getting into the spirit

I'm almost there ....... it's actually pretty hard here in the southern hemisphere to get into the spirit. I've only had one christmas in the north, and it definitely "felt" like it!! As I don't venture too near shopping malls it's easy to live in a little bubble and think that there are still plenty of days until the big one! But with the hubby having finished work I now have no more excuses I have to venture out into the land of consumerism for the sake of tradition. Wish me luck!
Another reason for struggling with the feeling this year has been that our region suffered very badly from flooding and slips last week. Over 100 houses are inhabitable, many people won't be in their homes for christmas. A number of beaches are "closed" due to sewage contamination, hopefully they will be open by the weekend. It's such a kiwi tradition to go to the beach, we plan to. At least the strange weather we've been having seems to have moved on and its nice and sunny.

Wishing you (wherever you are) all the best for the festive season.

december

It's hard to realise that Christmas is so close, maybe it is denial. The kids finish school next week, and we have had the school and dance school end of year shows (phew!) Today it's time to get the tree, we are going for a large fir that is in the garden, and is going to get too big for where it is - so it will be a homegrown Christmas tree!

I have been making some hangings for the tree. All the ingredients I had on hand, except for the bead eyes, so a  trip to the op shops and 50 cents later I had eyes. I've since been looking for more 100% wool jerseys to felt, but it's the wrong time of the year the op shops only have summer clothing out. The big ones are the mummy (and daddy) chooks, they have a comb and tail feathers, and the chicks are a bit smaller. I really must try getting some better photos of them ......

We also have a new baby - Mumbai. Named in honour of the hubby's first trip to India. We decided against Pune (where he's working), so went for Mumbai instead. We got him last week when he was 6 days old. The next day we picked up hubby from the airport, and the kids were so excited about the surprise for Daddy at home. They put a blindfold on him and he had to guess what it was. At first he thought it was a rabbit (long ears), then a guinea pig (what!), then a deer (the feet), finally he guessed right - a goat. He's so much fun, H & L are enjoying his antics. It's actually quite hard to get a photo of him as he seems to always be on the move. He does enjoy eating hair, and kissing too!

 

What a handsome boy! We are now teaching him that he is a goat and has to live in the paddock when we are not home. It's amazing what small gaps he can squeeze through!

 I still haven't tired of taking photos of our view, after 2 months here. So here's a diptych from dusk a few nights ago. There's the almost full moon through the power wires.