loved ones and loved ones to share your sanctuary.