Holiday season has been busy. On Christmas Eve day, I went to a quick barbecue with some friends-of-friends in Glebe, which unfortunately turned out to be more of a political rally for the Labour Party. Luckily some of the people had brought significant others who were just as glazed-looking as I felt, so we holed up together in the kitchen near the booze and ice cream and had a fun international discussion (one Canadian, two Americans and an Aussie)about nothing in particular, and yelled at anyone who wandered in and tried to ask us who we voted for.
That evening, went to Christmas dinner at…a Vietnamese Restaurant in King’s Cross! Sadly Aussies do not watch “A Christmas Story,” because I was the only one giggling (increasingly inappropriately, as the night wore on) and singing “fa ra ra ra ra” and screaming every time someone mentioned eating duck.
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On Christmas Day, woke up with a wretched cold. Took the nearly-abandoned train down to Frank’s place, and met his extensive family; there must have been twenty-five tipsy uncles, aproned aunts, gossiping cousins, bespectacled grandmas, neighbors, golden-haired toddlers…it was food and chaos. We sat around an enormous table, each in front of what can best be described as a trencher piled with ham and applesauce, chicken, turkey, pumpkin, roast potatoes and gravy, with at least three glasses each for water, wine, and champagne. I would have enjoyed it more, but I experienced it through a haze of stuffy nose and stuffy head and dizzying anti-congestants. Still, it was fun, and Frank has promised to take me sailing with him and son-in-law Sean in a few days.
The next day, Boxing Day, dawned cold and rainy. This was a good thing, because it meant we got good seats for the start of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race. The teams train all year to sail down the eastern coast and finish in Tasmania.
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Tonight—New Year’s Eve—at seven pm, we are heading out in friend Simon’s yacht to watch the 9 o’clock fireworks from Rushcutters Bay, then returning to a party at King’s Cross for the midnight celebration and famous fireworks over the Harbour Bridge. Depending on how late we stay up, we may welcome the dawn of the New Year from the waters of Bondi Beach!
Nothing much else is new. I have been volunteering at hospital as usual; I am going on Sunday to visit my octogenarian pen pal--the one who used to send me, when I was a kid, little kangaroos and boomerangs and books of Aus animals. Have been, of course, cooking madly (see quiche, below), painting my coffee table, and sanding my newly acquired pew. I hope you all are having a fabulous holiday season! See you in the new year!
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