It's Time to Find Clothes to Wear to Christmas Gatherings
Have you already picked out your outfits for all the Christmas functions?
Time is running short.The shops are getting hectic. Don't delay any longer. Disappointing as it may be, it is doubtful you get thinner, more toned or more buffed in the next three weeks. Now is the time to pick something that you feel really good in.
So, what to wear?
My plans usually start out with an idea to wear stilettos, something figure hugging and stunning with a fancy hairdo. By the time the day finally arrives, I am rearranging my wardrobe looking for something vaguely modern to go with my kitten heels. The work Christmas dinner is an example of this. I was going to wear my blue satin, figure hugging "wedding dress" and strappy black sandals. Why is it called a wedding dress? Because so far, I have worn it to two weddings and my graduation. When the evening came, I wore my slightly Indian looking dress and matching orange wedges. Much more comfortable. Much more me.
There are times to glam up and there are people that love to glam up and look absolutely fabulous but wear something that feels like 'you.' It is possible to still make a statement and feel comfortable. Many years ago I bought a pair of lime green jeans from the secondhand shop. I paired them with a black cheesecloth top and black sandals. Boy, did I create a stir, but I felt very comfortable and at home in my clothes.
I studied Google for advice about what to wear to Christmas gatherings. Here is what I found.
If you tend to be a messy eater, wear something patterned or at least not white.
If you will be outside, wear a hat.
If you will be crawling around under the Christmas tree looking for presents, wear jeans, shorts or leggings.
If you like tradition, wear red and green.
If you want to be chic, wear a dress.
If you love jeans, wear them and dress them up with a sparkly top.
If you love jewellery, spend a few dollars and buy yourself some costume jewellery. The choices are endless.
If you are planning to eat and drink a lot, wear something that gives you room to grow.
If you will be standing a lot, pick your shoes carefully. Stilettos don't look sexy if you also have a tortured look on your face.
Remember, Christmas should be fun, not a fashion contest.
I have always had a passion for plants. You wouldn't know it at the moment by looking at my garden. It is dry. The grass is 'crispy'. The pots tired and the shrubs struggling to look healthy. Only some of this is due to my current woes and pains. The weather is terribly dry and summer is upon us. Watering by hand every day can only do so much and rain is sorely needed. For the first time in months, I spent enough time in the garden for it to be noticeable. I have tidied up the front rockery; turned over the soil; sprayed wetta soil on it and covered it in sugar cane mulch. I also planted a few new plants. It is only a little rockery but my feeling of satisfaction carried me through the day. I will share my plant stories with the world, because plants give me beauty and I can't resist them. This is a photo of a gerbera. I bought it for John during my trip to the nursery this week. It is the most striking scarlet red with beautiful lush green leaves. Gerberas are one of John's favourites.
So check back in often to see how my plants are growing.
It is time to take stock of your Christmas decorations.
Get out your lights, Christmas tree, decorations and garden ornaments. You may have lovingly packed them up last Christmas but now is the time to see if they were worth packing away for another year. Is it time that the pine cones that you painted with 'snow' many years ago are laid to rest? At our home we love outside lights but they have a mysterious habit of breaking after they are packed away in the top cupboard. In the privacy of their boxes, the bulbs seem to blow and the transformers seem to divorce their lights. Countless hours have been spent searching for the broken bulb and trying to bend the rope lights in just the right place to make them light up. Buy some more! Simple. There are hundreds in the shops. Plastic Christmas trees are great but eventually, they lose the excitement of the festive season and just smell like old plastic. There are many more creative ways to have a 'tree.'
Go for a drive to the country for a dead branch and make a beautiful sculptural tree. Not much room? How about a 2D tree.
Feeling a bit crafty? Try some of these.
Know a plumber? This is made of PVC pipe and decorations you probably already have.
Love the natural look? Raw timber is always a favourite of mine.
If you want something natural and signifying new life and growth, take a trip to the nursery and buy a plant you love the look of. Any plant can be decorated, from the finest of ferns to tall, invincible palms. Now is the time to plan and get creative with your Christmas decorations. Turn up the carols and get crafty!
