We met with Sister's wife, Bone Doctor, and niece Jo at 10 for coffee at one of the two cafes open in Queenscliff. It was mega busy and we didn't leave until 11 when the cafe closed. Sister was busy preparing Christmas dinner and at 12.30 we were there to eat and drink. We sat outdoors under the arbour and it was a fine dinner with ham and turkey, hot vegetables and salads. We then played a couple of board games called Sequences, which was quite easy to learn and I won one round of two.
While we were playing, we didn't notice the rain pouring down. The ground gravel at the front floor was flooded out to about a metre. We waited 15 minutes as the water drained away into the sandy soil and then Bone Doctor jumped over the water and gave us a helping hand to jump over the water too.
I don't remember what time we left to retire to our cottage. Normal evening dinner was sandwiches using up left over turkey and ham given to us by Sister.
It was quite a chilled day. ABI Brother had stayed with Sister on Christmas Eve and so he was there too.
I took few photos that day.
Sister's Christmas pudding was great. She uses my grandmother's recipe, handed on to Mother, and now Sister. I think we lit the pudding with brandy. It was hard to tell in the daylight. The pudding recipe had been altered a little. There wasn't a sixpence coin to be found in the pudding.
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It looks and sounds like a lovely day. For you all.
ReplyDeleteIt was EC, and quite low key.
DeleteIt sounds like a good day.
ReplyDeleteIndeed JB, very relaxed.
DeleteWhat a lovely day, even with the rain.
ReplyDeleteJayCee, it is not often we receive such heavy rain. It was interesting.
DeleteI agree with all the above. :D Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteThanks Darla.
DeleteThe Christmas pudding looks so lovely.
ReplyDeleteIt was delicious, Roentare.
DeleteLooks like a lovely day was had by all!
ReplyDeleteIt was Bob. Nice family time. What did you two do?
DeleteEverything looks so lush and green. It is so gray here. They are calling for a storm. 0-85 inches of snow. On Saturday. Or Sunday. Or Monday. Or not at all. They are telling us to be prepared. Kind of.
ReplyDeleteDebby, it is unusually lush and green for this time of the year. It should be dry and burnt brown. Our weather forecasting has been rather wrong of late.
DeleteI never ate Christmas dinner outside. But I live in colder climate.
ReplyDeleteDora, it has become an Australian thing.
DeleteThe weather certainly made Christmas Day interesting. I am glad - and a tad envious - you had such a lovely family Christmas.
ReplyDeleteC'mon Merlot. Yours was pretty good with a friend and family.
DeleteIt feels so unusual to me to have Christmas dinner outside but it sounds wonderful, Andrew.
ReplyDeletePat, it was not hot and not cold. Perfect weather for outside dining.
DeleteThe tree is lovely and the meal sounds great too. I'm surprised you were outside but didn't notice the rain. i'm sure large boiling pots can still be bought, just not that old fashioned style. I think the puddings are supposed to be wrapped in two or three layers of calico. It looks like a nice pudding anyway, was it served with warm vanilla custard?
ReplyDeleteRiver, I didn't explain that we played the board game inside when the heavy rain fell. Brandy sauce, vanilla custard and something R made which was a bit of a fail, icing sugar mixed with butter.
DeleteSounds like it was a wondrous time. I'm intrigued by the Christmas pudding.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Sandra, it is a very traditional English Christmas pudding. A small slice will do, smothered in brandy sauce and custard (cream and ice cream for those into excess)
DeleteI love pudding, so I'd be the first one at that table.
ReplyDeleteReally Kirk? You know English style Christmas pudding?
DeleteI know pudding, period.
DeleteThat’s a fair sized Christmas pud…by the looks of it Andrew’s sister knows what the family enjoys😊. Nice to see real (not plastic) greenery used for the table decoration.
ReplyDeleteYou obviously didn’t get the amount of rain we had in the Dandenongs. We didn’t get our planned day out picnic lunch - it poured and poured, didn’t fancy cold food so we had defrosted soup and sourdough plus Christmas pudding with hot custard. Not quite the same but fine for the two of us.
Cathy, the pud was finished off on Boxing Day. Sister's table looked better than in the photo.
DeleteYour Christmas meal wasn't so bad, especially finishing with pudding and custard. What can we do about the weather when it seems mean?
Quality time with family.
ReplyDeleteIt was indeed TP.
DeleteI miss those Xmas puds and also the ones my mother would make throughout the year with the berries in season and the September Saville oranges. My brothers would always fry up left over Xmas pudding on Boxing day for breakfast with an egg and bacon. Yuckerama. Boys.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you a had such a nice time and lovely that your sister has inherited her foremothers.' skill and equipment.
XO
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I've heard of frying pudding WWW. It seems a strange thing to do. Given Sister couldn't cook when she left home at about 20, she doesn't do too badly.
DeleteThe table looks very festive. Nothing like a good boardgame to bring the family together at Christmas time.
ReplyDeleteThe board game was fun Marie. There was no chance of any outdoor activity.
DeleteIt seems I'm locked in spam jail again. I'll just rest comfortably until I get rescued.
ReplyDeleteYes, you are River. I check each morning and evening and rescue you along with other innocents.
DeleteThe table and decorations look really nice Andrew. Gosh must have been a downpour, not much rain here for days.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of the boardgame.
I've got two large boilers but never have I made a Christmas pudding!
Margaret, heavy and brief. Do you boil a pig's head or similar in your boilers?
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