Outside on December 25th

The quintessential Christmas activity: Cricket with the Family. It doesn't matter if it's on the beach, in the backyard or in the back forty...everyone has a go at bat and bowling!
Safety first, especially when Brandy Alexanders and Champagne has been freely flowing!

Christmas Bocce was also on order. Everyone was sun safe and wore a hat...and we bowled in teams: Team Australia Vs. Team World.

Gentlemen, start your engines!

There's nothing like having a little friendly Christmas day competition! Windup Bees don't race well...they just kind of hop in circles...but toy cars on the other hand...

The boys had a few car races in the kitchen after lunch. That blur in the center of the photo? Alex's fist mid-Victory pump!

Christmas luncheon

It was a hot day in Murrindindi...probably topped out at 35 degrees. Lunch for 17 was served inside, and there was SO MUCH food!
There was also some concern a few days earlier that the traditional Gingerbread House was not going to make an appearance at Christmas...so Jas and I made a Gingerbread Surf Shack, complete with a quiver of surfboards...some of which dwarfed the house. We obviously did not design to scale, but it was good and tasty and chewy, and we just poured lollies around the house before the rest of the guests arrived to make it legitimately festive.

Christmas in Murrundindi

Matt and Jasmina invited Alex and I to join Matt's family for Christmas. They live in the Yarra Valley. Well, the YEA Valley, actually, but same same.
We drove up Christmas Eve night and had a fabulous Christmas day at Rex and Sue's home.
Matt and Jas traditionally prepare an appetizer for Christmas Day. This year it was Smoked Salmon Blinis
Rex was in charge of the BBQ. He roasted the Xmas Ham and an amazing Roast Beef. Here he is making up a wine and mustard glaze.
Uncle Brian makes Brandy Alexanders every year. He has a wicked secret recipe!
Alex and I and Carline and Burt-Rene, friends of Matt and Jas's from the Netherlands, are now firm supporters of Uncle Brian's skills as a Brandy Alexander mixologist.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has a great Christmas Holiday season!
Here is our Christmas tree in reception at the Great Ocean Road Cottages. (Notice the lack of lights. Lights = fire hazard. Fire hazard in Oz= not good.)

Kris Kringle

I went to my first bona fide Xmas event of the season the other night in Lorne. Zoe and Miles hosted a Kris Kringle party, and we all brought a gift and a plate. Aussie phrase: "Just bring a plate!"
Canadian translation: “It’s potluck!”There were heaps of food and drink, and we had some fun exchanging Kris Kringle gifts.Komung is stoked to choose his gift!
Alex got Ray Bans from Santa.

(NOTE: It's not that warm here yet...it's been about 19-20 degrees this week. You'll notice people are still wearing jumpers and hoodies. It's meant to fine up by next week though, and layers will start to come off!)

Rain. I guess it's good. There is a drought after all.

It's December and it's raining in Melbourne. In fact, pissing down rain across the whole region for three days in a row with more in the forecast!

I have to admit that it makes me a bit homesick. I'd be alright if there was the usual surreal hot weather leading up to an Australian Christmas on the beach...but there's not...yet. And it's got to be said, there is something SO RIGHT about Christmas shopping in soggy shoes with hat head and a dripping umbrella!

Let it be known that I miss you all back in Canada. Please drink a Bailey's and Hot Chocolate and think of me!

Techno Feeb

Okay, You've got to see this movie! (I may have given you a bum steer with the link and the searches, but I'm still learning how to text competently on my mobile phone, so bear with me!)

I think our movie is pretty damn good....and you probably won't get a lot of it...but I'll explain bits if you ask me to.

Try searching YouTube for : Post Grad Directors '08: A Retrospective or VCA Directors '08

That movie you're all waiting to see...

No...it's not Baz Luhrman's AUSTRALIA! God! It's the movie my director cohorts and I made for our last day at VCA.
If you'd like to see it, in jokes and all, then follow the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14FGKxapGX0

And if (no surprise!) I have messed up the link, go to YouTube and search for...
VCA Directors '08: A Retrospective

Australian Pastoral

Simba the horse, Zephyr and Connie the kangaroo in Matt and Jasmina’s paddock.

Schoolies '08: THE END

Huge pile of dirty laundry from Schoolies.

We worked like maniacs on Saturday to clean up after the last week of school-leaving revellers and prepare the property for normal guests in Lorne.

I don’t know from Cricket….

10 things I learned when I went to watch SHANE WARNE: THE MUSICAL:

10. It’s a good idea to drink spirits before watching any musical theatre.
9. It’s just that much more entertaining when your theatre date has a good sense of humour too.
8. Sometimes it physically hurts me to watch performers mime sports activities.
7. Eddie Perfect knows his audience. So does Neil Armfield.
6. Gospel, soul, power anthems, bollywood and boy band-inspired tunes can live together in harmony.
5. I now know what a legspin bowler is.
4. While there were a few cringe-worthy moments, this show is very far from a “cringe fest”. (And you know, maybe it was just me and my issues with musical theatre!)
3. Cricket is massive in Australia.
2. Shane Warne is massive in Australia. (At one point, he thought he was so massive that he took dieuretics to lose weight. This led to being banned from the game for testing positive for a prohibited substance. Who knew!)
1. After this sports-inspired theatre experience, I’d consider going to see a musical about hockey and Todd Bertuzzi.

Welcome to Rancho Deluxo

Whilst in Melbourne, (How funny is that word "whilst"?! Australians use it all the time!), I am staying in Collingwood at the Rancho Deluxo, Nadia and Benny's top floor apartment in their retro six unit building. They're off in Sydney until January. I love Rancho Deluxo. It's cozy with heaps of character. They have a great espresso machine that pulls a wicked coffee, a chandelier, and their place is close to some cool shops, neighbourhood pubs and cafes. I'm thrilled to have a whole space to myself again for a while.

Leaving Elwood

I'm moving out of Chris's flash Elwood apartment this week. Part of my stuff is in Collingwood at Nadia and Benny's apartment, part of it is in Lorne, and the rest is in storage. I'll be bouncing between the Coast and the Big Smoke for the summer.
I might miss Elwood Beach...I'll be sure to visit when I meet Chris for a drink and to pick up my mail!

First Day of Summer

A clear blue sky and a fresh breeze marked the first day of summer here in Lorne. I've been down here this weekend helping Matt and Jas with the annual Schoolies changeover weekend. After a few days in Melbourne, I'll be back next weekend to help with the last Schoolies cleanup of 2008...and I'll be staying on in Lorne for most of the summer, HOPEFULLY working and of course, spending time on the water!