This is another of my cheats recipes. When I was a child, my favourite biscuits were chocolate afghans. I would beg Mum to make them all the time but they have been forgotten until recently. Here is my version based on the cheats recipe- link below. INGREDIENTS 1 packet of cheap chocolate cake mix. 1 tablespoon cocoa (to make them extra chocolatey.) 2 cups cornflakes 1 egg 125 g butter 2 cups of icing sugar mix 2 tablespoons cocoa 1 tablespoon butter softened 125g pecan or walnut halves. METHOD 1. Lightly crush cornflakes until they are reduced to approximately one cup in volume. 2. Mix cornflakes, 1 tablespoon cocoa & cake mix together in large bowl. 3. Melt butter 4. Add egg to butter and mix well. 5. Mix dry mix and butter/egg together. 6. Form into balls and place on oven tray lined with baking paper. They will spread so allow room. 7. Bake at 180 celsius for 15 minutes. 8. Cool slightly on tray then on a cake rack until room temperature. Make icing 9. Sieve icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of cocoa into a large bowl. 10. Add softened butter and mix 11. Slowly dribble hot water from the tap, a few drips at a time until icing is thick, smooth and glossy. 12. Spread on biscuits. 13. Top with a nut and allow to cool. Note: Use melted chocolate if you don't want to make icing.
Here is the link to my post about biscuits for cheats. There are endless possibilities.
Fifty Fabulous Stories: Biscuits for Cheats: This is a fabulous cheat's recipe that I learnt from John. There are so many variations you can make, all from one bag of cheap ca...
I have never been to the Mornington Peninsula. After reading this book it is firmly planted on my 'must visit' list. Located an hour's drive south-east of Melbourne, it is known for its agriculture, alfresco lifestyle, galleries, spas, cafes and boutique wineries. A quick search on the internet brings up gorgeous photos of neat rows of vineyards, quaint country streets and rugged coastline. This book caught my eye because of it's unusual title and also because I thought there should be an apostrophe in 'Foxeys' because I assumed someone named Foxey owned a hangout. Make sense?
Author Cathy Gowdie explains the historical tradition of an old tree where trappers hung their fox corpses with resulting odour and gory display. Fortunately, this tradition has passed and wooden and metal foxes now hang from the tree. Buy this book online with free postage Cathy, her husband and two children moved to the Mornington Pensinsula to start a vineyard and a new life. At the time she was a senior editor with The Age in Melbourne having worked her way up from a cadetship. The story is personal. Cathy chronicles their journey in a very practical, heartfelt manner providing insights into the intense hard work, difficulties faced and then overcome with the support of the wine community who are renowned for their spirit of cooperation. "Tony and I surveyed the wreckage of our rural ambitions. Tony was calm and focused. I was less purposeful. I was tired of hanging on, unable to summon the stamina of the seagoing bride I'd been." The vineyard has become a success. The wine can be enjoyed and celebrated at their eatery with a menu of simple food to allow the wine to express itself. The book is peppered with beautiful photos of their property, family and delicious food. Each chapter closes with a simple recipe that celebrates great produce. It is a delightful yet gentle story that will inspire others to follow their dreams of a different life.
In the midst of reading this book, I found a blog titled "Sarah Cooks," created by Sarah, a Malaysian-Chinese-Australian food lover. Her blog posts are lovely stories about her adventures, all containing food. In June 2016, she spent a weekend on the Mornington Pensinsula. Check out her photos. You will have this glorious part of the world on your 'must visit' list also.
Do you send Christmas cards? If you do, now is the time to get organized and start sending. The custom of sending Christmas cards started in 1843. Sir Henry Cole was a government worker who helped set up the Public Record Office in the UK and wondered how it could be used more by more ordinary people, so with his artist friend John Horsley, they designed the first card and sold it for 1 shilling.
Printing methods improved and by 1860, cards had increased in popularity and were produced in large numbers. The cost of post had also dropped so many more people were able to send cards. The sending of Christmas cards has declined in popularity in recent years with the arrival of the digital age. Last year I received 2 cards and sent none. The tradition has slipped away for me. If you are undecided whether or not to send Christmas cards, here are some reasons to continue with the tradition.
They convey the message that friendship says something and it is worth the effort.
They connect with those who haven't seen in years who don't operate in the digital age. They will realize you are still alive.
Auntie Alice does not want an e-card and she wouldn't know how to access it anyway.
They provide the opportunity to be truly personal, something that is not so easy with digital cards (or no cards at all.)
It is still fun to receive real mail in your real letterbox.
They decorate the house and help bring on the Christmas spirit.
It is therapeutic to put pen to paper and step away from the computer.
