Two Christmases, 2010
December 2010, by Tom
After spending a number of years over in London I had longed for a family Christmas dinner of yester years. Christmases in London were great - usually either away at some remote country with friends, or in London with friends. This year, however, we had two family Christmases!
We had only been back in the motherland for a few days before it was time to head away again - up to Mount Maunganui with the Turner clan. Every year the Turner family descends on their timeshare; a short walk from the beach. A great place to go and relax over the Christmas holidays. Graham and Lisa had decided to come over from Brisbane to join in with the festivities - and it was really great to catch up with them both.
It was a nice relaxing week - with lots of drinking, eating, swimming, running (which I really need to work on if I have any chance at all at keeping up with Graham Longstride) and socialising with the extended family. We had a tasty meal out at one of the local restaurants for Helen and Robins 40th wedding anniversary - congratulations!
For Christmas day we had a "cook off" where each couple took on a course. Helen and Robin made some tasty salmon, prawn and mango bilinis for entree, Graham and Lisa put on the best roast leg of lamb I've had in ages with all the trimmings and Gini and I took on the desert with a Lemon Meringue pie accompanied by brandy snaps (and no, we didn't make the brandy snaps!). It was a huge success all around given that the timeshare kitchen was not what we were used to.
With our first Christmas complete, we had organised to meet up with the Peck family in Taupo on Christmas day and to spend a few days with them at their house along with Jen, Dave and their adorable baby boy Alex. Our second Christmas day dinner was on boxing day - a BBQ turkey and all the trimmings - exactly as expected! It was a nice and relaxing few days. It was great to spend some time with Alex who we had only seen from photos until we returned back to Wellington to meet him in the flesh.
With the two Christmases complete, we returned to Wellington.
For new years eve we popped around to Josh and Kate's new house in Miramar for obligatory festivities. It was great to see their new pad and to catch up with friends we'd not seen for quite some time.
Which marks the end of 2010 - a year filled with everything imaginable! Who knows what 2011 will bring - can it live up to our ever increasing expectations?!?
T
We had only been back in the motherland for a few days before it was time to head away again - up to Mount Maunganui with the Turner clan. Every year the Turner family descends on their timeshare; a short walk from the beach. A great place to go and relax over the Christmas holidays. Graham and Lisa had decided to come over from Brisbane to join in with the festivities - and it was really great to catch up with them both.
It was a nice relaxing week - with lots of drinking, eating, swimming, running (which I really need to work on if I have any chance at all at keeping up with Graham Longstride) and socialising with the extended family. We had a tasty meal out at one of the local restaurants for Helen and Robins 40th wedding anniversary - congratulations!
For Christmas day we had a "cook off" where each couple took on a course. Helen and Robin made some tasty salmon, prawn and mango bilinis for entree, Graham and Lisa put on the best roast leg of lamb I've had in ages with all the trimmings and Gini and I took on the desert with a Lemon Meringue pie accompanied by brandy snaps (and no, we didn't make the brandy snaps!). It was a huge success all around given that the timeshare kitchen was not what we were used to.
With our first Christmas complete, we had organised to meet up with the Peck family in Taupo on Christmas day and to spend a few days with them at their house along with Jen, Dave and their adorable baby boy Alex. Our second Christmas day dinner was on boxing day - a BBQ turkey and all the trimmings - exactly as expected! It was a nice and relaxing few days. It was great to spend some time with Alex who we had only seen from photos until we returned back to Wellington to meet him in the flesh.
With the two Christmases complete, we returned to Wellington.
For new years eve we popped around to Josh and Kate's new house in Miramar for obligatory festivities. It was great to see their new pad and to catch up with friends we'd not seen for quite some time.
Which marks the end of 2010 - a year filled with everything imaginable! Who knows what 2011 will bring - can it live up to our ever increasing expectations?!?
T
Alex with Nanna
The good stuff too!
Dinner is served!
Careful Josh!
