Day 4 - It’s Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas!

[Cathie19]

Day 4 - 🎄 It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! 🎄

A tropical Oz perspective: that’s indulgent and doesn’t necessarily rhyme, ‘cause I ran out of time......

...... but it’s fine! 😉🤶🏼

🌴🌴🌴🎄🎄🎄🌴🌴🌴🎄🎄🎄🌴🌴🌴🎄🎄🎄🌴🌴🌴🎄🎄🎄🌴🌴🌴

My garden’s orchestra is beginning to warm up...

For the sun is waking, the birds are still stirring,

Low level sounds of birds are emerging.

Cicadas begin rubbing their wings in a low strumming,

as they ready themselves for the sun to be stunning.

They’ll soon be screaming, with high shrill excitement -

as the sun rises higher... they match it and stronger.

A lone green frog is croaking a call - left unanswered.

For the poor thing is just waiting for rain, making his efforts all in vain!

A bright Christmas beetle just flew threw the door.

Clicking and clacking it’s radar is poor.

As it lies on its back, little legs turned sky high,

I turn it around so it can get up and fly.

Let’s not mention flies for they’ve been less this last week.

Thank God for the rains so they began to deplete.

But the full and fat moon all bright in the night,

allowing no need for a torch does delight.

But the change in past tides as they rise and then fall,

leave us in fear for now mozzies appear...

so we crumble as they dart and bite at our ear.

Some happy plants > not happy,

as the grasshoppers chew,

I organically spray them, to be kind..... who knew?

Ah, the smell of the jasmine & frangipani is sweet

as it lingers on the moist hot air as I speak.

You can smell the wet earth and the electrical air,

as the storm in its frenzy passes by with such flare!

“Over here” that lone frog, is begging the cloud.

“But it’s not your turn!”  says the cloud with a scowl.

But how can this make me feel like it’s Christmas?

You question my mind, “for she’s lost it this time!”

Well for me at least, it’s the recipe combined:

the sounds, the smells the whole thing in tune -

the flora and fauna all doing their part;

to make this old chick, soften at heart.

The body is slow from heat and no sleep.

The mind all frazzled from too much to do.

The actions are wired to a brand new beat,

for AIrbnb guests are arriving, I’m feeling the heat!!

Sadly, Covid has been a real monster all year,

and hasn’t gone yet and it should be well feared.

But here where I sit we’ve no community transmission.

Call it luck, call it guidance, call it a blessed geographical remission.

But Xmas is coming in less then three weeks,

so family can travel, that makes it so sweet.

The planes on the tarmac are beginning to shriek, as they start up their engines, their crews and their P.P.E.

For our domestic state borders, for now, have come down,

and I can lose that sad frown. Why?

My babies and their babies are all coming to town!

Well at least for today, fingers crossed it’s all go,

I begin to think we might just make a Chrissy show!

The thunderous roar of the storms or the planes

will soon include grandchildren pounding the timber grain.

The sound as they run through the house with good cheer, is something to long for and something to fear??

But as I laugh and I prep and start singing a carol, there’s no end to this story or even a moral........

Just find the good cheer to make Xmas appear.

Be it in person or ZOOM - just don’t shut down with fear.

Stay safe, stay focussed and be your own shining light.

For soon it will be Christmas Eve and I’ll wish you goodnight!

🎄🎄🎄🎄

But remember:

With the bad and the good from 2020, all lined up raw, front and centre; 

I send love and good wishes to all in the CC forum.

For those who don’t celebrate Christmas, I wish you peace and good will.

As I get ready the broom to throw 2020 in the bin >

..... may the Christmas days ahead, bring us all love with some gin!   (🥂LOL)

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🌴🐸🪰🦟💨☔️

[Cathie19]

@Paul1255 

Why thank you Paul.... so glad it brought a smile! 😊

[Lizzie]

Aww love this @Cathie19. You are a poet and I did not know it!  🙂 You are very creative, so it doesn't come as a big surprise. 

Have you got your Christmas lunch menu sorted out yet? 

[Cathie19]

@Katie, the Christmas menu is still adapting..... lol.. 🎄

[Cathie19]

@Lizzie . Cakes cooked with gingerbread to make. ( All those in between sweet eats mainly covered) the gingerbread will be an activity with the local grandkids, as they only have a week left of school.   (18th last day)

Xmas eve is simple fare. Spaghetti bolognese (both meat and plant based cooked a few days before) with salad and crusty bread or similar. People can come and go without any fuss.

I cook hot meats early Xmas eve for having Xmas night. Turkey breast rolled - easy carving, same for pork and a leg of ham. Slice and make gravy all the day before..... refrigerate.

The veggies are cut up all ready for roasting. Refrigerate.

