BBQ Christmas

Ok - so now you know that we are not traditionalists when it comes to celebrating the festive season. This year in a change of routine TeamSAK hosted lunch for MOS, DOS, WSTar and the Big M. We catch up with Ahubby's family tomorrow on Boxing Day. The menu today was as follows:

Nibbles while presents were exchanged : rice crackers, low fat hommus dip, olives, sundried tomatoes, macadamias and cashew nuts

Main: Assorted platters of carved small oven baked Turkey, fresh BBQ Atlantic salmon fillets marinated with dill and black pepper, BBQ prawns marinated in garlic, olive oil, pepper and parsley, eye fillet. Served with help yourself home made potato salad, crispy noodle salad ( raw bok choy, shallots, toasted pine nuts, noodles with a yummy dressing) and green garden salad with no dressing.

Dessert: choice of very small traditional plum pudding, pavlova topped with raspberries, blueberries and strawberries

Drinks: Illy coffee cappuccino with dessert , water, no sugar lemonade, mineral water, Savignon Blanc with meal.

Sounds a lot but actually it was quite a light day food wise. So light that we adjourned to the local park to play tippity cricket before dessert. For the record the wine was barely touched although I do confess to having 1.5 cm worth in my glass. A special treat given I am drug free at present.

We hope, that if you celebrate Christmas, that your day was wonderful. I am taking a short break from blogging and will be back early January . Take care, cherish each day with your family and friends and drop by periodically to see what TeamSAK are up to. We look forward to checking out your blogs upon our return.

Apprentice carpenter of the year

Well not quite but if there was an award for girls under 10 she would have been shortlisted. While Kingsley probably breached all occupational health and safety laws by wearing thongs she showed great woodwork skills in helping Ahubby rebuild the letterbox. The wooden catcher had rotted and was coming away from the brick wall. Fearlessly Ahubby went in and dismantled it only to discover it is actually quite difficult to find a galvanised replacement or for that matter a wooden one locally or even not so locally!

The only solution was to rebuild it. In a father- daughter bonding exercise they measured, planned, purchased, cut and hammered together a replacement letterbox and reattached it just in time for the mail delivery the next day.

Oh Christmas Tree

Just how many variations can there be of the humble Christmas Tree? Here are a sample Kingsley and I have found during recent outings. The Mirabella Sponsored tree at Federation Square in Melbourne and trees at Collins Place, Collins Street .

Then there is David - The Talking Tree at the Magic Santa Cave in David Jones. Once the children recover from the surprise of seeing the lips move they start up a conversation.

Six more sleeps 'til Christmas

The rate I am going I will need at least the 6 to be ready in time! No time for detailed blogging this week but there have been plenty of blog worthy happenings. Here is a synopsis for the week:

On Sunday morning while Ahubby was in his city office Kingsley and I attended Art Cart at the nearby National Gallery of Victoria. We are long term NGV members but the art/craft activities are free and open to any child. No visit to the Australian gallery is complete without checking out the Indigenous paintings. It was a huge milestone when Kingsley and I caught a bus home by ourselves after lunch. Who would have thought that something so trivial would become a significant achievement given how independent I used to be?

Monday morning saw us at the local Pacific Brands warehouse stocking up on bargain Bonds underclothes, t shirts and shorts. It felt good to be in the old S mode sourcing the required items at much less than RRP. We then headed to our favourite type of store - a bookstore- where both of us drooled over titles we would love to own. The afternoon was spent at home recovering from the outing and finishing off cards to make the late postal clearance. Approximately sixty now done with around 25 left to do . No wonder I have writer's cramp as I am not just content to write to and from around the pre printed message. Each one has a detailed personal handwritten note on the left hand side of the card.

Tuesday was a recovery day with the major outing being a 20 minute wait at the local post office to purchase stamps and lodge a mail redirection notice.

A dear old ( long term ) friend dropped in today for an easy salad and California roll lunch. I have known H since primary school and it was great to be able to host a catch up- albeit a brief one and not up to my usual hostess standards. Baby steps but getting closer to being back to my normal self.

Ahubby has been working in Sydney and heads back there on Friday for the day so we definitely have to make sure we wrap his pressie while he is away.

Today the wrap up commenced. Our lounge room floor is currently a collection of piles of presents for family and friends, rolls of paper, ribbons and cards. By Thursday night everything will be done even the detailed shopping list for the family festive feast.

