Yes we had a super Christmas

Fa-la- la- la- la, la la la la

And it was tiring, fun, full of family and far too much food. So I didn't have much sleep Christmas night and I did have heaps of indigestion medicine and many drinks of water and not a lot of comfort but at least now I feel less like a washing machine tumbling the chocolates, turkey, prawns, chicken etc that I ate and ate and ate. It was purely a self-inflicted injury this time. Is it too late at 3am to repent of all that food I ate that I shouldn't have gone near?

The day started out less than promising, we had some drizzle Sunday morning and torrential rain on Sunday afternoon. I was fearful of my Sydney family travelling mid-afternoon in what would have been pouring rain, making road slippery and visibility bad. As it turned out they managed to miss most of it and arrived exhausted but happy about 5.30pm. We had prepared a lot of food between us, Trev being the chef and me the kitchen helper. I wanted to cook enough food for three days but realised our refrigerator would not hold it all so we cooked enough for a couple of meals at least.

It had been such a hectic run-up to Christmas that it was hard to relax, but I am trying to live more in the moment now as I need to store some good memories so enjoyed the littles ones from both families and had some fun. Our other family arrived about 6.30pm and we had a super king size finger food supper together with lots of fun and laughter. Of course Tori threw a tantrum when Christopher and Naomi got to sleep over and she had to go back home to sleep but her Mum and Dad did want her with them on Christmas morning and she knew we were coming for lunch so in the end did agree to go home.

I had some problems getting my grandchildren to sleep and read a few favourite books, and had a talk. It was well after 10.30pm when they at last nodded off and I knew it was a 6am start to be at early church. My son-in-law sang Christmas carols to wake us up! At least with his good strong tenor echoing through the house we were awake and dressed, fed and watered and the littlies had opened one present before we set off for church. Ray was still only semi-awake but was functioning okay.We had to have Christopher ride with us, couldn't fit the two of them in as we pick up a neighbour too.

Rain was threatening again but thank goodness it was just a little morning drizzle and not another storm to drench us. So when we came home to change it was watery sunshine and by the time we got to our son's place the sun was full out. He has a new back deck and the others helped set the party up there including putting up canvas tarps against another unexpected storm and we were cosy if a little closed in and fed and fed and fed on all the good things provided. The presents we had carefully selected were mostly well received and a couple of them were a real hit.

The Sydney family moved off to go on to the other in-laws, three hours drive away and we stayed on for a while. Alex, also overfull managed to be sick down his Granma during the farewelling process, but that is life.And an arm full of small grandson feels so exactly right sometimes. And he will be bigger and more independent next year so it was good to enjoy it just for that time, knowing that not all good times come again.

Ray and I came home when our son who was on call for his funeral firm had to go and do a "pick up". We got home about 4pm, Ray went to sleep I had to to clean up the house enough to have an old friend come for an evening meal. Yes, the reheated meats and vegetables did go down nicely or would have if our visitor didn't spend fifteen minutes after the meal was on the table watching the "Queen's Christmas Message" but he is an old Royalist and it was an important part of Christmas for him so that was okay. And it was nice to just sit and have a chat and relax without the little ones too. Ray is prone to getting very tired when around them as he finds them exhausting even to watch. But it is a good kind of tiredness.

So here is Boxing Day dawning, another old friend coming to lunch and I hope I am not yawning my head off as he tells us his version of the Christmas Day story.