If you have the urge to make your own Christmas cards, check out the following site for inspiration. There are some beautiful, really simple and cute ideas on here.
http://www.designbolts.com/2012/11/10/20-beautiful-diy-homemade-christmas-card-ideas-for-2012/. If you are not keen or a bit tardy with your Christmas cards here are some justifications for wiping out the tradition. At your house at least but respect others desire to send cards.
There is not much worse than receiving cards after Christmas so they are not good for the disorganized.
Cards require the killing of trees.
Cards cost money to buy and post.
Difficult decisions are required about when to throw cards out.
e-cards are fast and can be sent to many people without their knowledge so they look kinda personal.
e-cards can be funny, pretty, startling, animated, talking and singing. Try to get all that in a card.
Most people read their emails.
e-cards can be free.
A lot of e-card sites provide scheduled delivery, so you can design today and send whenever you want.
Here is a list of e-card sites to browse through. Some are free, others are not.
This is not one of my superfast, easy recipes but I have just rediscovered it and remember how great it is so it deserves a turn in the spotlight. I always ask the boys what they want for the birthday dinners. There is risk involved in this because there is no way to predict what they will ask for and then I am committed to whatever they request. Morgan asked for lemon meringue pie this year. Oh dear, it was years since I had cooked one and had memories of egginess and eye blinking tartness. So I flicked through recipes and scoured the internet until I remembered Mum's lemon marshmallow tart. Why not turn it into a meringue tart instead of marshmallow tart? So that is what I did. The picture is meringue topping. Here is the recipe for both. The base and lemon are the same then pick to topping you want. INGREDIENTS for base and lemon filling 1 tart shell- I took the easy route and bought a ready made one from the supermarket freezer. 1 tin condensed milk 2 eggs 1/2 cup lemon juice and grated rind- Usually 2 lemons. METHOD for both 1. Blind bake the tart shell. Allow to cool. 2. Beat condensed milk, eggs, lemon juice and rind together 3. Pour into shell. 4. Bake in slow oven (about 140 celsius) until filling is set. 5. Cool Now select your topping below: MERINGUE TOP Ingredients 3 egg whites at room temperature 1/2 cup castor sugar Method 6. Put egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and beat with an electric beater until soft peaks form. 7. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until thick and glossy. 8. Spoon the meringue mixture over the tart and spread to the edge of the pastry. 9. Use the back of a spoon to lightly form peaks. 10 Bake in a 160 celsius oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden. 11. Set aside to cool. MARSHMALLOW TOP Ingredients 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon gelatine 1 teaspoon vanilla Method 6. Boil water, sugar and gelatine without stirring for 5 minutes. 7. Add vanilla and allow to cool. 8. Once cool, beat until consistency of cream- not too stiff. 9. Pour over tart. 10. Sprinkle with toasted desiccated coconut. 11. Cool.
12. Slice and service with a dollop of cream. Yummo!!
It is now time to get serious about the Christmas shopping. If you don't buy gifts or celebrate Christmas, repeat week 8 and take more time for yourself. Here are my strategies to lessen the stress and effort of present shopping. Make a list
Starting writing a list of possible gifts. Even this step makes me feel as if I am making progress. I have a habit of interrogating the family at the dinner table for ideas of what each other would like. Some wild and unrealistic suggestions turn up but there are usually some great ones as well. Flexible standardisation What's wrong with giving variations on the same gift to multiple people. Let's be realistic, it probably isn't the only present they will receive. How about- DVDs, socks (sigh,no), chocolates, wine, perfume.
Plan a shopping day After you have written your list, pick a day that you will have plenty of time so that you can do most of it in one trip. Get to the shops early so you still have a chance of getting a car park. Wear your active wear. This is not the day to look fancy. Schedule in a coffee and snack break so you can rest your feet and check off your list. Warn the family that someone else will have to be responsible for organising the evening meal.
Pick your shopping centre
There is no sense in planning to buy everyone books and then going to a shopping centre that does not have a bookstore. Check the car parking. Is it easy to get in and out of? Park your car rear end in so that you can drive straight out past all those fighting for your carpark.
Negotiate to reduce the number of gifts
Rather than buying lots of cheap presents
why not agree to buy one present only. Draw the
name out of a hat and do secret Santa if you wish.
Make your gifts
If you are low on funds or if you find craft a relaxing pastime,
consider making some of your Christmas gifts.