Only six more sleeps 'til Christmas! With my bedtime still around 7.30 each night due to fatigue ( and the increasing daily activities) I have less than 60 hours of night sleep time with a few extra hours of afternoon naps thrown in before the big day. Yes Santa - I have been a very good girl this year!

A festive evening with ..............

Not sure if this breaches Blog etiquette but why do something second rate when first rate quality already exists?

Team SAK refer you to Fairlie's entry on our social outing last night. Pics and words that capture the event. We had a wonderful evening celebrating the yuletide spirit with the annual local Council "Carols by Candlelight". All three girls were well behaved and enjoyed the earlier activities of sliding down the embankment to the oval on pieces of cardboard.

I managed to stay awake until Captain Feathersword but walked home well before the arrival of Santa and the fireworks finale leaving Ahubby to enjoy the remainder of the evening with Kingsley and members of Chez Fairlie. Local dogs were quite excited and woke me with their barks. I managed to see part of the fireworks spectacle over the roof of the neighbouring houses.

Short stuff getting taller!

Kingsley's goal of getting taller than MOS is getting closer and closer. Ahubby and I had suspected she had grown recently when most jeans went from full length to crop length or "ankle freezers" over the last few months. My fabulous oncologist was kind enough to re - measure Kingsley today. Last time he did it in September she was 1.31 m tall. Today Kingsley is 1.37 m.

I would say MOS is destined to be the shortest in the family sometime in 2008!

The first Christmas letter

Love them or loathe them annual letters in cards are standard at this time of year. Dear friend Fairlie is a wizz at wordsmithing fabulous witty annual compilations. M over at EasternMax also sets the bar very high which is why I am too scared to publish a letter in the esteemed company of such talent.

Yesterday TeamSAK received the first , of what will hopefully be a lot of, Christmas letters. Retired friends interstate sent what could pass for a Walkley winning 2 page article. In a change from most others our male friend wrote it. While in no way inferring that we females are more talented in the communication stakes it was a great Christmas report that now keeps us waiting with bated breath for the 2008 version. It was a lovely mix of light witty humorous prose , factual info about travels and quiet reflection on the year that was.

Regardless of the standard TeamSAK love the thought the friends and family have taken the time to share their news with us. I voted for Christmas letters in Fairlie's blog poll. Fairlie and M - we can't wait for the postie to arrive with your masterpieces ( assuming we made the shortlist to receive this year's version!) . The pressure is on!

Footnote: TeamSAK will start this tradition next year as we will be struggling to get basic Christmas cards out on time given we are still writing thank yous for all the support, wishes and gifts received this year!

Schools out!

There must be some truth in the rumour that the more fees you pay the earlier school breaks up. Certainly applied when WStar and S were growing up and attending the local government schools as we never broke up for summer break until the very last Friday before Christmas.

Kingsley has started her holidays attending a Taekwondo birthday party for a dear friend from school. The girls had a wonderful time , coming home with a fabulous lolly bag and certificate of achievement. Ahubby and Kingsley spent the afternoon mowing the weeds in the front yard then heading out to the hills to attend a friend's pre Christmas/end of year get together while S spread out on the couch watching the PGA Golf in Coolum on the Sunshine Coast until she fell asleep.

Celebratory Coffee/Chocolate

Not it is not my age - just the table number at a local coffee shop. On a recent "good" morning Ahubby and I took Kingsley out for a hot chocolate prior to school drop off. A belated celebration for her performance in the end of year production.

Despite having eaten a healthy and filling breakfast at the house of TeamSAK, Kingsley managed to negotiate a chocolate croissant with her beverage. We sat outside at the rear of the shop which unfortunately backs onto the car park. The views are not as good as at other establishments but by all accounts the coffee and croissants are better. Kingsley was in her house sport uniform ready for an active day.

It's beginning to feel a lot like ......

Christmas at the house of TeamSAK! While the shops have begun the commercial aspects of the festive season for some time we don't start until 1 December. It was a TeamSAK effort to erect the tree ( yes I am guilty of a synthetic tree) and place the assortment of handmade and purchased decorations around the tree. Most of the decorating was left to Kingsley. All we need now is to start wrapping the presents and switch on the lights tonight.

Kingsley has submitted a colouring competition entry at the local supermarket and is now playing the Spirit of Christmas Myer charity CD raising funds for the Salvation Army. Ahubby received it in a Christmas card from a client.

Kingsley's Santa sack is already under the tree in anticipation of a visit from the man in red. Only 24 more days of the "Santa incentive for good behaviour" remain!