Leafygal

Xmas Stuffing

Here's a run down of our Xmas feast before the month finishes!
Tony and I hosted his family plus my father and brother for Xmas dinner at Lunchtime.
15 adults and one year old great niece sat around the table and ate our way through the following -
2 turkey buffes, one stuffed with Jill Dupleix's  Prune and Chestnut stuffing and one for my white- meat- only vegetarians with the stuffing sans pork and bacon.
The vegetarians were treated to a repeat of last year's Ricotta loaf with Chickpea, Pumpkin and Tomato salsa, which is very easy and delicious.  I also did a new recipe for a Crown Nut Roast which had layers of spinach and chestnut and was served with cranberry sauce.
We all tucked in to the Roast potatoes and Pumpkin, Roast Mediterranean vegetables and the avocado and mango and green salads prepared by various family members.

To finish us all off we demolished Tony's mum's Xmas Pudding (she has written out the recipe for me - bliss!) and the traditional chocolate shavings topped Pavlova.  We managed to light the candle to blow out for Tony's Xmas day Birthday, but could only admire the cake.  We look forward to cutting it when xmas food settles.

Here's me in my Xmas Red Hat Society Hat serving out the Turkey!!

About 10 pm we ate again at Ocean Grove at my father's house with my family after opening the Xmas presents around the Eucalyptus xmas tree.
Cold Western Plains smoked ham, Boned stuffed turkey legs, which I'd cooked the day before, Lou's famous and now traditional potato salad and various other salads and veges.
Topped off by Pru's Plum Pudding containing the silver coins that we now have to save from year to year, we rolled into bed after midnight and slept on  full tummies!  Once again an exhausting, fattening but fun, family day.

Wild Wreath

Loobylu is now running a craft oriented group show called A Month of Softies  rather in the style of Illustration Friday

Her theme for December is Holiday Hangups.  As I enjoy Xmas and my only hangup about it is being prepared on time, I did as she expected and made a hanging object.

This is a Wreath for our door, made from Australian native flowers that I saved from last year's xmas floral display.  I sprayed them gold and fixed them to a vine wreath.  The ribbon trim was left over from my xmas Red Hat.

Dragon Boat Eyes

Last Sunday attended the Blessing of the Geelong Dragons Abreast new boat "The Spirit of Zonta"
Donated to the group by the  Zonta Club of Geelong Central, she is a beautiful (and Very Pink) craft.
Tracie introduced the event, as her long awaited boat was about to be water born.
David, a Buddhist monk from Bendigo did the Blessing and supervised the dotting of the third eye and the opening of the Dragon's eyes.

After the more conventional champagne christening by Pru, Convenor of Dragon's Abreast Victoria (who liberally sprinkled the boat and the girls) the boat took to the water with a full load of Pink ladies who paddled off into the sunshine in great excitement.

Several of us who had some involvement with getting the Dragons going in Geelong were then enticed into the boat and after rudimentary instructions to watch the paddler at the front (and, more sinisterly, to save our buddy if we overturned) we set off.
It was easier than I had expected and the splashing was quite welcome on this warm morning!!
A plentiful Barbecue lunch rounded off avery pleasant occasion.

[just to prove I was there - here I am sitting behind my surgeon Mr Greg Mitchell, I think we are even in the splashing stakes!]

Eating Out 2

Superb Sunday breakfast at Finnigan's place at Rippleside by the bay.  This one to celebrate Xmas for the BREAST group  "girls".
Some of us were sensible and went the tried and true Muesli fruit and yoghurt route, but most of us went for the big breakfasts, totally unlike the usual tame everyday fare of cereal and toast. My only regret is that I forgot to have a Bloody Mary!

Several of us chose kidneys and bacon, mainly because our significant others don't contemplate the cooking of offal in the home!!!  Delicious and huge serves, but we managed.

Cliches don't do justice to the ambience.  Sparkling water, scudding small yachts,  a Tall ship majestically making its way across the bay and The Ballarat naval vessel leaving Cunningham pier.
A couple of us finished up by doing a quick tour of the Steampacket Xmas market on the main Waterfront  and discovered a great source of hand made xmas presents.
Absolutely perfect weather!

Eating out 1

No wonder I'm so cuddly!
Pettaval restaurant back in mid November for my birthday with sister L and her fellow art show committee girls.
Lunch runs as a degustation menu for entree and a choice of main courses and desserts.
Entrees were all presented for us to serve from a central platter, Gravlax  Salmon,  Asparagus Fetta and Pesto, and a Terrine with cornichons and tomato chutney.

Mains that we tried included  Marlin, Goat's cheese tart , Rabbit and leeks, Pork fillets and Harpuku.
It was all very delicious and dessert was out of the question!!

Wintergarden Swings and Red Hats

Went to the Wintergarden last night for launch of the new CD by the local group Hot Club Swing.
Music was hot and swinging as expected.  It's hard to sit still with such jivey rhythms going.
Bought the CD [of course!] Now I 've no more excuses for not doing the housework as I always put something jivey on to dust by.
Went into town during the day yesterday and bought my red hat for my first attendance at the Red Hat Society do today.  It needs a little trimming, it's getting Xmas trim at the moment but will settle down to something more sedate later.... (Or is that not in the spirit of the Red Hat Society?)

Smart dog

Finished dog coat! What a smart puppy!
Shame that the weather is hotting up.
Won't she be gorgeous next winter!

Sumptuous Stashes

Two recent Yarn stash enhancement trips.
Lincraft yarn sale netted me Schoeller & Stahl "Excellent" wool acrylic alpaca mix in a graduated blue twisted with white.  Also fell for the last remaining Lana Grossa "Mylord" in a black  background with multi colour flecks.  Three balls of  misty dark blue mohair looked too lonely to leave behind.

Much joy on a trip to Melbourne last Monday:
Work visit to the plant wholesalers then dinner with Mum (Dear Husband's) and stay overnight with my sister.
This enabled my first visit to Marta's Yarns http://www.martasyarns.com.au/   
Here I  coveted some Rowan Summer Tweed but settled for Cleckheaton Remo in Violet and 3 cones of cotton yarn at $5 each -violet and mauve from her sale table.
A hank of Himalayan sari silk  multi coloured just leaped into my hands - have no idea what to do with it yet!
4 Balls of multi coloured cotton completed the  haul.