Well hello there!
…
I have been a bit absent over the past week – apologies for those seeking regular
Ree-like updates from the Bush. I have discovered that having 21 people in one’s house over the Christmas period kinda distracts from any regular blogging efforts. In the most chaotic, and yet the nicest
possible way!!
You may recall I was a bit
like a rabbit caught in the headlights as we hurtled towards December 25 – concerned about the readiness of our home for the onslaught of my husband’s family? Well, the house – this enormous rambling weatherboard home we have taken over from my parents – was kinda MADE for this degree of human habitation.
…
Four bedrooms were maxed out, kids piled into
the sunroom to sleep side-by-side and top-to-toe like excited little (and not-so-little) sardines.
Three toilets managed to service the hordes (including the
additional 20 people we hosted on Boxing Day!
whew!),
two bathrooms managed to keep them reasonably clean,
one year-old kitchen held up to 8 cooks at once to feed the masses, and
one humungous living room provided the dining and indoor entertainment facilities for one and all. We even put our
old Quarters (aka
The Love Shack!) into action… can’t forget
the pool and the
tennis court (both constructed by my Dad in his younger years) for the cooling-off and wearing-out factors needed for such a gathering! I am ever grateful to those who lived here (and renovated here) before me for such an amazing spot to hostess at.
…
Of course, I did try to put my own touches to the event…
’cause Lord knows, nothing is safe when I have a can of silver spray paint in my hot little hands!
Here is a delightful “horse” that
‘Salina made with Dash and Violet during her visit earlier in the holidays – ain’t he dashin’ in silver with black spots? He got to grace the entry garden area with his dappled presence…
And speaking of dappled, here is a little gumleaf and dried ‘some other leaf’ arrangement at our front door… with a splash of silver to sass things up a little!
And I couldn’t forget the gumnuts I started this whole silver-obsession with…
Here they are, alongside some bark gathered by Dash, and spraypainted red.
Anyone seen Snugglepot and Cuddlepie lately?
(check here if you have no idea what I am talking about!)
Anyhoo, as is traditional with my hubby’s family, the kids are in charge of tablesetting Christmas Day… here is Cousin T doing a sterling job with the tools at his disposal:
The theme was kinda starry… and surprisingly silver!
See those stars near the crackers? Paddlepop sticks, spraypainted silver, and inscribed in black Nikko with someone’s name – our placecards in fact. Is there anything silver paint cannot do?
(Don’t answer that!)
And here is the centrepiece mentioned earlier… our major Bush Christmas ornament!
…
Of course, it wasn’t ALL about the decor…
It was also about the FOOD! Here is my sister-in-law P, preparing the ham with a pineapple glaze…
Sister-in-law K is supervising!
(Actually she was very busy helping… and keeping spirits up in the kitchen with that fabulous smile!)
SIL P is busily reglazing the enormous ham in the BBQ (my oven wasn’t big enough!)…
and if you haven’t noticed her gorgeous top by now, then I cannot help you! She brings a certain city pizazz to any gathering…
And she can glaze a ham… how does this look?
Mmmmmmmmmm…
Here are my other miracle workers in the kitchen Christmas Day…
On the left looking glamorous in green is sister-in-law A (whom I am currently trying to talk into hosting her own cooking section of this blog – the woman is an artist!) and the Incredible Gwen (hubby’s Dad’s wife). The latter pulled off the
major miracle of our Christmas Day…
…
Can you guess what it was?
It wasn’t that we managed to get the food on the table on time…
Or that there were enough chairs for all…
Or that we got almost all of the family into the lunchtime photo…
Or that a group of guys looking remarkably like The Wiggles joined our festivities…
Although each of these were minor triumphs.
…
No, it has to do with my darling hubby and his famous dislike of sultanas.
He’s quite pathological about them.
Fruitcake has never passed his lips.
Curries with sultanas are left untouched on his plate.
I have never ever seen him eat one.
It’s the darndest thing.
But on December 25, 2008, at Granite Glen, my husband ate plum pudding!
In shock, I asked what possessed him to try it.
You know what he said?
“Oh, it looked good with the custard.
And I kinda forgot.”
…
What was your Christmas miracle?
(Other than making it to the end of this post!)
