'Twas the Day After Christmas...

I would have posted a short message yesterday but Christmas was a bit too full on to do anything of the sort. I kept thinking back to last year, when I was on my own in Chicago (by choice of course), roasting up a leg of lamb and veggies, and downing 2 bottles of wine in the manner of Bridget Jones. What a difference a year makes.

The weather wasn't much to mention - a bit grey, and even some drizzle in the morning - so I wasn't able to wear one of my (many) summer dresses. Instead I donned the jeans and 'sweater' - not allowed to call it that here - and hoped for the best.

I got some great Christmas presents this year. Mindful of my baggage restrictions, my family chose gifts like underwear, CDs, a webcam, Aussie souvenirs, and some jewellery. I was certainly very spoiled. In fact, everyone seemed to score some great gifts this year, it was a lot of fun to see my family open the gifts I'd brought over from Chicago too - nothing terribly unique, but still a fun talking point that the present came from so far away.

Lunch with my 'Crazy Granny' was loads of fun. She was in fine form and my uncle and his family had made the trip over from Tasmania to spend the day with us. It was lovely to catch up and my cousin Olivia looks great and is so much more grown up than I remember her. With any luck, she'll come and visit me somewhere around the world soon cause I think she'll really enjoy the freedom and change of pace.

In the afternoon, I had fully intended having a 'nanna nap', but we got home a little later from Granny's than we'd anticipated, and Josh showed up at my place ahead of going to my aunt's for dinner. Santa had brought me a Balloon Animal kit for Christmas, so Josh and I occupied ourselves by making a mutant rabbit and a mongoloid monkey. Twisting balloons was a two-person job for us - I don't know how the buskers do it.

Christmas Dinner and drinks at my aunt's house was a 'festive' affair, with the wine and beer flowing in abundance. We sat outside on my aunt's new decking and it was really lovely. Food was plentiful and we ate, buffet-style, until we could barely move. Then we played the Kriskindl game, where we all take a number and then pick up presents to the value of $10, lucky-dip style. My donation of Tim Tams and coffee mugs were a hotly contested item for a while, which made me happy. My night there ended around 11.30pm and I slept rather well, which was great.

Today is Boxing Day and we have some of my Mum's old work colleagues over to our place for a BBQ breakfast and some mimosas. It's a wonderful way to relax after the hectic pace of Christmas Day, that's for sure. Knowing that the Boxing Day cricket test is also on TV is a great way to recuperate too.