
Holidays are comin' but unlike back home when the nights turn midnight blue by the time the working day ends and there is snow and ice and temperatures drop so low that even our bones feel the cold. And the TV adverts show Santa at the North Pole or flying through a star crusted sky and drinks like hot chocolate and mulled wine warm the soul and log fireplaces and central heating keep out the cold.
Christmas this side of the World is about sunshine and salads, cold drinks and ice cream. There are bright colours and blue skies, sandals and skimpy dresses, sunburn and aircon. It's much more low key for us and whilst there was some shopping to be done it was pretty straightforward. I spent last Saturday afternoon setting up my wrapping work station and busied away taping and cutting and making bows. Those that know me know that I take my gift wrapping pretty seriously. Steve likes to tell people I even completed a course on it which makes it sound so much more than it really was! I did a half day craft workshop which was fun and I learnt some stuff but it's not exactly an accredited course!

Saturday morning and a parcel arrived. From party times to melancholy and tears as I read notes from my dearest sister and cousins as they share their special moments from 2012 with me through photos.

Here is super cute Indy in her Christmas frock. She is the most well behaved baby ever. She happily sat in my arms all still and quiet for a good half an hour before she got a red face and tried to do a poo at which point I gave her back to her daddy!