General Chat

Howdy All,

I have an oven that could use a clean :-), not my favorite job, and one that gets put off in this house. The Christmas fare won't be getting cooked here this year, so i have been able to put off the spring clean a bit longer. We are going to my dad's, which will be a lovely change. All our children and grandchildren will be there on boxing day, so i am really looking forward to it.

Weather has been lovely, the past couple of days, not too hot. No doubt the hot weather will be back with us before we know it.


Tomatoes are in full flower, and won't be long until, we can start gathering them for the sauce and relish making. I can't wait, i love relish on toast, and we ran out of last years quite a while ago. I think i will make more batches this year.


If i am not back here before Christmas, Have a safe, and happy time.

Take care
Wilson

Badger sidles in entrance left ,sniffing at the air in case there is tomato soup being made yet at the Wilson household ,lol.
another eight weeks and my tomato seeds will be going in ,along with other seeds for veggies and flowers ,my favourite time of the year.
Well ,i tried the parsnips in a blanket yesterday with a honey glaze coating ,and have to say ,they went down a storm the streaky bacon [the blanket] made a heck of a difference.
the Christmas day line up is now as follows ,the Turkey and Corned beef ,of course with country stuffing [home made as usual]. Mash with parsnips to give the mash an extra tang.potatoes tossed in semolina for that extra crisp finish,red cabbage done in balsamic vinager with a few spices , plain Brussel sprouts ,the parsnips as described.fresh garden peas,and bread sauce for those who don't like stuffing [shame on you ,lol],and finished off with beef gravy.
The dessert ? apple pie for those who don't like Christmas pudding and brandy sauce /custard.
This year though all the cooking is being done at leamington [the sons] .at last i get to let someone else see to the cooking of apart from the stuffing that is
Even boxing day we will be at the daughters ,and again new years day ,yippee ,the whole holiday main meals and i get to cook none ,yeeeeeees.he he.
Have to go folks ,lots to do getting the house ready for the company,but i will look in later ,Freddie Claus.

Mmmmmm.....Yes, Christmas season....lol

Well this is how we spend Christmas Eve, and Christmas day....:>))

On Thursday night ( Xmas eve ) at about 8:00pm myself, Barb, Sarah, Barbs sister, and also Barbs girlfreind and her 17 year old daughter sit down around a low coffee table ( aka chinese style...lol ) to a full sea-food platter, consisting of two large red Crays, three large dinner plates consisting of Shrimp, Tiger prawns & Crab meat, all decorated on a bed of lettuce, with cherry toms, spring onions and small radishes. Barb makes up her own Sea food cocktail sauce, consisting of Mayo, Tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce to tang it up....Yummmm
Three bottles of chilled Riccadonna Asti to wash it all down, and sit back and watch our Melbourne Carols by candle light on the tele at the Myer music bowl till around midnight.

Next morning ( Xmas day ) at approx 7:00am we fire up the Bar-bie to Eggs, Bacon,Sausages & Hash browns.
Hot pancakes and maple syrup.
Then under the Chrissy tree we hand out a few pressies. Barbs girlfriend Carol and daughter will leave at approx 10:00am and drive 300kms up to Echuca - Moama ( Victorian - N.S.W border ) to join her family for Christmas lunch.

Barb and her sister will start preparing our Christmas dinner ( Full Roast Pork, Ham,Chicken, sliced turkey and vege ) washed down by a nice Red or white wine.......followed by Plum Pud with custard or thickened cream.
Barbs sis will go to nursing carers home and pick up their mother to bring back for Xmas lunch...at approx 1:00pm
After lunch at around 3:00pm we will open a few more pressies under the tree.

At around 5:00pm Barb will take her mum back to carers home, and the rest of us will go into full clean up mode to prepare, for the onslaught of my own family ( my children,spouses & grandies, siblings, cousins, nephews, neices, grand nephews/neices,my mum, consisting of around 30 -40 people.
At approx 6:30 pm, people start arriving, with B.Y.O food, grog, presents, and TonyOz will sneak out the back door and dress up inthe red suit and white beard, and attempt to climb the house roof ( as he does every year...lol ) and do the Ho,Ho,Ho thing with a sack of lollies for the littlies ( about 12 off E'm ) and toss the lollies off the roof by the handful, and littlies will scramble everywhere like ants to a sugar bowl.....hee hee

