CHRISTMAS IS A TIME TO LOVE!

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!!!

MAXMOM here...

‘Tis the day before Christmas and everything in our household seems calm, peaceful and prepared! I suspect that the next couple of hours will send our city into an unprecedented shopping frenzy, as folk try to procure that last minute, special gift for a loved one. I am staying clear of the shops!

The sun has risen and the day looks beautiful.

As to be expected, we don’t have any snow here.

(anyone want to join us?)

 We do however have beautiful skies which are dotted with fluffy grey clouds and the promise of thunderstorms. The environment is adorned with green foliage, pretty flowers, a chorus of twittering birds and an anticipatory household. Everything looks festive (in a natural kind of way).

 I had some manual help in the garden yesterday, so our garden is singing out an invitation to the small gathering of people at our home tomorrow.

Both “King Toffee” and Toby received a “Christmas” bath yesterday whilst ‘Aunt Tam’ was granted reprieve. Toffee was more than happy to oblige the summer haircut and the pampering which followed. He looks delightful and very cuddly!

Toby however put up great resistance to the event and this resulted an in an entire transformation of our bathroom into an indoor swimming pool. Thankfully I’d donned my bathing suite at the time and joined him in the confined space where desperate yelps echoed across the roof panels of our home.

He has discovered some brand new forms of communication so a mothering ‘Aunt Tam’ moaned pitifully outside the bathroom door, while I tried to finish the job as soon as possible. Thankfully both of us came away relatively unscathed and it wasn’t long before he was back in the swimming pool again. Oh dear!

He looks beautiful and fluffy this morning however and I couldn’t help but invite him up onto our bed. Sometimes he’s simply irresitable! He looks so much like Max that I often thing I should have called him “DITTO”. But he’s “TOBY” and will stay that way....I hope ?

I’ve been buzzing around my house in preparation for tomorrow.

It’s tidy now...Whew!

(Wiping the perspiration off my forehead).

The Gammon is currently on the stove and the salads are being prepared.

We have decided to do the typical South African thing for Christmas this year -  which is to reap our good weather . So we will be celebrating Christmas outside with a “Braai” and a small gathering of close family.

There are various kebabs on offer too and a numerous salads too. If there is still space in people’s bellies after the Champagne and nibbles, they can enjoy some light Jelly and custard. Nibbles include Christmas cake, Christmas mince pies, nuts, caramel popcorn, biltong (beef jerky) and so much more! I’m already salivating!

The Christmas Tree looks less bare now and is advertising some interesting looking gifts as its lights flicker out their seasonal spirit.

We will be taking Christmas really casually this year, so we haven’t as yet decided when we’ll ‘open presents’. Perhaps it’ll be this evening, perhaps tomorrow evening. Since there are no small children around, there seems to be a general, light-hearted challenge emerging amongst us all:

”Let’s see how long we can wait!?”

 Either way, our focus is on each other and to enjoy the fellowship which that the season has to offer.

So to all my beautiful cyber-friends around the world:

Thank you for being such wonderful folk and for sharing your lives with us all. I want to wish you all a magical Christmas. May your day be filled with love and companionship. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing remember to simply enjoy the day with the firm knowledge that there are friends around the world who hold you – dearly - in their hearts!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

With lotsaluv...