Tis the season to be social.

I thought we were going to have a very quiet Christmas as our family get together had been held a couple of weeks earlier.

Our daughter in law asked us to join her family for lunch on Christmas day, which was a pleasant day, over the years that Fiona has been part of our family we have met on several occasions so we knew all of them. Nineteen sat down to lunch, it was cold meats and salads, so sensible at this time of the year. So many people try to keep with tradition and have a roast dinner with all the roast vegetables followed by pudding, great in the UK but definitely not for our weather. Although the weather was hot it was not unbearably hot which is often the case on Christmas days gone past.

In the Christmas week, we had our tax done which meant preparing lunch, then we had friends over for dinner the same day, only time we were all available.  Then Christmas. Monday and Wednesday saw us entertaining friends that we hadn't seen since we had lived up here. Both couples now have family living in Queensland and had travelled here for Christmas.

It was great to catch up, one couple we met when we were first married about 40 years ago and hadn't seen them for fifteen years. The second couple we met later, Warren worked with the wife in a small office and the boss, his wife and the other couple and us used to go to dinner in and around Canberra on a regular basis.

Today we have delivered the car to the new owner and have tidied up the loose ends caused by making changes. All ready now for the New year. A happy and safe 2016 to all.

The Rustic Olive

We had a busy weekend at home and hadn't been out so I suggested we go somewhere for lunch on Tuesday. Warren wanted to go the beach so our favourite place to eat at Redcliffe is The Rustic Olive, a cafe on the water front.

I like it as they bring a jug of water with the menus, not a regular practice in Australia but we had become used to that when eating out in China and I really like it. Often we stick with water with the meal.

We ordered a rustic pizza to share and then thought that maybe we should get some bread as well, seeing that we were sharing. OMGoodness the bread was almost a meal in itself, spinach cheese and ham sandwiched between two very crisp wafers of bread? It was very very nice and of course there was the pizza to come. That also was very nice and we ended up taking enough home for the next days lunch. Didn't take a photo, didn't think about it until it was almost all eaten.

Did take some photos of the waterfront when we went for a walk after our meal.  Nothing like winter in Queensland.

Jacandras

This time of the year, many of these are in bloom. On my drive to work this week, I have seen several and it always makes me realize that it is October. So big and pretty, not sure that I would like one in my yard though as I would imagine a lot of mess when the flowers die and fall. Just one of the things that I really enjoy about living in Queensland.

The photo is a bit blurry, not mine as I am driving and cant stop when I see them.