Sudokuaholics Anonymous 3

Stella, hope you are staying safe with the winter wonderland storms in your neck of the woods.

and over the page we go..

MizT. Drinkies with the neighbours went well.
BBQ went well, food all eaten. Good to see you home again, from your family Christmas Gathering.
Christmas Lunch. will be cold meats : Turkey, Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Ham.. with variety of Salads. I am making Trifle and Fruit Salad for the sweets, MIL is making Icecream Cassata Cake..

Christmas Presents are put under the tree before Christmas Eve, some have already started appearing under it.
(MizT : my christmas tree is up, not decorated yet ..)
We opened our Presents on Christmas Morning.
as a child growing up Mum and Dad would hand out the Presents on Christmas Eve.. ( a Dutch tradition)

Posted earlier but it doesn't appear to have gone through. SA3ers. I'm baaack!

must run here.. Leaving shortly for the airport with #1 son. he leaves this morning, flying to Sydney for 2 week holiday..
catch ya all later enjoy your day/evening

oooh Gail, didnt see you. Welcome back.. good to see you..

will talk to you this afternoon.. ciao

Back from Tooradin, Gail? MizT, Stella, Rolanda, I'm drooling over the various menus. I am not noted for my cooking Must do the tree today. I put it in the front window where it can be seen from the street. These days pressies go underneath it when they are wrapped. My mother used to hide the Christmas presents but my brother and I would find them and try to guess what was in each and who it was for. I wonder if she ever found out?

MizT I have my coffee now, but I'll sit away from the fire. The sun is pouring through the window and creating plenty of heat.

Pressies go under the tree when wrapped now. When we had children and Santa came to visit, Santa gifts were never wrapped, but placed artfully around and under the tree. Same at my house, Santa did not deliver wrapped gifts. AND we were not allowed out of bed till Dad said so! Although we would ASK several times before dawn!

DINO, if you are warm, we will let you sit on the back porch with your coffee. It is plenty cool out there! currently 30 (-1 C) headed for 26 (-4C) . It will begin to moderate after tonight, the coldest night for this cold front.

Hi all. Been busy making food gifts. Hubby is feeling better and even helped.

MizT, for "pickins" we have a relish tray, cheese tray and shrimp cocktail. Main course is turkey, white bread stuffing, mashed taters, sweet taters, green bean casserole, noodles, cranberry sauce, gravy, broccoli salad, and rolls. Dessert is pumpkin pie, sour cherry pie, pecan pie, and a dessert that is hard to describe. Mom used to make it and now every Thanksgiving my nephews remind me not to forget it.

My mom used to get a box of cherry cordials, also. The first year my hubby spent Christmas with us I showed him the "right" way to eat one. Bite the top off, suck out the creme, then eat the cherry and chocolate. He now buys me a box every year.

We got between 3-4 inches of snow during the day yesterday. Then it rained all night. Today it snowed a little bit, but the wind gusted from 35-60 mph.

I have always put presents under the tree when wrapped. We all open one on Christmas Eve. When I was little that's what my mom did, kept all of us 5 kids quiet having something to do. I use cloth bags for wrapping family gifts unless I don't have a bag big enough. Santa always leaves the Santa Sack. Some years the presents are wrapped and some years they aren't. Amber doesn't believe in Santa anymore but he still leaves presents for her and Kyle.
Christmas dinner always includes turkey with stuffing, gravy and mashed potatoes. Veggies vary. In the morning, I set out crackers, cheese, garlic sausage, liver sausage, oysters, veggies, dip and whatever other goodies are on hand. My mom started that when I was a teenager and my boys always loved it. We pick at that until about mid afternoon and eat dinner around five. This year I bought a stuffed, cook from frozen, Butterball turkey. I hate cooking so I thought this might make it easier. My SIL said she used to make them and they are good. I hope she's right.

Santas presents were always wrapped and put at the foot of our beds. I remember waking up and wriggling my toes to see what was there and listening to the paper rustling.

Rena, is your skiing Santa related to my surfing Santa? I have it easy re cooking. the kids come on Boxing Day and bring the left-overs with them.

... and the grandchildren

... and my presents

Hi All, Guess you have all gone but will sort of join the conversation anyway.
I have just parcelled up the presents for my son and his family in Melbourne. Will post that tomorrow. Will probably have some extras for them when we go down to see them early January. Not having any Christmas celebrations at my house this year. Have to make a pudding for Christmas day when we go to Hubby's neice. Tree has been up for awhile (my avatar) and cards went at the beginning of December. A few lights outside but I thought it best not to climb the ladder this year to put the along the gutter. Cake made in November and already some eaten with visitors. JUST have to CLEAN a very dirty and untidy house.

Why June, are the clean police on their way?!!!

