Oh Hot Diggity Blog!: An Island Christmas...

Day 6: Christmas Day

I awake to the smell of grandma’s glorious eggs cooking. I stuff them greedily into my croissant and enjoy – weight watchers can wait til tomorrow.

Everyone finally gathers under the patio – it’s quite the reunion – seventeen souls have come together after a year of planning for this. My mother hasn’t seen her youngest brother for six years – in that time I have lived in foreign countries, gotten married and settled in Sydney – no wonder they end up catching up well into Boxing Day.

I receive phone calls from loved ones – husband back home, sleepy after 29 hours awake with work. He’s happy with the swag Santa brought him and tells me he’s trying it in the lounge room as we speak. I look forward to trying mine beside him when I’m home.

My mother in law calls, heart strings pulled. Missing her and father-in-law and Jack, the Blue Healer who squawks in the background! A call to aunts and uncles on the NSW Central Coast, a call to brother packing for the beach on a hot WA day. A quick chat to my no-nonsense Father – happy to hear I’m well. Missing them all too! Heart tears at the reality that its just not possible for everyone to be together today!

Grandma and Aunty R prepare the fest – a tent is arranged in the backyard – and a surprisingly sophisticated table is set up.

While we wait, a water fight breaks out! After a drenching we have a little backyard cricket.

Food, amazing food is dished up, including that giant crayfish gathered from Stanley.

We enjoy!

After a glass of bubbles I get my usual giggles – I have managed to draw attention to myself for all the wrong reasons – Im in hysterics – set off by goodness knows what – people want to know what the joke is. I feel very immature and settle myself to complete my meal.

Im glad I haven’t stuffed myself and fill the last remaining void in my belly with pavlova smothered in local cream and better yet, local berries. Berry blessings burst in my mouth!

Speeches are made in a manner never seen in my family – it’s all very proper and I’m impressed and pleased. There is a lot of love! It’s a change to the farts and fables experienced in the days preceding – but it’s not too long before bullshit and bum trumpets are being blown again! If I have the gift of the gab – it’s inherited!