Then Santa ( aka TonyOz ) will dissapear ( like magic )...Pooooooof....while the kids are fighting over the lollies on the ground...LOL
At about 7:00 pm the kids will sit quietly ( Mmmmmm ) in the family room in a semi circle with Santa sacks, while i hand out about 100 presents to them from under the tree..lol
Xmas wraping paper will be ripped off and tossed to the four corners of the family room....lol

At at around 10:pm on goes the Food.....( finger food ) Salads, Cold Ham, Chicken, Turkey, and then a full Plum Pud boiled in the cloth that will be drizzled with Brandy and lit and served on a platter, out on our decking.

Now its about 11:00pm and adults presents are handed out, with Coffee and Tea...while the kids are busy playing with their toys ( some will be asleep where they drop exhausted.....lol ) or if a Hot night some will be swimming in our pool

At about 1:00 am ( next morning 26th ) we open the bottles of Port and a platter of Cheeses, Grapes, Mangoes, Cantelope, dry bickies,Mince tarts, christmas cake,and nick nacks.
By now all kids are asleep somewhere in the house!!!.....hee hee

At around 2:30 - 3:00 am the last guests will leave, and the house looks like WW111....but nobody cares....so whoevers left finds a bed, and if ( Boxing Day ) goes by un-noticed....nobody gives a hoot.....LOL

Then next year 2010....we will do it all over again.

Tony......:>)) * Who loves every single moment of it*

Morning Tony ,reckon we are about t he only ones around at the mo',he he ,everyone else must be travelling to rellies,or if in Queensland ,without power ,thank the lord that it isn't the depths of winter there.
Hope they all get back on the grid well before christmas eve,it is not the best of times to be without power.
Thanks for the insight into an oz Christmas morning ,hey,i could go for that ,a B B Q brekkie with all the trimmings ,sigh i don't think i could even fire our gas one up in these temperatures ,far too cold,the only way i could do an outside one is light the garden rubbish burner and use a cleaned down shovel to put the grub on ,[now there's a thought ] nah ,i will stick to using the cooker indoors ,lol
You watch what you are doing on that roof as well ,i seem to remember an accident ,or nearly last year hmmmmm.
Poor Sean has to travel to the Nottingham regional airport tomorrow morning to pick up his missus who is coming here for Christmas,cor ,she won't half get around while she is here,the son's Christmas day ,the Daughters Boxing day ,and the eldest sons New years day ,wow ,no cooking for fred he he ,roll on ,next year ,as we are thinking of bogging off on holiday over the festive season leaving all our kids to fend for themselves,and lovely peace and quiet for me and Liz.
The second batch of beef is now ready ,and i will cook that tomorrow ,slice and put in the fridge ,half for the sons Christmas day ,the other half for the daughters ,cor ,i have my kids spoilt ,they won't touch ordinary beef now ,it has to be corned.
Had i have known it would come to this ,i could have started a part time job cooking it and selling it to the public ,i think i would have had a ready market ,lol.
Well .in case owt goes wrong with the puters or the power ,before the big event ,i will say now ,to all of you ,Happy Christmas ,one and all ,have a great time,and have a good ,and peaceful New Year.
Fred & Lizxxx

Hi to whoever who is on the site. Merry Christmas, wherever you are, and may 2010 be happy, healthy and prosperous.

Heven't been on for ages- not one for chatting too much.

cheers, June in Batemans Bay (hot and steamy)

Aftrnoon June,you may have got better weather with your heat and sun ,but i am sat here looking over the top of my laptop ,and i can see large snowflakes ,so ,i think we win this round lol,,the first white Christmas in years. Merry christmas all ,and a peaceful new year ,Fred & Liz.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone

Fred we have rain here in Canberra and it is most welcome - just means we can't eat outside and can't eat at the dining table cos it's covered with so much junk so it will be plates on laps when it comes to eating - so what's new with that!!!!!!!

Have a bonza day, eat, drink and be merry but all in moderation - lol

Gwenda xx

Merry Christmas to all,

Hope that you all celebrated in style and really appreciate all the extra sox and jox you received.

Tony I would be surprised if you could move at all after such a feast.....

