COLOURFULWORLD

Wednesday 5 January 2022

December Wrap-Up

And we've reached the end of 2021! 

On one of our after dinner walks around our neighbourhood we saw these Christmas decorated houses near us.





Sunday 5th, we joined the yearly Christmas get-together with Portuguese friends at Point Walter Reserve.

The early birds got a great spot under a gigantic tree, which provided some coolness, even though it was a hot day.

Drove past the suburb of Applecross and the jacaranda trees were still in bloom. They are usually at their best in September. 

Friday 10th I met up with Grace at Ikea. We had a lovely chat over coffee/hot chocolate and cake, and then we walked through the shop and I found new lampshades to replace my old bedside ones, and a new one to replace my kitchen lights, which has yet to be installed. 


Sat 11th and Sunday 12th was a cool weekend, and Jose and I prepared and painted the badly peeling and ugly looking cement area next to the wooden patio. I was actually a quicker job than I had thought and will hopefully last a few years.


Monday 13th
we were invited to dinner at the house of the President of the Codfish Academy to discuss possible events for 2022.

Thursday 16th - my last day at work, took 2 weeks leave until 4th January. Hurray!!

Sunday 19th - Coffee at Coffee Club with 2 of my colleagues - even on holidays I can't get away from them lol, then had dinner with some of the ladies of the "Buy nothing group" that I've become friends with at nearby pub - Last Local Canning Vale.

On my return we called our daughter to congratulate her and husband on their 3rd Wedding anniversary. A short while later the whole family  joined a Whatsapp call  to chat about our various Christmas plans. 

My daughter, me, my middle sister, my niece, other niece, my middle sister and parents were together

Friday 24th - Ever since moving to Australia I've organized Christmas Eve dinner at our place, and we've had from 30 people down to just 8 this Christmas!

I had planned on setting the table outdoors in the patio, but it was a very hot day  39C (102.2F) and the prediction was that it would still be 31C (87.8F) at 7pm, so I set the table indoors. 

For Christmas eve dinner I served Codfish with cream (Bacalhau com natas), roast meat, salad, potato salad, Chocolate mousse, rice pudding, Portuguese French toast with Port wine sauce (rabanadas), fruit salad and fruit cake. Two of the friends that attended brought the potato salad, salad and fruit salad.

Christmas decor at home


Christmas day, Saturday 25th -  we had a young couple and their 1 year old join us for lunch. Once again we didn't set foot outdoors as we had a 42C (107.6) day!!

Tuesday 28th - lunch at our friends W and L's house. With a 40C (104F) day, it was great that they have a pool, so we had an enjoyable afternoon just sitting in the pool and chatting.

During the Christmas period, we had a few days of scorching temperatures in Perth, last recorded 53 years ago! A lot of people went to the beach, but I couldn't face going out at all, so we watched lots of movies under the aircon.  Sadly the heat also "roasted" our tiny mangoes, and we were left with just 3 which were a bit bigger.

On Friday 31st, we opted to go to the city. Forest Place was full of food trucks, and we bought Korean and Malaysian food. Just before 9pm we walked to Yagan Square to watch the "baby" fireworks.

At 11pm we drove home and watched a replay of the last hour of the Sydney New Year's Eve concert with the famous fireworks display at midnight.





      After the fireworks we walked the Christmas lights trail, which I love.

St George's Cathedral light show















In Northbridge (just north of the city) there was a lot of street entertainment mainly aimed at the kids.




With the heat we started getting a visit from a Willie wagtail, who has taken up residence inside our covered patio sleeping on one of the wires of the patio lights. Clever guy! I wonder if he was part of the family that had a nest in our garden a few months ago...


With very few infections and only 9 deaths since the start of the pandemic in 2020, Western Australia has so far managed to avoid the outcome of most other countries and even the rest of Australia, but from the 24th December, Perth residents were requested to wear masks in public places, public transport, etc, until the 4th, which has now been extended for a few more days. Sadly a backpacker that came in from Queensland just before our border was again closed with them, because of their rising cases, was infected with the Delta variant.

He had been infectious in the community for a few days before he started feeling sick, and infections now stand at 21 people. An unrelated case of a quarantine hotel security guard has come up today (5th Jan) and he's infected with the Omicron variant. So far close contacts have tested negative, but there are still a few people to be tested...

There goes our carefree life 😔 It was bound to happen from the 5th of February, when we reach 90% double vaccination rate and our borders with the rest of Australia and the world are due to open then. I suppose it's time to learn how to live with it.

Wishing you all a wonderful, healthy and happy 2022!

