Day 9, Thursday 24th December

The day began like any other… is that how the story goes?

The story here is pretty much ‘same ole, same ole’. Sleeping, eating, reading, swimming, then start again.

An important part of Christmas eve was to confirm our Christmas menu. Again we have divided the work.

Braden will be ‘in charge’ of the prawns which will be served two ways: the green ones chilli and garlic marinated and cooked on the BBQ, the cooked ones served on ice with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges, of course!

I will oversee the ham and have now decided on the ham glaze. Will make a glaze with Berenberg (local) lime marmalade, cider, honey and seeded mustard.

Shucking of the oysters will need to be a team effort. We have a moderately useless shucker… ordered online. I doubt we will need anywhere near the 10 dozen, but will give it a good crack!

Pamela will cover the potato salad. It’s a speciality of hers. Lots of mayo and green peas! She already has the trifle underway. It looks amazing!

Victoria has promised a Greek salad, with the obligatory feta, olives and balsamic dressing. She has also arranged hundreds and thousands and will make fairy bread, in honour of the Kelly kids who always have it on Christmas day.

So I’m keen to know, what is on the menu at your place? Who does traditional roast turkey and pork? Who’s more into Australian style cold seafood? Both?

Following are a few random pics from Christmas eve: including Braden cooking tempura fish and vegetables for us all for lunch; our sausages, mash and peas dinner and last but not least, us all watching ‘Love Actually’ – which was a lovely way to finish Christmas eve. The emotion of the movie made me a little sad and thinking of all my family who we would normally be with, but aren’t. A few tears then a good nights sleep.

I hope Santa finds us!