Will you have time for a coffee and cake while you are here. I am more than happy to head over your son's way if it makes it easier for you.

Hi Gail, you still about? Looks like everyone else has wandered off. I certainly hope the clean police aren't heading my way...

Hi Bean

Was just talking to myself in chat!

I was away unexpectedly this weekend and while I was away, the cleaning fairies came in.
I love the cleaning fairies!

i've just been talking to myself in the chat room

missed you by seconds - saw you bob out the exit as I nipped in the entrance

hehe Would you like to go back in there with me this time?

Sorry thought about going to bed so made a hot chocolate ,then decided for one last peep to see if anyone about.

The clean police would not get into the house.
I am trying not to lift things etc. The back is much better but could easily be a problem again. We got our new matress which is sitting in the waterbed frame. We emptied the water but Hubby dragged the bladder into the middle of the lounge room floor two weeks ago and it is still there. It takes up most of the floor space.
There is a scanner and lazer printer dumped in the hall outside the computer room. I almost fall over them when I walk past. Normally they are things I would eventually move and I guess that is what will happen again!!
I am trying not to vaccuum but Hubby seems to think once a month is more often than he should have to do it. Also had Laura a bit lately. She is a delight but always lots to put back or pick up afterwards.
Anyway off to bed. Chat again soon.
Gail not sure just when we will be in Melbourne or for how long. Will fly down and will be at Point Cook. The opposite side of the city to you.
If I can meet for a cuppa will let you know.

You guys could talk 'til the changeover.

No worries June. Just remember, I am happy to make the journey over that way, it's my old stamping ground before we moved to Cockatoo.
I'm off to bed now, catch you soon.

Nah Ruby, I'm already typing with my eyes closed.
Sorry to duck out on you. Hope to talk before Christmas.
Lots of love all.
Night.

GOOD MORNING SUDOKULAND!



Boy will my coffee pot get a workout today. It is COLD, 26*F ( -2 or 3 C) and frosty outside. Warm beverages needed today! burrrrshy! I think I shall follow my kittie's lead and wait till it is much warmer fore I stick my nose outside. Baby Kitty only thought she wanted out! Changed her mind when her nose met with the frigid air!

D#3 AND FIANCEE ARRIVED LAST NIGHT , after I went to bed. Good thing they were going to the "guest cottage". Hubby and they stayed up all night, playing video games and listening to music out there. I was up before hubby came in. Oh well, the only time he is up at 5 am is when he is STILL UP hehe I guess i shall make brunch today, I will be needing a bit more than regualr breakfast fare when they do decide to get up. Huumm, if I make a substantial enough meal, maybe only have to fling food about twice today? I think maybe quiuche and ham gee, forgot what all one can serve at brunch. some kind of fruithow about a nice fruit salad? anyother suggestions for a substansial brunch?? I have a few hours fore they will be stiring I believe.

Hi All, anyone still around?

Brenda, are you still there?

I happened back just after you posted I do believe. How are you today?

Coffee would be most welcome here too, it isn't as cold here as with you MizT but not very warm at all.
We have BIL and family coming down tonight so have to start and get tidied up.
Finally got my Xmas cards all written and posted. I have all the presents to wrap (some still to buy) but I am slowly catching up on preparations for xmas
Still not feeling very well and fed up with myself too

In answer to you question yesterday xmas fare this year is going to be slightly different from the normal turkey.
We are having a Turducken with all the trimmings. SAge and onion stuffing, pigs in blankets, various vegetables, roast potatoes parsnips brussel sprouts,
We haven't decided on starters yet but pudding will be a traditional british xmas pudding with brandy sauce

Walking in a winter wonderland! Another snow day! The sun is out and everything looks beautiful! Max took over my computer this morning and I kept getting kicked off the other one. Something must be set wrong. Every time I signed in, it kicked me back out.
MizT, I would suggest belgium waffles because they are extremely filling, but they are also a lot of work.
Sad news that Dan Fogelberg died. He was young(56) and the internet said he died of prostate cancer.
Maybe I'll try putting the presents under the tree. This way I could actually wrap them early and get them out of all of their hiding places. There have been times when we stayed up half the night wrapping the gifts Christmas Eve.

Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
We always got to the 4pm mass. Then we take our Christmas picture in front of the tree. We usually have antipasta and hors d'ourves for dinner. The kids take turns wrapping their presents to each other and us and put them under the tree. Christmas morning the rule is that they can't get us up before 7am. Now that the kids are older, they tend to sleep in anyway (at least the rest of the year!)

Hi Brenda, glad to see you getting better, even if it is slowly.

My father used to make the "pudding"(I don't remember the actual name for it.) for xmas and pour whisky(?) over it and light it on fire. We would turn out all of the lights and watch it. Now, my brother makes it.