American food experiences….

Starbucks, eggnog latte.

Interesting.

Nothing to do with coffee at all! 

December 31

Today, New Year’s Eve, was an Anna day. We made craft angels and sang songs. Eli decided I was worth hugging. Lovely day.

Sunday and Monday,  were quiet days at home.  Five weeks of leave so far. I am enjoying occasionally doing nothing, watching snow fall lightly, and recovering from the second cold of the trip.  When one speeds tie with the very young, this is inevitable I guess.

Saturday.  We drove to Columbus, to take Caroline to the airport. We lunched along the way, in quaint Nelsonville, and visited shops in various towns. Big, small, food, antique, international foods… It was all fascinating to me. Different from faraway Oz!  We all felt bleugh sick with colds.

As I said farewell to my niece, I realised it is only until I see her in NYC next month. Yay! Nice person, exciting place.

Adrienne is spending time helping me book planes, trains and hotels for the latter part of my vacation. It will be sad to move on… But fun too. New worlds. New people. And then one day, home.

And so the year is ending. I liked 2013. The job is fabulous. The folks great. The place beautiful.

The chance to develop interests…. Music. Emergency ministries.

Friends I love.

The Helpx program…. So useful.

And a trip OS.

Not too bad really.

Very good actually!

2001… A bunch of nieces…. Photo taken in Brisbane, Australia.

The Brisbane twins, Emma and Kate.
And now, in the USA…
Caroline from NYC
Anna from Athens

Caroline from New York

My niece.

Abbey showing Grandpa…

Her fav Christmas gift, the bilby from Auntie Rowena

Auntie Rowena gave Abbey…

A toy bilby, from Australia.

In from New York

My niece, Caroline, discusses Christmas with her nephew, Noah.

Christmas 2013

Eli, the enchanting!

Midweek looking back…

Monday, Tuesday….

Children, and family, and cooking, and last-minute shopping, and wrapping… All the usual.

Monday was the day Anna came over, with the children. And we decorated the tree, and “helped” Grandma cook… It was a lot of fun. But tiring. Worth it though.

Tuesday, just us on the farm. My job was to wrap every gift in the house, except mine, of course. Early evening saw us join the others at children’s Christmas Eve service in church. Abbey and Noah were very excited. Their daddy read some of the bible passages. They were very proud of him. They went down the front to the minister, when he read a children’s Christmas story, as the sermon. They answered his questions perfectly. They loved getting small electric candles. You name it… Wild excitement.

It was a lovely service.

Afterwards, we three went to a party… Hospitable folk. Friendly, multi-national guests, and some even knew East Gippsland! Interesting food. The host was very sweet. He collects old music boxes, the traditional kind. He played us “Silent Night”. So beautiful.

CHRISTMAS DAY…

Caroline arrived. Yay! Another delightful niece, who lives in New York.

Lunch was our highlight. Everyone, and laughter, and good food and much blessing.  The children weren’t the only ones hyped up!  Then the gifts. So much, even for me, the visitor…

I must say, the bilby and the echidna went down well with Abbey, our animal person.

It was a very good Christmas Day.

And now, Thursday draws to an end. Adrienne, Caroline and I pottered gently round town. Recovering.

Emil and Noah at the tree farm

Finding the right tree is a very serious task indeed!