Christmas is over for another year and for the first time in many years will not be going into the city, Sydney, for the Boxing Day sales.

This year we decided to have our Christmas lunch at our local bowling club. We haven't had any COVID cases  for quite some time but we're still practising social distance and we had helpers servicing the buffet.

I loved it. No mess to cleanup afterwards but my youngest son wants to go back to doing the lunch himself  at home.  I'm pretty sure he uses every pot and pan in the cupboards.

 

Heading out to do some Christmas shopping.

Merry Christmas, 2019

It's nearly Christmas and I still have not bought all my presents for family. For the ones who have said ...  surprise me.  Bunnings gift card for you, as you are adults I have no idea what your current likes and dislikes are so enjoy your after Christmas sales. : ) .

Welcoming the New Year - 2018

Barney likes to join in the fun of Christmas.

I brought both my sons a small drone for Christmas.

New Year's Resolution to post more.

In the meantime here are some pictures from during the year.


6th October, 2014              Darling Harbour Entertainment Quarter.

25th October, 2014      First meeting between Fred the cat and Barney rescue dog.

30th October, 2014. 

Three months after my brother passed away, my sisters and I get together at the family home to start to pack up the house for sale. My brother lived here all his life.

22nd Decembe, 2014.

I went into Martin Place, Sydney. I walked up it from George Street until I came to Castlereagh Street but I was unable to cross the road to stand closer to the Lindt store. Too much respect for the two who were murdered.

Some of the floral tributes.

There were fears that Muslims would be targeted for violence when it was noted that the shooter was a Muslim so someone on Twitter posted I'll ride with you #illridewithyou if a Muslim was fearful of travelling on public transport.

THE SIEGE AND MURDERS AT THE LINDT SHOP HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIGION OR RACE.

Later, that evening I headed into Pitt Street Mall.

David Jones store

Darling Harbour

A Merry Christmas to all 

from my family to yours.

Today I head down to Sydney to spend the next two days with my sons

 and my daughter and her family.

Then on Boxing day I travel 500km car journey north 

to spend a couple of days with my older sister, Cathy and her family.

Then back home for New Year Eve.

My new favourite Youtube video.

Natalie Imbruglia's song, Torn

mime by David Armand.

(or signed language!)

Today I will be venturing into the garage to find the Christmas tree and decorations. Wish me luck, I hope they aren't buried under mountains of useless clutter I have accumulated this past year.

Merry Christmas, Everyone.

Outside Nativity,

St Marys Cathedral,

Sydney, Australia.

Christmas ... Aussie Style.

Thanks to Kristy01 for posting on youtube.

This morning I caught the train up to Newcastle Showground at Broadmeadow to go to the Newcastle Farmers Markets. The train journey was more relaxing than driving and battling the Christmas shoppers traffic.

I had a lovely time and came home with

a 6-fruit loaf, a blueberry and banana loaf

and some home made soaps.

Photos courtesy of http://newcastlecityfarmersmarket.com.au/

Early tomorrow morning I will be driving up to Coffs Harbour to spend a couple of days with my sister, Cathy and B-i-L, Greg.

Christmas Pic of the Day.

Christmas Tree in Martins Place,

Sydney

This is a nice video of my local area

- Central Coast, New South Wales,

Australia.

Christmas Pic of the Day

.

This site is very funny - http://nycsantacon.com/

Santa's Survival Guide:

What to expect
Santacon is an annual convention for Santa and his holiday brethren.
Expect holiday cheer, unconventional gifts, naughty carols and general mayhem.
Do not expect to be entertained: Santa IS the entertainment!

How to be Santa
Santa doesn’t just wear a cool suit and invade your dad’s liquor cabinet: he also brings gifts!
A gift can be a reindeer game, a song, a dance or a joke to entertain Santa and tourists alike.

How NOT to be Santa
Santa never endangers his reindeer with violence, vandalism, inappropriate groping or theft.
Santa never gets SO jolly he needs babysitting.
Santa never expects to get away with behavior that an ordinary citizen wouldn’t.

It’s not a bar crawl
Every time you call Santacon a bar crawl, a sugarplum fairy dies.

Pic of the Day

I was up early today to put a second coat of white paint on the wardrobe in the second bedroom which previously been stained and then spent this afternoon vacumning, putting the handles back on the wardrobes, changing the doona cover, sheets and pillowcases and hanging curtains. Photos tomorrow.

The Second day of December

Its the First Day of December

and Christmas is on its way.

George Geronimo Gerkie
(aka Vincent D'Onofrio)

singing 18 Wheels Of Christmas.

This is from Matt Pinfield's Holiday Extravaganza II
 on December 6, 2009.

Thanks BriarRose920 who posted the video on Youtube

First known George Geronimo Gerkie performance

Thanks to lainieess
Autograph signing

Thanks to toppixautographs

Some random images I captured recently in Sydney. 

Ray Martin

Book Signing - Myer, Sydney

Christmas Window Display

 at David Jones Department Store

Statue in Hyde Park of

Prince Albert, Queen Victoria'Consort

 Cnr of Martin Place and Macquarie Street

Partygoers heading off to a Office Christmas Party.

I'm enjoying my holidays.

 No alarm clocks,

not having to leave the house except to shop for food,

no phone calls from work,

no battling the peak hour traffic.

Bliss.

While everyone is madly rushing around doing their Christmas shopping. Santa and his Aussie helpers have some quiet time before he heads back home to the North Pole to do last minute preparations
for the Big Day.



Only kidding!