26 comments:

  1. It was a busy and enjoyable time for you.
    Hoje começam novas restrições nesta província. Estamos todos saturados. Bom 2022 com saúde e muitas saídas.
    :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sinto muito Catarina, imagino que anda tudo saturado. Aqui ja nos estamos a queixar so de pensar que daqui para a frente teremos que usar mascaras diariamente, quando era algo que so usamos durante umas 4 semanas durante 2 anos! Saude e felicidades!

      Delete
  2. ...I hope that you 2022 will be bright, healthy and happy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. For someone like you who lives in an eternal social whirl with constant contact with others, COVID restrictions must seem especially difficult. Miriam and I lead a very active life but it's all outdoors and gathering with like-minded fellow naturalists is much easier to do safely, and the number of people permitted to congregate together is higher. As you say, even though Western Australia has been very fortunate it was almost inevitable that the hammer would fall at some point. Once again, I have abandoned plans to visit Australia (Victoria and NSW), for the third time actually, and I am starting to seriously doubt that I will ever make it back there again. Sad!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's very sad David that you have once again postponed your Australian travel plans. Even though we have friends who have booked to go to Europe at Easter time, we are not planning any overseas travel yet either...Just a wait and see game.

      Delete
  4. Dearest Sami,
    Happy New Year!
    Funny how the Portuguese Bacalhau and Dutch Kabeljauw sound close to each other. Cod in English and Merluzzo in Italian, Kabeljau in German.
    Oh, you make me feel homesick for our Christmas times in Indonesia, while working/living there. MISS the tropics!
    Here we have to wait two more months, though last week it was for days 28℃.
    We're still waiting for the painters to finish our exterior... The worst ever experience as they do not finish and their communication is close to zero.
    It keeps us kind of locked into our home, waiting if they show up and we cannot plan anything.
    Wishing you the very best for 2022.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mariette. Not bad temperatures for this time of the year.
      That's not ideal when workers don't communicate and you have to hold up your plans waiting for them. Good luck :) Best wishes for 2022

      Delete
    2. Glad to inform you that they just finished their job, begun on November 29th... Just wrote them the check! So happy.

      Delete
  5. LOL, what is this always with IKEA? T and I meet there also.
    3rd wedding anniversary?! Wasn´t that just yesterday?
    Hmmm, ,now I crave fruit salad (but it´s 4C, raining and dark, no way I walk out again!)
    Your tables look great and awww... 42C! Wonderful!
    Sad about the mangoes, though!
    Awww, all the lights! And Willie!

    Yes, we sadly will have to learn with the darn pandemic.
    My customer-teamleader just today said he has "many" friends that came down with it.

    I hope we learn to do better in 2022! To a happy one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, cheap food, always interesting to wander about the shop and close to Grace. Yes, can hardly believe it's been 3 years since we went to the Philippines for their wedding.
      I've had family members that had it in South Africa and in America :(

      Delete
  6. What a wonderful December you had. Made me smile.

    Have a fabulous day and a wonderful, happy and healthy 2022. ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Sandee. Happy New Year to you too :)

      Delete
  7. I'm sorry about the virus coming to your area. I hope you can tamp it down before it becomes as messy as here. I'm just delighted you could have a wonderful Christmas with most of your family -- it looks beautiful and delicious. And a wonderful New Year's celebration. Here's to a good new year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jeanie. I think with this Omicron variant it's going to be much harder to contain it.

      Delete
  8. As usual you had a busy and interesting month. Listening to weather over Christmas and the lead up, I felt very bad for you in such heat. It never occurred to me that you can watch midnight fireworks in the east and still go to bed early enough. Yes, the virus will come to your state as it has to the rest of the country.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Andrew. We still didn't go to be early, we called overseas family, so only went to bed at 2am :)
      We will all be equal virus wise then :(

      Delete
  9. Já tive essa sensação de passar o Natal com 40 graus.
    Foi estranho, confesso.
    Mas inesquecível.
    Foi em Melbourne.
    Feliz Ano Novo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nunca pensei que Melbourne atingisse 40C, geralmente o clima por la e mais fresco. Feliz Ano Novo Pedro/

      Delete
  10. Hello,
    Very nice pictures,
    Wonderful to see all the christmas lights in the city. Very nice.

    I wish you all the best.

    Greetings, Marco

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Marco. I bet much enjoy the Christmas lights too.

      Delete
  11. Good to know that the Willie wagtail has taken refuge in your patio.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Haddock. He's there most nights. I've actually just checked and he was there :)

      Delete
  12. Hello from NJ, USA (well, I'm in Florida right now for the winter)! Happy to have found your blog, and Monday Murals meme!I enjoyed this snapshot of what daily life in Perth is like!

    ReplyDelete

I would love to hear from you, please leave a comment.