Post Christmas Lull...

I haven't been particularly inspired to blog this past week or so, not sure why but think I have just relaxed and enjoyed the gentle days with nothing especially planned. John is off work until Monday and it's been lovely having home home every day...lovely to linger in bed in the mornings, lovely to enjoy a long breakfast together, lovely that there are no work shirts and pants to iron...just all round good.

Our Christmas Day was gentle, just the five of us here and Josh's new girlfriend joined us for lunch. We were woken at 6.30am and as much as we would have liked to sleep a little longer we could not let the Myles and Matilda open their Santa sacks without us there.

We drank coffee and ate shortbread and divine Belgian chocolate while exchanging gifts...

...watching Matilda & Myles open their gifts from us was a true delight...neither of them had any idea what we had chosen for them. We chose a combo television/DVD for Matilda, she is old enough to have her own now and has become quite discerning with what she watches, will turn it off when there is rubbish on rather than have it on for the sake of it. We gave Myles a mobile phone and he really didn't think he was going to get one...I had mentioned that I had made Christmas electronic free this year, mainly referring to their Santa gifts though.

He was so thrilled with it...we were too, got a great deal with it that required us to spend $40 on a recharge card but we received $100 free talk & text. We did manage to make their Santa gifts electronic free though, lots of clothes, books, beautiful smelling unguents, chocolate, swimming pool toys and a beach towel each.

Santa (John), as per usual was very generous to me...my gift always comes in a small package from my favourite jeweller. This year it was a gorgeous pair of gold, oval shaped hoop earrings...I just love earrings and have worn them every day since. He also gave me a very generous gift card and Belgian chocolates...!!! Poor John had a very hard time with shopping this year...the noise and chaos of shopping centres combined with the severe hearing loss he suffered earlier this year really disoriented him. He was very apologetic for the run of the mill gift card but I couldn't be happier with it really, it is for a large department store so I can choose books, CD's, clothing, whatever I like.

Our Christmas lunch was divine, quite easy to prepare (and clear away). I forgot to take a photo before we got into it...wish I had, I thought it looked impressive, if I am allowed to say that myself. John investigated the wine cellar and after the last Grange disaster decided that we should take our chances and open another...it was just divine and felt so decadent drinking it. I have meant to update the Grange post...it wasn't a 1995 vintage, it was 1969...!!! (Kel, I can hear you gasp from here...!!!). I hadn't read it with my glasses in and confused Bin 95 with the year...makes it even more tragic. We now have two 1969 Grange bottles on the kitchen windowsill with herb cuttings in we are trying to strike. I haven't been game to check the price as yet but suspect it will be around $1000-$1200/ bottle.

A siesta & swim were had afterward Christmas lunch but no walk at the beach. Dinner was simple, so much left over food, not that anyone was hungry really, I think I had trifle for dinner around 9pm that night.

The rest of our time since Christmas has been taken up with being lazy, staying in PJ's until lunchtime, reading new books, swimming a lot given it has been very hot, a trip to the cinema, catching up with email & snail mail, taking M&M to the post-Christmas sales to spend their gift cards (they bought, books, books, books and one DVD). Meals have been relaxed affairs and a siesta is de rigueur...kind of like having a holiday at home.

New Years Eve was spent quietly, neither John or I really "do" New Year. We decided to have a lovely meal at home, a few drinks and be in bed by midnight. I prepared a huge antipasto platter with hot & cold treats, we ate cheesecake for dessert and watched some favourite television...perfect really. John & I had a swim quite late, we did see midnight in quietly (not like our neighbours across the road) and went to bed. I couldn't think of a better way to spend it really other than with my family, in good company, with good food and wine and to wake in the New Year with the person I cherish.

It feels good to be at the beginning of a new year...a fresh page with so many possibilities. I don't make resolutions, except in that I resolve no to resolve. So disappointing when they are broken. I'm looking forward to 2009 being a healthy and happy year...thus far it is off to an excellent start.

Wishing you and your families much peace and joy...

P.S. New photo of Myles in the sidebar...was taken at his graduation in December. It's so hard to get a decent photo of him. This one was taken with his amazing teacher but I had to edit it unfortunately.