We has a realativly quiet day yesterday, just the immediate family at home for the works for lunch and then thwy all nicked off to various boyfreind /other family do's. We will have a big family bbq tomorrow.

Time to go and evict a few spiders and dead ants from the camper so we can move it up onto our block for a few days r&r.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night

love June (the other one!! cowgirl)
xxx

g'day all of you peeps over the pond,i thought i would put a few lines on here before going to the daughters for lunch and tea because i hear that the fires are still causing problems in at least three states.
Hope everyone is safe ,enjoying their Christmas break ,and grub ,specially Tony who will be needing to go into the local gym or the back garden with a spade if he keeps up those meals much longer lol.
Happy new year everybody ,have a great time ,but ,stay safe .Fred,Liz & Hissy[who is enjoying her Christmas Salmon ,with gusto, he he]

My apologies. I usually pop in and say happy Christmas.

So, belatedly happy Christmas and best wishes for the new year :-)

Hi everyone,,Happy Christmas.. Hope you all had a good one and got lots of pressies..
We have had lovely rain for the past 2 days so hoping for more..Didnt realise that it was so long since I was last here..gosh how time flys..just not enough hours in a day..

Nothing much happening here that is exciting,,my 2 girls and their families have been and it was lovely to see them,,Have made a promise to myself to visit them more often next year,,will go on my own even if John cant make it,,Love the train trip there and back,,so relaxing and the scenery is lovely..

Not much planned for New Years eve so will watch the fireworks on TV and being Sydney they will be fantastic as usual..might open a bottle of bubbly to go with it..lol...

Hope all are well and from next week it will be diet to get off all this extra pounds..or should say Kilo's...

Lotsa love Mary xxxx

Arvo from a warm Monday in Melb.

Joy. Merry Xmas to you and yours too...xx
Tony & Barb

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Xmas day

I was excused from climbing the roof this year donned in the Santa suit, as eldest daughter bought a Santa "Pinata" stuffed with lollies & chocs, and the littlies had great fun wacking him until he split and sweets fell out all over the backyard driveway covered in sparkling glitter, and myself incuded.....lol
I looked a bit like Tinker Bell out of Peter Pan much to the delight of my grandies......:>))

Well..Christmas day has come and gone, and we still have a fridge full of left overs, as we do each year. Cold Ham, Pork,and Chicken sanga's for the next few days....Yumm!

Scored myself a few nice present too, and a Merimex Laminator that Barb got me will come in handy to protect some of my FH doc's.
As usual my 3 or 4 Jars of Choc scorched almonds to keep my strength up, and blood sugar levels high.....lol $100 worth of Bunning Vouchers to spend at my favourite hardware store from my kids, and a ticket to see the "Jersey Boys" at the Princess theatre in Melbourne.....so i did well this year...:>))

Back to work to-morrow ( Wednesday ) to find the money to pay the Bill's that keep appearing in my letter box, and dont seem to aknowledge the Xmas spirit of giving.....hee hee

New Years eve will be at eldest daughters house, where herself and partner will put on a BBQ spit roast with all the trimmings, followed by more plum pudding....cor!!!!
Its amazing i am not the size of a house with all the food i put away over the festive season, and its a good thing my metabolism burns it off quickly....lol

In the New year ( June or July ) we are off again to Thailand ( Phuket ) with some of my children and grandies. We loved it so much last year we have decided to go again, and see a bit more. Its far cheaper than holidaying around the Whitsunday Islands off the Queensland coast , and half the price for the same 4-5 star Resort accomodation.
I will be looking forward to having my authentic Green & Red Thai curries again.

Barb and i have already made our New year resolutions, and thats to travel the world a bit more ( pending finances of course ) while we are still fit enough to do so, before the wheels start falling off......lol
Its fine for some folk who say......we will wait to we retire, and then travel, but in some cases the body starts retireing before you do from the work force....:>(((.....Also, as we both manage our own small businesses, there is no big company package at the end of our working years waiting for us.....so we are not waiting around to see which retires first....LOL

Happy New year to all,and may you and yours have a heathy and happy 2010.....and a few extra $$$$ in the hand wouldn't go astray either...lol


Av a good un


Tony & Barb.....;>))