Sister-in-law K is supervising!
SIL P is busily reglazing the enormous ham in the BBQ (my oven wasn’t big enough!)…
And she can glaze a ham… how does this look?
On the left looking glamorous in green is sister-in-law A (whom I am currently trying to talk into hosting her own cooking section of this blog – the woman is an artist!) and the Incredible Gwen (hubby’s Dad’s wife). The latter pulled off the major miracle of our Christmas Day…
13 Comments
Gem
Hi BB, Hope you had a great Chrissie. Our table was surprisingly similar to yours! I think that’s hysterical that hubby forgot he didn’t like plum pud! Our Christmas miracle – that for once it wasn’t between 30 and 40 degrees. Oh what a joy it was!!!
Looking forward to continued reading this year!
rhubarbwhine
My miracle? Easy. We had Christmas to ourselves and supped on prawns, bugs, oysters and champagne all afternoon, overlooking the boat harbour and sea at Morgans.
Bliss.
Debby
I felt terrible about the Christmas baking. I’d only made three different kinds of cookies. But my sister and another friend brought cookies up before Christmas, and we actually had so many I froze three dozen the day after Christmas…
jeanie
I cooked a turkey. That was miracle enough.
lol I love that Mr Incredible ate a sultana!!!!
Oh, and ‘Salina will be pleased her request was answered.
lol my word verification is “bresses”.
Bush Babe
Gem – thanks! And I expect quite a few Aussie tables to have looked a bit like ours… especially after lunch!!
Shirley – that sounds wonderful! And very familiar. We often tried out Bretts by the river too – outstanding Christmas menu!!
Debby – the miracle is that you were cooking for Christmas, you crazy chick! Do you have issues with letting people look after you? Heh.
Jeanie – visit Pam’s blog and her turkey story… she did two!! Glad Salina liked seeing her ‘horse’!!!
Wrensong Farm
What a great party! I bet the kids all had a blast, sleeping together and playing!
Loved the horse. 🙂
I recognize that crown from the poppers! (we do poppers each Christmas).
think your silver variation on bush decoration is absolutely clever!
The ham looks delicious (as my stomach rumbles)and I guess it’s true miracles do happen!
My Christmas miracle was being snowed in…..never had it happen if the previous 49 years of my life!
Jayne
I LOVE the silver gumnuts and red bark, they really sparkle!
My Xmas miracle happened a few weeks before when hubby knowingly ate cooked broad beans.
Without whining.
Or hiding them in the dog’s dish LOL.
Pony Girl
Your table looked beautiful. I love the centerpieces! And the creative little silver horse, very cool. The kids in my class love building things out of old boxes and tubes and recycled materials!
I had a great holiday, but haven’t officially opened gifts yet with my family. Weather prevented us from getting together. So, we are doing that next weekend!
Thanks for the sweet holiday card, I was so suprised it brightened my day! Happy new year!
Bush Babe
WF – thanks! All that snow seems incredible when we are sweltering!! Tis the season for some mixed-up weather!
Jayne – oh, good. I’m not the only one dealing with a food (anti) fetish. Mind you, I hate bananas, so I cannot really talk. I would NEVER accidentally eat a banana!
PG – thanks and no worries! Also, I cannot access your blog for some reason. Can you email me? If its a closed blog, I might have to take it off my published list… thanks love!
Faithful
I love the poppers! We had them for the 1st time at our Christmas Dinner. The ham looks yummy! merry Christmas and Best wishes for the New Year!
Andrea
What a wonderful dinner! I love all the silver spray paint!! And your centerpiece is really neat! I love the red bark, what a great idea!
And that ham on the BBQ looked really good too. What a terrific day. And hooray for husbands willing to try something new!
Pencil Writer
That I came out alive . . . !!! ;-} I’ll most likely explain in a day or two or something. We just got home after being gone over a week. That was after the wedding two weeks ago and that trip . . . anyway I’ll blog it probably–if my fingers (read: brain) still works that long!
Diane L. Dodd
What a fun Christmas at Granite Glen! I love all your artsy decor too.
Our miracle was leaving our new town in Iowa and going ‘home’ for Christmas in Georgia where it was 80 degrees on Christmas day at the beach! Much better than 5 degrees that we left behind 🙂