Happy Australia Day.

 We were up and away early today for Australia Day celebrations with company.

 We celebrated Australia Day by the beach with the surf behaving well on this special day. So many folk were at the beach and many people were at beaches along the way as we drove down the coast. At Lake Cathie, there were few parks left at 7am. On our return, four hours later, the parking was all along the roadside, beyond the designated car park. The beaches were packed, within restrictions and many families were enjoying playing in the shallow water between the surf and the bridge.

We returned to the beachfront cafe, we visited last Thursday for afternoon tea. We enjoyed Champagne and a delicious breakfast overlooking a calmer scene. However, this morning, the temperature rose to 34C. Even though it was very hot, we had a wonderful, cooling, sea breeze, blowing in over our very long tables. The restaurant was decorated appropriately with light blue balloons, featuring our beautiful flag, small toothpick flags, small flags in the table foliage pots and Australian decorated plates and napkins.

Today, the restaurant was closed for our private function with 51 of us commemorating and enjoying our National Day.

Afternoon Tea at the Beach.

 On Thursday after Quilting group, we drove down the coast a wee way to check out the location for our Australia Day Breakfast gathering. The restaurant had recently changed names and we were not sure of the exact address, not that we had been to visit under the previous name. It is an early start tomorrow, so now we can go there directly.

It looks like any beach however, there were marine warnings issued for large swells, for all of last week.

This is how it changed very quickly, as a new set arrived. The waves were breaking from well out to sea, to the edge of the car park road, at the shoreline. We haven't visited this area before, although on calm days, one can see the beach from the roadway south, from here right up to Lighthouse Beach, several miles to the north.

Just white froth all the way for this very long beach, approximately 8-10 Klms from Tacking Point Lighthouse. 

We sat on the balcony overlooking the seashore view, with a delightful afternoon tea of carrot cake and white chocolate pecan tart. K.

Two Birthday Gifts.

 Two stitching friends celebrated their birthdays in January.

They are members of my Quilting group and have been supportive friends during my time as a member. On the day I joined our group, one of these friends was also a new member. I have relished her quick,  dry wit, on quilting days, ever since. Amazingly it is very similar to my very dear husband's sense of humour, which I am blessed with, several times a day.

           Both friends were thrilled with their gifts.  Making such items gives me great joy, with a few more of these items to make as the year progresses. 

Welcome 2021, A New Year Beginning.

  

We ushered the New Year in with relish. A different celebratory meal from last week, although we did have the delicious pudding for sweets, for the second time. The pudding turned as superbly as the very first one. Extremely scrumptious and moist. It was served with Brandy Sauce and fresh pouring cream.

It is almost time to dismantle all the decorations, it makes the house look really bare for a day or so., then it all seems normal once more, till Christmas this year.

We are looking forward to a year ahead of much promise and joy. It has been rather wet so far and it is only the third of January. Our garden is loving all the rain and the plants are dancing.

I'm stitching Initials for birthday gifts for friends, two are needed by the end of this week. Then back to another piece half finished. A photo of the first two, later this week and the third, after it is received. I have been contemplating returning to a larger Sampler,  Long Dog's "Virtue," started mid last year. I lost interest because the pattern was so very difficult to read. Trust I'll be able to decipher the symbols when I pick it up next time, here's hoping. Until next time, enjoy.

                                                     Celebrating Christmas 2020.

In spite of the year we have had, our restrictions allowed us to have guests in our home so we made the most of that situation. We welcomed friends to celebrate Christmas lunch, enjoying their company, the festive food, along with much chatter, lots of laughter and beautiful gifts. I love Christmas time with all it denotes, the decorations, music and special food. It is usually hot in the southern hemisphere, thankfully we were very comfortable in air conditioning.  I also chose to limit hot food preparation apart from the Christmas pudding, steaming away for most of 4 hours from early morning and roasting turkey.. Considering it was the first Christmas pudding I have every made, it turned out superbly. So much so that I have another prepared, for our New Year's Eve celebratory dinner.  My Mother used to make me one every year, then my MIL and then SIL.  In subsequent years I made deserts that were delightful, looked spectacular for this special occasion, along with being more suitable to our hot climate

                                                 

                        A Prawn and Avacado salad above , a Beetroot and Citrus salad below.

 

                                 A mixed Tomato and Dill salad, below followed by Ham and Turkey. 

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Before Christmas I made several gifts for friends and family, those below I remembered to photograph.

I made 16 of these , which are phone rests and decorated the gift bags with Christmas themed fabric.

Soon it will be time to dismantle the Christmas tree, the lights and all the decorations. However, for me, not until after New Year and twelfth night.

I hope you have enjoyed reading a little about our Christmas Day lunch. With 2021 only a week

away,  I hope this coming New Year for us all,  will bring wonders and joyful times, once again to our lives.