Hello Seasons Greetings to All,

Nice to see lots of family gatherings, we had our waifs and strays
get together yesterday, five families of average three each, all brought
a plate and had a big chin-wag, the teens are all off in different
different directions (hopefully) next year. We had two other dinners also in the last four days, but had Xmas day to ourselves and managed all the phone calls and several good movies, and an early night! Town is full of
visitors and Motels full.......makes for a busy retail time. It gets very hot and
humid in the afternoons, poor Middy the cat is melting, and the rain hasn't come south from Cranberry. Oh well, it's summer, and time to slow down from the usual round of things, so I like to take it easier..... almost like a
holiday ! Like others, fridge has plenty of leftovers for easy pickings, no cooking needed for a few days,
smiles to all, HZ

Hello Tony & Hz,
The O'Donnell Family decided this year to have everything Cold, so Marie cooked the meats and the girls made luxurious Icecream pies and some with biscuits and chocolate chips, We started off on Christmas eve with cocktails, the girls did them and they were Yummy
I could easily have gotten blotto but didn't want to have a hangover on Xmas Day.

Emily & Abigail were so excited it was very hard to get them to bed so that we could play Father Xmas, they finally gave in and they were so tired they slept till 8:30am , the adults were very pleased as it was rather late by the time we got to bed.
We received the wonderful Gift of rain on Xmas day and night it fined up in the afternoon, but the next night it poured again and I am happy to say my tank is now full again and everything is thouroughly soaked, it was a wonderful gift from the big man upstairs.
It sounds like you had a great Xmas Barbara & Tony I hope you have a great New Year and a lovely Holiday in Pukett, my Son Sean and wife Nancy also baby Ciara arrived back from Thaiand on Xmas Eve.

Hz it is nice to see you also had a great Xmas sorry you didnt get the rain we got but it looks like we may get some more from the cyclone on the W.A. coast I do hope so as a lot of places missed out in the west of NSW.

I wish you and your family all the best for 2010 .
Kindest Regards Marie.

Wishing all Wattlers a Happy New Year and rich blessings for 2010
Love

JA

Happy New Year

May 2010 be all you wish for and more

Not long to Wattlewoomba - yyaaaayy

Gwenda xx

Happy New Year to everyone...:>))

A rather quite New Years Eve was spent at our house this year.
Just the missus and me, two glasses and a bottle of sparkling whatever( for a change )...lol
We were to go to eldest daughters for a spit roast on the B.B.Q, but her work boss had different idea's and asked if she could work New years Eve, as the Footy Club restaurant where she works was booked solid for members. So daughter had to cancel the B.B.Q....:>((

It has been raining ( Thunder ,Lightning, Cats & Dogs ) in Melbourne since Thursday ( New Years Eve ) so best we didnt have to travel to daughters in the long run.
All this lovely rain has done our garden and lawns the world of good, and our water tanks are now at capacity, and nearly overflowing, which is great, as there is still a lot of very Hot weather on the horizon heading our way over the coming weeks/months. My summer Vege garden has gone beserk with the heavy rains and then sunshine, so come the next B.B.Q there will be heaps of fresh salads. Freshly Chopped spring onions on sliced Tomato sangas, dressed with mayo and black pepper is one of my favourite.....Yummm!!

Both Barb and myself, are a bit dissapointed that we wont be going to the next big Aussie meet at Toowoomba, Queensland ( Wattlewoomba ) in Feb with the rest of the Wattlers, but we will be there in spirit.
Fate has altered our plans, and we had to cancel our temp booked accomodation for the 4 days in Toowoomba.


Apart from Phuket again later this year,England is looking good in 2011 for our next big trip O/seas, and Barb is chaffing at the bit to get to her beloved Wimbleton ( Tennis ) and i will be lost somewhere else in the U.K as it woud take heaven and earth to get me to sit and watch a tennis match....lol ....so we will be like ships in the night, and she will take the low road, and i will take the high road...hee hee or should i say the High street, as i visit Earls Colne in Essex and Colchester too and visit a few decendant cousins from my lot. Then off to Durham to check up on a few things as well. With the Tennis on, Barb wont even know i'm missing....lol
She is at the moment, sitting by the Tele waiting for the Hopman Cup ( Tennis ) in Perth to start.
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo ( 60th Anniversary ) is on Tele at 9:30 pm our time, so we will watch that also to-night.

Wishing all a safe and Happy New year.