There are many gifts to choose from- baked goods, artwork, potted plants, knitted and crochet apparel, pottery. The list is endless.
Christmas should be about spending time together, not struggling your way through the shops elbow to elbow to buy the 'perfect' gift. Be logical. If you had fun buying it, then the recipient is more likely to love it than if you have gone to the ends of the earth and back just for one gift.
This is a fabulous cheat's recipe that I learnt from John. There are so many variations you can make, all from one bag of cheap cakemix available from any supermarket. Pre-planning is not really required as you can use just about anything to make unique, delicious biscuits without a trace of being store bought. Try nuts, sultanas, hundreds and thousands, coffee, choc bits, cornflakes..... Here is the recipe with 3 of my favourite flavours. INGREDIENTS 1 packet of cheap 340g (approximate) vanilla or chocolate cake mix ( I use the cheapest packets I can get. Cost me 79 cents each this week.)
1 egg 125g butter. 1 cup of dry extras- see below for options. METHOD 1. Mix cake mix and other dry ingredients together in a bowl 2. Melt butter 3. Add egg to melted butter and mix well with a fork 4. Add melted butter mix into dry ingredients and mix well 5. Roll teaspoon fulls of mix into balls 6. Place on baking paper on baking tray 7. Cook at 180c for approximately 15 minutes 8. Leave on tray until firm 9. Cool on rack 10 Store in airtight container.
Some of favourite combinations are: Coconut rough = chocolate cake mix, add- 1/2 cup desicated or shredded coconut + 1/2 cup white chocolate bits.
Blondies = vanilla cake mix, add- 1 cup which choc bits + 1/4 teaspoon almond essence (optional but adds depth of flavour rather than almond taste.) Snickers = chocolate cake mix, add- 1/2 cup crushed nuts + 1/2 cup milk or dark chocolate bits After rolled into balls, push half a jersey caramel into the top of biscuit then cook as usual.
Cherry Surprise = vanilla cake mix, add- 1 chopped Cherry Ripe bar After cooked and cool, drop on a small amount of melted chocolate. Once set, store in airtight container. Give these a try. I would love to hear of your flavour combinations so leave me a comment. Happy cooking!
One of my recent book finds is a book of writings by Banjo Patterson so I had a quick read and it renewed by interest in Australian literature.
Banjo Patterson was born in rural New South Wales in 1864. At the age of 31, he achieved two milestones in Australian writing. He composed his now famous ballad “Waltzing Matilda” and his first book, “The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses,” was published.
Every Australian claims ownership of Banjo. So much so that “Waltzing Matilda” was once even consider for the Australian National Anthem. For those of you who have never read the poem, here is a short sample.
Oh! there once was a swagman camped in the Billabong, Under the shade of a Coolabah tree; And he sang as he looked at his old billy boiling, "Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me." Down came a jumbuck to drink at the water-hole, Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him in glee; And he sang as he put him away in his tucker-bag, "You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me!"
Here it is put to music at the magnificent Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Okay, now for the translation. A swagman is an old fashioned term for an unskilled itinerant worker who carried his few belongingsrolled up in a sleeping bag on his back and a jumbuck is a sheep. Billabong is another term for a waterhole. The song is about a thief!
Once Australia had decided it was grown up enough to have an “Australian” national anthem, the hunt was on for something to replace “God Save the Queen.”
“Waltzing Matilda” was a popular choice. We all know the words and have sung it enthusiastically at every school across the country, at the cricket, football or around the barbecue after a few drinks.
In the end, common sense prevailed. National anthems should be patriotic. About growth and the future. We could hardly have a song about a sheep stealer who in the end, jumped into thebillabong and killed himself when pursued by the law.
I think Australians rest comfortably with “Advance Australia Fair” as our national anthem despite the fact that it was written in 1878 by a Scottish born composer by the name of Peter Dodds McCormick.
In my belief, Banjo should not feel discarded for not having made it to the national anthem. He resides on the $10 note, which will still buy you a burger and a drink for lunch, a ticket to the movies on “cheap Tuesday” and a cheap t-shirt with a slightly ugly picture on the front.
It is probably not proper for me to finish this little insight into one of Australia's legends without providing a link to the song that pipped "Waltzing Matilda" at the post.
Here is a rendition of our national anthem sung by a choir of young voices. I can't resist the sound of a children's' choir. Have a listen.
125g butter.
