Mr Lincoln

Christmas with Barry Humphries

You would think, by the title, I was having christmas with a celebrity. But no, just my brother in law who happens to share his name with one. His wife Gayle is Bretts sister, we traveled to have christmas with them this year. 

We left on Christmas Eve and the girls were awesome on the way, for the five hour trip. We stopped at Meningie and ate the ham sandwiches I made that morning, Summer thought the seagulls needed hers more than she did. I was flabbergasted by the sight of a seagull downing a 1/4 of a ham and cheese sandwich whole! There was a one legged gull that hopped about and was doing pretty good hovering in front of me at head height, catching crusts in mid air. 

We stopped again in Mount Pleasant. Izzy stretched her legs in the playground, while I fed Summer. In previous trips, this always seems the place we get to until someone needs a booby feed.

Very annoying piano from auntie Carmen ;P

Dollies from Nanna Anne. Izzys is Gemima and Summers Esme.

Leaving on the Monday and not wanting to take all the presents with us, we opened most of them on Sunday morning, only taking a couple small ones for the kids with us. Brett opened the present with shorty pyjamas and a new cap from the girls and I opened mine, a new phone. 

Christmas day was as they always are, loud, happy and tiring. Too much food, good food. 

Jacko bought oysters from Eyre Peninsula. Brett smoked and slow roasted an apple juice infused pork leg.

Claire was late, she forgot that cars run on petrol and ran out, on her way out of Adelaide. That's our Claire.

I limped all day on my swollen foot, I had managed to get spider bitten the day before we left. It took 4 days for the swelling to go down and is still a bit sore at the bite, and annoyingly itchy.

A present from cousin Bonnie, and the sticky taped on
 tinsel earrings, her idea!

Izzys bed on the middle bunk in cabin 10.

We left homeward on Boxing Day after eating a bacon and egg breakfast, watching the first few overs of test cricket and saying goodbyes at Gayle and Barry's. Our stay at the Gawler caravan park in cabin number 10 was over. On the way home we visited the Monarto Zoo, had a late lunch at KFC at Murray Bridge and got home about 7 pm. 

Christmas Day reminds me a lot of weddings, so much planning and doing for one day, and then it's all over. Brett mentioned when we got home that he told someone we are having it at our house next year....I don't bloody think so!! There he goes opening his big mouth again.

Green Bean Salad

I love this salad, it brings back great food memories from my mums kitchen and the spreads she put on our kitchen table. I could eat a whole bowl full of this stuff.

I have just started getting beans aplenty from the garden, this is the first thing I have done with them. We had them cold, but makes an good warm salad as well.

I made this using a couple of handfuls of fresh green beans straight from the garden, boiled for about 5 minutes, not even that. You can leave the beans whole or cut in half.

I finely chopped up a small clove of garlic and threw it on top of the drained beans, in a bowl.

Glugged about 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil on top and a dash of vinegar(maybe a teaspoon), and mixed it all up.

  Love, love, love it!

Darn dog!

So maybe we forgot how much puppies like to chew.

 Nothing is sacred.

 Don't dare leave your shoes outside!

 Don't dare try to tie me up!

  

Meanwhile the actual dog toys remain unscathed!

Last week the silly dog got out, how is still a mystery, well, it was my fault, but keep it just between you and me, yeah? Buzz ended up in the pound and cost $45 to be set free. Another $20 to register and $65 for his second immunisations!! Brett was not impressed and made suggestions that we leave him at the pound! Not this little black duck chook! I responsibly marched down there and paid for him to be released(money transferred from Bretts account of course*insert big smirk*).