Celebration season

We are in the middle of our Celebration season. .

Christmas day started with church -among a Sudanese congregation here in Perth. There was a wonderful collection of children who came up to the priests for a blessing at the end of the service.

At home the three of us worked to get the lunch on the table: setting the table with our new red tablecloth and white metal trays from Ikea. The ice bucket was an op shop find. 

The starter was bruschetta using our tomatoes and basil and homemade bread.

I used Jamie Oliver's marinade (160m worcester sauce, 20 mls english mustard and olive oil per steak, marinaded in separate plastic ziplock bags) -and it was very nice indeed. We don't buy steak at $25 per kilo normally so this was enjoyed as a festive treat.  DH barbecued the steak which we served the steaks with Nigella's Christmas slaw, new potatoes with rosemary, a baby leaf spinach salad with parmesan and pear slices.

Desert was a proper Christmas trifle which I made from Nigella's "How to eat" recipe book. On Christmas eve I made her buttery lemony madeira cake as the base, which I slathered with my DH's cumquat marmalade before soaking the cake sandwiches in a mix of grand marnier, marsala and orange juice. The eggy custard was flavoured with orange and then orange sugar syrup was drizzed over cream. VERY yummy. 

We opened presents  of course. It is our tradition to let each other know what we want for Christmas, so we were all very satisfied. DH and I have great piles of new books! DD has a new leather journal among other things. I have some new quilting fabric in sea green, sea blue colours which I am hoping to turn into a new beach inspired quilt. 

We spoke with DS and DDIL and the grandchildren in the afternoon. They had sent us some great videos of the children with their new toy guitars, sitting on the step of the sanctuary strumming and singing Christmas carols with their dad. 

On Boxing Day we had DH's sisters and BIL over for lunch. This time we set the table with a green and gold Aussie theme.

I had a half price turkey "buffe" which I cooked and served with gravy and roast potatoes (left over from the potatoes on Christmas day but now roasted) and left over slaw and a new green salad. DH makes a great garlic bread which I fished out of the freezer. My good friend had given us a home made Christmas pudding, which BIL declared was the 'best Christmas pudding he had had for years". They also helped us eat the trifle which was just as good the next day. We really had a lovely time and everyone said that the food was great. I am pleased it all turned out so well. 

The 27th is my DD's birthday. We had yet another lovely celebration. It was her choice that we would buy fish and chips for dinner and eat them in the lounge whilst watching the "AB Fab" movie-a copy of which was one of my Christmas presents. It is very funny and we laughed and ate and drank champagne. 

Between Christmas and New Year's Eve is a quiet time. Lots of people are at the beach. As we are having a 'staycation" we make sure we go to the beach for a walk on nearly every day.No rushing to the sales for us! 

DH is making me a new garden stool to go with the little table he made me yesterday. When I am gardening I like to take my drink out to the grape vine and sit under it. I had been sitting on an upturned milk crate, but now I will have recycled and repurposed things to use. 

On New Year's eve  it is my turn for a birthday!

Meanwhile I am continuing to work on my quilt. I have cut the plain black 'stop borders and I am experimenting with half square triangles for another border. Either it will go on as a border or it will be in the back. I don't have a piece of batting big enough for this quilt at the moment -I am hoping the after Christmas sales will see the price drop- so I am happy to work on the back for a while. I am the kind of quilter who likes to finish a quilt before starting on another one!