Chris Turns 17

Chris politely amused on getting his photo taken. Steve is eyeing up the bd cake

Sunday Feb 7

The snow has disappeared and made way for cloud and rain. The long winter is starting to get a bit boring now – though occasional sunny days do help a bit.

Robin and Bri were down with cold/lurgy during the week and and I think nobody is in top shape.

Next week we are off on a week holiday – skiing (first time again since 2006). Steve has been having snowboard lessons on Monday evenings (on an artificial piste) for a month or two now – so he should be able to get up to speed. We’re going to Lindenberg in SW Germany against the border with Austria. V cheap accommo and some small local ski areas 15 – 30 min away. Should be good fun.

I went away skiing with Oracle social club for 3 days at the beginning of Jan – had the unfortunate effect of reminding me how much I love it & how little I have done over the last 17 years. Oh well – hopefully the boys will get hooked too (C & R a bit ambivalent at the moment)

Chris’ band had another gig at a local venue yesterday – Bri and Robin went to see it. OK’sh though Jasper (vocalist and “leader”) has a lot to learn about singing and songwriting…and they need to get past the “standing around like vacant teenagers” approach to their stage act…Chris’ skills on the bass are rapidly improving though.

Happy New Year and All That

Last few days spent mooching around home. Weather turned wet and coldish again. Tuesday we went to Avatar at the pictures – best film I’ve seen in ages. Really worthwhile. Will also make an effort to catch Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” his first major film post-Madonna (I think – or was that RocknRolla?)

Wed went for an outing to an outlet shopping centre in Belgium – about an hour away. As we drove south the temp crept up and up – it was 9-10 deg. C. there while it was only about 1 C. at home. Further up north around Utrecht it was already snowing.

Yesterday we did get some light snow

 

New Years eve passed again without a hitch – one high spot was Chris an I caught up with a concert by Muse late last night on TV. Only heard a bit of them on and off – but live on stage those guys really rock.

More of same weather (light snow flurries) this morning. Cleaned up (surprisingly little) remains of fireworks. Boys gaming or reading (see below) & Bri clanking around in the kitchen (off to dinner at A&E – going round there later in the afternoon. Our contribution: homemade quiche & tiramisu) 

Christmas Cheer 3

Later on Christmas day (after initial sample of Christmas bread for afternoon tea) we headed ‘round To Roland & Jany’s for dinner.

We were there with 20 people (5 Sparks, A+E, 6 van Esch, Jany’s parents + sister + her 2 kids & friend + Tante Bab).

Back home about 10:30 pm. Steve threw up in his bed at about 12:30 am (food poisoning we think – though he was fine after that & next day). Took us about 45 min to clean it all up. That pretty well summed up the whole evening for me.

Boxing Day

Steven up earlyish and he had a decent breakfast so had no after effects. Nice sunny day outside. Chris and I went out for a walk in the afternoon to post an Xmas card for one of his friends who lives close by. The snow on Christmas morning turned to rain later in the day – so most of the snow has disappeared.

A & E came around for Boxing Day dinner. Torkey (orange zest, thyme & butter mix shoved under the skin and the two oranges halved & stuck in the bird. Some kumara & beans & gratinated potatoes to go with it (plus a Mount Riley Sauv Blanc & later a Jacobs Creek Cab Shiraz) Much more relaxing & the food was decent (and no-one got sick…). Watched the Willy Wonka film (the new one) on TV afterwards.

Sunday (Today)

More rain outside – generally blad weather. The kids were gaming upstairs. Bri & I finished painting the door frames upstairs in the afternoon. I played a bit of Risk with the boys.

Torkey pie (thanks to Aunty Mick and the Edmonds cook for that!) and home made Tiramisu. Just as good as the meal last night!!!

Just FYI – I keep calling it “torkey” in ref to the Swedish Chef on Sesame Street (oor de torkey!)

Christmas Cheer 2

Continuing the build photos of the Xmas bread…

Fruit added and kneading like hell…

The bake it off – low head for a bit to re-rise it then later at high temp to bake them off…

 

Christmas Cheer

Sunday evening – back to work tomorrow (for a day_ so I thought I would catch up with some blogging.

Christmas Day

After Christmas brunch & chatting to Mum & Dad on the phone Bri and I started on building the Christmas bread…

First mixing in the yeast etc

…Bri took her rings off first though…

 

Let the dough rise for about an hour…

Then add the marinated (rum) raisins  & lemon zest

White(ish) Christmas

After the heavy snow last weekend and some repeats during the last week – I think (not sure) that this might be my first white Christmas in NL.

Up not so early this morning – 0800 or so – and it had rained a bit last night. The snow in the back yard was starting to retreat a bit. About 0900 it started snowing for real – big heavy clumpy snowflakes (too warm for anything else). Has kept raining and snowing off and on this morning.

Short call during Xmas breakfast with Mum & Dad after several failed attempts my side to get through. Network is always overloaded to NZ on Xmas day.

The fam is currently settled on the couch watching “Up” on DVD. I’ll have a look at it later.

Later on the prog today is baking the Christmas bread (sweet, filled with nuts and rum-soaked raisins – El’s recipe). Bri just getting started on that now.

Meanwhile am considering whether to brew up another batch of Ginger Beer. The last round (#3 attempt) was better flavoured but:

• Go back to 50/50 split raw & white sugar to lighten colour
• Used less ginger and more spice last time – ok for taste but gave more sediment. Hmmm
• Brew time. 1 bottle had 24 hr (too little fizz) and the other had about 36 (too much fizz). Still need to get the yeast/brew time sorted out so that I get right fizz level. Too much and I lose too much drink fizzing overboard when I open the bottle.

Dinner tonight is at Ro & Jany’s – our turn again next year. Meanwhile our Boxing Day Torkey is busy defrosting in the garage…