The last month of the year is always super busy, and it started with lots of social events:
- a BBQ at our friend's W & L at their house by the Canning River, where we usually stay for the birds feeding session - black swans, ducks, coots and purple swamphens.
- a get-together with friends from the Portuguese community at Point Walter Reserve, by the Swan River. Everybody takes something to eat and drink and with 2 tables full there's plenty to share. I took a cake and Codfish fritters that I had found in a supermarket I had never been to. Just fried them and they were actually quite good.
 |
| Portuguese flag draped on a table at the gathering and codfish fritters |
- an afternoon coffee with a Brazilian friend, who I met in Perth years ago and who now lives back in Brazil, but was here to attend her daughter's wedding, and a breakfast with my work colleagues as this year we didn't have a Christmas work function.
With my Brazilian friend Monica we met in the city, then took a free bus to Subiaco, just west of the city where we visited the Theatre Gardens to find Bille Bob, one of the wooden giants from Norwegian artist Thomas Danbo.
We were in awe of this amazing and huge giant, and surprised that no one was there, apart from a few kids with their mothers in the nearby playground.
 |
| Bille Bob in Subiaco |
 |
Some of the Christmas lights I saw while walking with Monica
|
Ever since I came to Australia almost 16 years ago, I've been doing Christmas Eve dinner at our house, but because this Christmas we wouldn't be home, I decided to have a Christmas lunch on the patio on Saturday 10th with the family and a small group of friends.
This year it was decided gifts to be given only to kids and we had 10 of them here!
As tradition I made Codfish with cream, Jose made a chicken curry, and I made 2 desserts. A friend brought lasagne, another brought a huge salad, and others brought more desserts...because you can never have enough desserts!
 |
| Our Christmas table with the 3 mains and then with the 7 or 8 desserts we had!! |
 |
Our Christmas tree and gifts
This elephant was picked up during verge collection in my street a couple of years ago. I painted it then for my grandkids to use, but they are now too big for it, so it got a makeover and was gifted to a friend's 1-year-old boy.
|
 |
| The rocking elephant before |
 |
The rocking elephant got a makeover for this Christmas
|
The following day we met the young French couple who would be house-sitting for us during our 9 day holiday to Bali. I showed them around the house, and they met Twiggy and it all went well. We arranged to pick them up from the station the day before our departure, so they could have dinner with us and go over the list I had typed up for them with instructions for the appliances, cat feeding schedule, etc.
On that day after dinner, we walked around the suburb to show them some of the decorated houses which they weren't familiar with.
Thursday 15th - Jose and I went to the city centre with the daughter of our friends W & L, her husband and their 2 girls who were visiting from the UK, to show the kids the Christmas lights in the city.
We didn't get to see many or even the best, but kids being kids they just wanted to see the "Alice in Wonderland" lights being projected at the WA Museum Boorla Bardip.
 |
| Lights in the city |
 |
| City lights and projections |
I still managed to squeeze a melt and pour soap making workshop at home for our "Community Harvest" group, but in the end only 1 person managed to attend. We still had fun and I made soaps for myself and for Christmas gifts too.
 |
| Melt and pour soaps |
On Friday 23rd Jose and I flew to Denpasar (Bali). It's just a 3,30h flight, closer to Perth than any other Australian city. Our flight was delayed by 1h at take-off, and then due to the late arrival coinciding with other flight arrivals in Denpasar we had to circle around another 30 minutes.
Our daughter Karina and son in law Thomas arrived in Bali from Cologne about 2 hours after us, and we were both picked up by drivers we had previously arranged through the Airbnb house where we were staying in Seminyak.
Hello from Perth:This photo was taken when we went to the city with our friend and her 2 girls to see the Christmas lights, and Jose took a photo of me in front of the sign, but like a good photographer, he cut the P & E out, so here is one with an unknown person in front of it.
Dearest Sami,
ReplyDeleteThat sounds indeed like a very busy period around Christmas.
Love the rocking elephant makeover for the one–year old child!
How nice for having house sitters to feed Twiggy while you were gone.
We too needed a cat sitter but she just comes trice daily to feed our five kitties.
Both of us were gone for 8 days.
Happy you made it to Bali, we always loved being there during our period of living and working in Indonesia.
Hugs,
Mariette
Hello Mariette, when we go away for over 3 or days we try and get a sitter because the garden needs watering, etc. For short periods a friend that lives 10 min away comes and feeds Twiggy.
DeleteOops, I didn't notice I was signed out. Sami
Delete🤗
DeleteYour travelling is always fun to observe. The Xmas lights are surely dazzling. You even visited Bali! What a great break from the usual life
ReplyDeleteThanks Roentare. It was our first time in Bali.
DeleteI've seen the wooden giants in someone else's blog from time to time.
ReplyDeleteQuite a few giants around the world apparently. Thanks William
DeleteI love that you decided to do an early Christmas patio lunch -- a great idea since you wouldn't be there. You've seen some wonderful things. It all is so pretty and looks such fun. Can't wait to hear about Bali!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeanie. I felt bad about not being here for the traditional Christmas eve dinner 😀.
DeleteI'd love to see Billie Bob.
ReplyDeleteThe elephant rocker is cool.
I didn't realise Denpasar is closer to you than Adelaide. It will be interesting to hear about Bali. I've never been there.
I've now seen 4 of the giants, 1 more to see, and sadly one was burned down. Sorry I was wrong, Adelaide is closer to Perth.
DeleteHello Sami, I am back blogging again, and enjoying catching up with all my old blogging friends, rather slowly I might add. Ooooh I am looking forward to hearing about your Bali trip. That sleeping giant is awesome, my daughter saw some similar to that when they travelled up to Maine last year.. you find the most interesting things on your travels.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to blogland Gillian. We had 6 giants installed near Perth, sadly one of them got burned.
ReplyDeleteLooks a busy and fun time.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your photographs.
Love the rocking elephant :)
All the best Jan
Thank so much Jan :)
DeleteOh, how come I missed the wrap-up?!
ReplyDeleteOh, you found a giant, so nice! Tom has one on again, too. Bille Bob is a cute name.
A late Christmas sounds great. And yummy :-)
I know not the one that is important, but that closed table looks great.
Cute elefant. And lights.
Will you believe it. Ingo bought soap!!!! We still have yours, still some from Hillarys Boat Harbour and Ingo has a soap-making kit since years and what does the man do?!
Ingo and you should make some soap, it's fun :) We've seen more giants now, they are fabulous. They will stay until November this year. Thanks Iris
Delete...Sami, this is a fabulous post. I love the wooden giant and the rocking elephant. In the basement I have my rocking horse from when I was a kid. Tanks for linking today.
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely to have such a treasured toy from your childhood still in your possession. The giants are a huge attraction around here and they will stay for 1 year.
Delete