Xmas morning is generally oven warmed croissants with whatever. Often some sliced leg ham and cheese. Or just jam, whilst opening presents. Vegan cheese available. Tea coffee or juice. 

Lunch seafood will be purchased from the fish markets later next week. Frozen. 

We will have a few prawns, some oven baked fish (Barra, snapper or jewfish), some calamari rings stir fried in black pepper, garlic, lime and sweet chilli sauce. I will also do a plant based “meat”. Chicken “nuggets” or leftover pasta for kids not feeling the seafood love.

This year we will add some oysters. 

crusty or sourdough bread and a robust salad or two. A tray of small roasted potatoes cooked and tossed in Parmesan cheese, a little salt and garlic also. The rest are put aside for dinner with those already sliced meats and gravy. A tray of mixed roasted veg will go on in the afternoon. Pumpkin with cumin, and the usual. (Already prepared) Easy to microwave the pre-washed greens. 

Desserts are always simple: berries, mango, ice cream, some chocolate, some flaked almonds etc. If you want fancy, the kitchen will be available to all who want to create!   Maybe a cheesecake. Kids are usually happy with an ice cream on a stick around the pool. It could be fruit flavoured frozen yoghurt ones, or chocolate coated vanilla. Don’t want them too hyper!

If the weather is good, then the pool will play a central part for entertaining the grandkids. Probably will whatever if sun or rain.... lol

Everyone always doesn’t want a big dinner- but everyone always eats heartily! Everyone can eat together or just grab a plate and microwave their choices. Kids fed and settled earlier if tired and overwhelmed!

FYI - pulled pork ( jackfruit) will be the vegan “meat” option here. Also considering a vegetable “meatloaf”. One year the grandies were so ratty and tired, take away containers were filled with veg and gravy for the parents. The kids were poured through the bathroom and fed and pjs on for the drive home. Once all in bed, mum and dad heated their roasted meals and then ate happily in peace and quiet... (as did we)

lol x

[Quincy]

Great post @Cathie19! I love it 🙂 

[Cathie19]

@Quincy Hope you’ve got your decor ideas working for you for the Xmas season. Do you get a bit of a work break to do any house renovations or changes you want?

[Quincy]

@Cathie19, I've been doing a wee bit of decorating here and there, but I've got a long way to go!

Also, I've got 2 terraces that I need to fill with plants and outdoor furniture 😆 (I'll probably do this next year when the sun comes out).

For Xmas, I've got some outdoor star shaped lights⭐, and a little outdoor Xmas tree. I'm still waiting for the delivery of some decoration for it🎄. 

I hope all is well in down under ☀️!

Much love from us here in cloudy London ☁️

[Inna22]

@Cathie19 you are so multitalented! Poems, photoshop, hosting and I am sure many more! Love your poem!

[Cathie19]

Oh @Inna22 , I think I don’t match you! 

[Trudie7]

@Cathie19 LOVE THIS! As an Aussie myself this sums up everything about Christmas in Australia.

[Cathie19]

Glad @Trudie7 , that you enjoyed it! May you have a wonderful Christmas in your lovely neck of the woods. I use to work in Dee Why back in the early 80s. 😁

[Miloud0]

Salute @Cathie19 

Thank you so much for this so interesting and beautiful poem. Really, thank you for sharing with us your beautiful creativity 

Happy Xmas, I hope the peace and all the best for you and for all people all over the world 

Thanks, 

Miloud

[Cathie19]

Greeting @Miloud0!

So lovely to hear your voice! 👏🏼👏🏼 👏🏼😊

I'm glad you liked my silly  poem and hope it brought a smile to your face. 😊

May I wish you and your a blessed and peaceful season across Christmas and the New Year! 💐 Salute!

[Catherine-Powell]

oh @Cathie19 that is a FANTASTIC poem! Thank you, thank you for writing and sharing and inspiring. i love the descriptions of an Aussie Christmas. My first one in Australia was spent surfing on Manley Beach! Not something i had ever imagined. I hear the cicadas are out in force! Thank you for being such a committed member of our community and i look forward to connecting again in 2021. Warm wishes, Catherine

[Cathie19]

Glad you like it @Catherine-Powell. Manly is indeed a special place. I lived at South Steyne and North Steyne from 5yrs of age. Missed Queenscliff and hopped over to Harbord at about the age of 10. (now back using its original suburb name Freshwater)

Sadly 22 northern beaches are closed, including Manly, as the Northern Beaches LGA council went into a three day lockdown from yesterday, due to a Covid19 cluster outbreak from Avalon.

Sadly many Xmas plans have been brought to a screaming halt, ruined or disrupted. I have fingers crossed for family to get to Darwin on Sunday.... 😔

But we must remain full of hope, as we cannot let Covid19 win! 

May I wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas that brings joy, laughter and peace. 🎄🤶🏼💐