#blog12daysxmas Dec 31

I have no desire to see the new year in - I hope to be asleep! So just a quick post.

A lovely breezy day so we mowed the lawn which was starting to get complacent and uppity. We soon fixed that attitude.

Laundry was done and soon dried in the breeze. Much folding of same also achieved.

I iced the cake... To answer Rachel's questions, yes it's a silicon "tin" which works quite well. I don't think that icing it completely looks that nice so I just put some around the base to hide the munted bit at the bottom where I trimmed off the raised part so it would sit flat. I also did some blobs on the towers and around the battlements. It looks quite nice with just icing sugar sprinkled over it like snow.

We spent the evening at my mum and dad's place for a kind of Christmas/ birthday/ New Year / farewell to visitors dinner.

My panna cotta worked well. When I turned it out of the mould my sister and I decided it looked like a slug so we turned it into one.

My sekkrit Santa got me an ice cream maker! I have always wanted one! The bowl is in the freezer as we speak :-)

#blog12daysxmas 30 Dec

So. 2013 draws to a close. Just what will the new year will bring?

Well, I do know it is going to include cake!

Also, I am trying the Blogger app for the iPad so have no idea how this going to format!

Today I did the domestic goddess thing and made a birthday cake and honey and vanilla panna cotta.

And I also felted a bag. And a bangle, sort of. Not sure who or where it will go yet. I think I will do some embellishment on it to make it a bit sparkly.

#blog12daysxmas 28th-29th Dec

DH has a new phone - a Sony Xperia S. Do you think it would be easy to find a cover for it? The answer is no. We traipsed all around West Auckland yesterday trying to find one with no joy. Using the internets we found a place finally to get one today.  Because the phone is white which was a bit too bright for my understated man... black wasn't available at the particular place he wanted to get it from. :-)

Miss5 managed to wreck my washing line by swinging on a rug I had hanging up.  So I had to go on a mercy errand to get some line to mend it.

It is so hot and humid right now so I was very happy to spend my Christmas money on this ice block maker!  Very exciting :-)  If you have something like this, tell me your favourite flavours.

 

I felted a scarf for a friend's birthday next week.

 

Close up

 

I'm very happy with the way it has turned out.  She is in the northern hemisphere so it will be useful right now.  As for me... it's far to hot to wear wool!

Speaking of birthdays - Miss5 turns 6 on the 7th and I'm trying to sort out her birthday bash.  So many people are away on holidays and I don't have her school friend's details.  I'd be very happy for a quiet dinner, but Miss Social Bunny is not so interested in that.  Having said that, I think this will be the last year for a party per se.

I am really enjoying my Kobo Glo.  I purchased one book to try out that side of things and successfully downloaded two ebooks from Auckland Libraries Overdrive offering.  So now... tell me your suggestions for ebook places that epub formats available (free of otherwise).  I know I've used a Sci Fi place before but have forgotten the name...

It's too hot to cook but the lions are clamouring for their dinner.

#blog12daysxmas 27th December

Arrived back home!  Hooray for wifi! Hooray for my own bed!

Hooray for photos!

 

Hooray for Christmas dinner!



 Hooray for waterslide!



Even whale sized me had a turn... it is shorter than the one we had as kids.

 

The rain and humidity has had the expected effect on the garden.
The dark fleshed plums are ripening. We've already had a bumper crop of the early plum (Hawera).

 

 I have 2 nice green cucumbers growing.

 

I'm getting more zucchinis by the day.

 
 and hooray for home grown tomatoes!

#blog12daysxmas Boxing Day

Having been rudely woken in the night by some moron vandalising the letter boxes in the street we're staying on the day dawned grey and drizzly again. Fortunately, FIL's box is a massive sturdy box that requires more than brute force to destroy... 

Following breakfast we had a play fight with SIL (who likes to provoke her bro') which resulted in her being put in the shower with it turned on icy cold as revenge.

Then a visit to town to purchase a camping light for her and perchanced upon a good deal for a camping gazebo that will mean I don't have to cook outside in the rain. Yay!

Starting to get antsy about going home to my proper bed and decent wifi (3G sucks the battery on the iPad and phone) so I can set up my new KoboGlo! The best present from Santa.

Besides, I have finished all my books.

#blog12daysxmas Christmas Day

I was hoping to make it to 7am before the children woke but no... 6am had mr9 crowing like a rooster in the lounge! A rainy, gloomy day dawned with plenty of happy noises from the children though.

SIL and I turfed MIL out of the kitchen and did the celebratory dinner which was delish even if I do say so myself.  A post-prandial nap and then some zert!

No photos because I didn't bring any connectors for the iPad.

I noted with some interest that the presence of wifi in the house is something I have got used to and now take as a given.  The lack of same limits my communication with friends and family owing to my reliance on social media. My SIL however relies on her phone, landline and txts. Different style determined by different life habits.