Boxing Day

Boxing Day is that wonderful English post-Christmas tradition where you can relax and start the job of consuming all the leftover food. For almost as long as we have been in New Zealand it has also been celebrated by Morris dancing at the top of the cable car. Noreen & I were in at the birth of the current revival in 1977 and we have drifted in and out of active involvement since then. The children grew up in a Morris environment and have participated at different times over the years. Sam was very enthusiastic in his early teens because it meant he could go into pubs and drink beer (in moderation I hasten to point out). Anyway, the point of this ramble is that Noreen and Jenny have recently started dancing with White Rose again, and appeared today in the traditional venue. 

It was another stunning day, warm and still with just a bit of cloud way over the Orongorongos.

Afterwards we repaired home to take tea and mince pies. Sam and Bex’s hammock was a big hit.

One of the characters we have met through the Morris is Tony Catford, loyal member of the Imperial British Conservative Party, Wizard (2nd class) Bluebottle, 'Alf' of Alf's Imperial Army and erstwhile Duke of Wellington. We prevailed upon him to perform the official inauguration and switching on of the chandelier. Which he did.

Happy Christmas

Today followed the pattern of recent years. Both children plus Bex stayed overnight and Andy’s nephew Robbie visited en route from Auckland to Wanaka. We started with champagne breakfast

while wearing tiaras and playing aeroplanes,

 and trying out our new presents.

 The broad beans have been very prolific this year and I harvested a good crop for lunch.

 While the cooking proceeded there was time for relaxing in the warm sun (and unusually for Wellington – no wind!).

Finally we could sit down to the smoked salmon and caviar starter (provided by Sam and Bex)

followed at an appropriate interval by the main course of roast chicken.

Then several hours later as the sun was beginning to dip to the west we finished off with Christmas pudding, brandy butter, chocolate dipped strawberries and cream.

We hope you all have a similarly pleasant and relaxing day.

Peace on earth and good will to all men.

Christmas Baking

Jenny has been a hive of activity preparing for Christmas.

Her latest creation is these wonderfully colourful stars

which she has laid out in the dining room to dry.

Now all we have to do is eat them!