What to do on a hot day?

Very hot today so we didnt go out anywhere, the plan was to go to Costco shopping but they dont open until 10am so I did a quick shop locally then it was home to try to keep cool.

After lunch Warren and Lindsay made a board game consisting of to do cards and dice around a board.

This was the end result. We had one game and then some modications were made, to colour more squares. The squares are to pick up a card and do what it says. Then we had another game, just like to point out that I won both times.

Water Dragons

Walking Lucy the other morning, a water dragon was on the path. Lucy isnt scared of them, more that she is curious about what they are.

This one saw Lucy and it headed to the water andI thought that would be the last we would see of him but no as instead of going into the water, he went up a tree branch.

I didnt realise they could climb.

We also saw water fowl.

Bowling Championships

Today was the day, four Williams's against three Davis's.
The dye was set.
We were even given two lanes along side of each so it was like a league comp.

The youngest members bowling first and they both used the bumpers, our youngest at seven used the ramp a few times.

All was going well but sad to say, we were not the victors on the day. We did an average and first game was W 92.5 D 123 second game we did improve slightly to W 94 but were still beaten.

Maybe if I had worked the average accordly to age, that may have worked in our flavour?

A good couple of hours was had in an air conditioned venue as it was a very hot one today

Ten pin bowling

We have a date for bowling with some other family later in the week so we thought we would get some practise in.

Lindsay apparently went bowling for her birthday this year and she bowled first so the bumpers came out and she pretty much had the angles worked out pretty well, I think in the first game she got 105 which beat me and Ryan.

Ryan didnt do so well until he changed shoes near tge end of the last game.

I improved in the second game from 100 to 105 and did win that one, beating Warren as well as the kids. Two games was enough though, when we played league it was three games.

It was a school holiday discount so $5 a game including shoes so not too bad.

We are ready for the family championship now on Thursday.

Our Christmas get together

We had our Christmas lunch/get together on Saturday. Jason suggested that we go the their place so the kids could have a swim. That was a good choice and the kids loved it.

After thinking about food, who will eat what and how to keep it cold, we decided to buy a subway platter and a couple of buckets of chicken from kfc.  I ordered it beforehand and we picked it up on the way. Jason said they would do nibbles and drinks and Sheridan brought dessert.

It was a stressfree day, the kids had a swim before lunch then after we had eaten they played with nerf guns in the front yard. With big cousins at 18 and 15 looking out for the younger ones, 12 to 7, it meant the adults could sit and chat.

As we used mainly plastic plates and spoons, clean up was pretty quick too. There were a few subways left over which I brought home to go into the bin. I packed up the left over chicken and Lucy has a few meals.

Secret Santa

I belong to a face book group and each year, someone conducts a secret santa. It seems that a lot of the women (and it is mainly women in this group) are either single mums or widows.

Not everyone elects to go in for secret santa but I have for the last few years. I posted on here under Christmas one of the gifts that I made to send and I also sent a book that I thought the person would like.

We fill out a questionaire about favourite colours,  etc etc. I was matched this year to someone that that far away and she is a single mum with a couple of late teens. I know from the group that she is madly saving to buy her own house. Therefore money is not plentiful and I would think that she would not buy anything for herself. Besides having contact from another person, the idea is a gift.

I posted mine off one morning and that afternoon, I received a parcel from who ever was matched to me, its not the same person.

Besides a card, there was a strong large shopping bag, a tablet bag with strap and another bag that I was at a bit of a loss over, thanhfully she had mentioned it in the card, it was a brolly bag, made from thickish material so thst if the umbrella was wet, it would absorb the moisture. As I usually misplace or get rid of the covers of umbrellas, it woukd be good. All handmade the articles were too.

Biscuits

A recipe that I have used when we were living in China as I was able to obtain everything that I needed. It was titled "104 cookies for $4". Its a good recipe but makes heaps and things can be added.

Recipe is 500gms of butter, cup of sugar, cream togerher then add a tin of condensed milk and 5 cups of sr flour. Takes a bit of work to mix it all together.

We did some rolled in sugar, added choc chips to another, milo to some and the last lot had mixed fruit.

Three trays went into the oven three times with 12 on each tray so 108 biscuits.

We had bought cookies cutters so there are hearts, stars, circles and rabbits, we were keeping the duck for the coconut, but ended up not using coconut. Several packs were given to the cousins today.