So this is
Christmas
Did Christmas creep up a little too quickly on you too?
The first glimpse of tinsel and Ferrore Rocher gift packs at Woolworths
usually sends me into conniptions. Even so the festive season came a little too
soon.
This year, extraordinary work pressure has been 100% to blame. This
year, This Girl is behind the eight ball.
I had an early vision of my Christmas guests arriving and gliding up the
front steps sans flaking paint in their nails. I decided to repaint the handrail. It was going great until work turned into 60-hour weeks and it rained
most of November.
By around this time, I’d usually have project planned the Christmas
menus with lists of things to do and make three, two, and one weekend prior to
Christmas, and three and two days, and the day before Christmas, with shopping lists to
match. It hasn’t really happened.
Usually I’m embarrassed when Christmas cards arrive. This year's claim to fame is that I managed
to get started early, annual newsletter and all. Then I waited eagerly for the
mail. Excluding the realtor who’d like to put my house on the market, I’ve
received three. They’re looking paltry on the mantelpiece.
The Lovely Deputy and I decided on this year’s colour scheme early. It’s
peacock.
Last week I found myself in the ribbon aisle of Spotlight with a Google
image printout. I bought extra ribbon for gift wrapping so I wouldn’t have to
return. It ran out and I found myself in Spotlight again. I had enough for one
big present and now I have to go back. It wouldn’t be a
Christmas without half a dozen visits into that haberdashery hellhole.
Before too long This Girl will be doing shuttle runs to the airport, collecting interstate family visitors.
My family is coming and so is napery. A new word I’ve learnt for the
stuff you dress your tables with. The place mats were purchased at one of my big
sister’s visits to Spotlight at the other end of the country. A text message
shows me they are light to medium blue, which is not really peacock, but will
fit the perfectly mismatched blue bubbles.
My eldest sister is one of the family members arriving. I lived
with her family in Townsville for a year. She used to cook something different
almost every night. Before I lived with her I’d get excited about chicken
parmigiana. Now people say I’m a good cook but it’s only because I’ll try most
things. Cooking is the only time I take instructions, and I learnt not to be
afraid to try a recipe from her.
This year I’m not too worried about Christmas cooking because she’ll be
here with me. I'm looking forward to Christmas cooking with my big sis.
|
Image courtesy of Gourmet Traveller but mine looks better |
Thinking about her and this post made me get started: I pressed and
baked a kilo of whole seed lavosh, melted and mixed adult white Christmas with
glace orange and sour cherry, and strained and chilled raspberry sorbet.
Better late than never.
There’s more to come.
How are your
Christmas preparations going?