Av a good un



Tony....:>))

Hello Everyone, It sounds like we all had a great Xmas Day also New Years Eve.
My dau and I decided to spend it together, set our selves up with some bubbly and nuts watched ( Death of a Funeral) good laugh then (Anne of Greengables, then off to bed .
The next day spent most of the day in our Pyjamas watching the sequal to Ann of Green gables and munching on Left overs all very nice and relaxing. I might add ,it was rainging all the time, another lovely present from the big man upstairs.(no it wasn't Tears)Just rain.

Yes Gwenda not long to the meet in T/woomba ,Sorry to hear you cant come Tony.

Wishing you all a happy New Year
.Best Wishes Marie.

Morning to all the happy bloated peeps who enjoyed their Christmas and New year by overeating a tad ,he he.just like me ,lol,but no matter ,i will soon lose these couple of pounds as soon as the snow clears and i can get the mower out again.
Sounds like you and i share a couple of ancesters birth towns Tony,My grandfather was born in Durham City [front street] in the town centre,which i visited three years too late because the house he was born in was demolished to make way for the new bus station.grrrrrr.
Hope you do make it up this end ,we could have a bit of fun and a natter,with a few other genes peeps who live in the area.and see just how fit you are by running up the tower steps to the roof of Durham Cathederal in your Santa suit ,he he
Marta goes back to the airport for her flight tonight ,the weather was so bad here that the housewarming at Lyneham had to be put off .
Never mind ,the next uni gap is in the late summer when she can see the new house in a better light,with the trees and fields at the back ,looking over the Oxford countryside,so ,i am sure she will love it.
Glad to hear that you have got your extra water Tony ,and that your veggies are doing so well.and i am looking forward to spring already.
The eldest son bought The missus one of these free standing bird feeding stations which i will put out back as soon as the snow goes away,there are loads of hooks for all sorts of feeding impliments,so we will be able to feed a far greater range of birds than was possible before.
It even has a solar light on top ,which i have Liz believing will attract the night jars to feed [weell .it may have her watching through the patio doors for a few nights instead of watching the tele with her corrie and east enders ,he he.
Hissy loves the snow now she is used to it,leaping high in the air as she runs forward ,leaving tracks three feet apart,the patio looks like we have had a visit from baby joey's .
We still can't see our growing boxes ,which are frozen solid ,so it's out to the shops later to get some veggie and tatties in ,for a few more days ,and ,i need B & Q for some sand /salt mix for the drive before we have more snow,it beats having to keep clearing the snow onto the sides out of the way.
Sean has parked his car on the grass outside on the path ,lol,the first time he tried to get it out after the first heavy snow fall ,he slid ,and got stuck half way up the ramp,and come the finish his grandad had to drive it out for him,he he ,all the winter driving on the continent came in handy at last.
His new car is An Alfa Romeo in darned good nick ,with the latest seamless swap over gas conversion fitted.which will save him a bundle on fuel costs,he filled the lpg tank up yesterday for £22 .
The car starts on petrol.and as soon as it warms up ,swaps over all on it's own.
Still ,i suppose the car needed something like that ,with a 2.2 litre engine ,it is a little heavy on the petrol.
With the way the prices are going i think i am def' going Ford this June to either a focus diesel or the new Fiesta ,both doing a really good mileage but with plenty of power when needed.
Catch you all later ,time to go and start our one and only Christmas dinner i will be cooking this winter ,ain't i the lucky one.Fred & Liz

Hi everyone..A Happy New Year to you all..I hope the new year brings lots of peace and happiness to you all..

Not long to the meet and I am looking forward to it..It seems to be turning out to be my annual holidays..so better make the most of it..

MArie I have sent you a email re the meet and hope you can work out what it says,,hee hee..I get very confused when trying to give details..looking forward to meeting you there..sounds like it is going to be another good one..

Fred. I hope you had a nice new years eve, and did you get to download that programme I sent you..have never done it myself but you are so much cleverer than me where the puta is concerned..hee hee hee I just thought you might find it interesting..Sorry your weather is so bad..but still it will give you a rest from the garden for a weeeee while...lol..hope Liz is well..

Tony You will be missed at the meet but understand your reasons..can I carry your bags next year when you go to the UK...I got a good set of wheels...lol

Have a lovely weekend all...

Love Mary xxx