Kumi presented us with 10 courses to choose from - 5 western and 5 asian - excellent cuisine, so much choice and sooh good.
It was a lovely evening , also it was an early night for us all - which was how we had planned it - fast asleep way before the "changing of years".
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I spoke to our friend Peg (and Fred) in San Diego yesterday, wanted to see how they were faring with the mud slides etc in California, it has not been easy, but they have come through it after a very watchful eye for the whole week before Christmas.
New Hampshire friends came through their Christmas without much blizzard damage - just absolutely freezing!
What is happening here in Queensland is diabolical - just unbelievable how much these people, their stock, crops and businesses are suffering - with 10 people dieing so far. It is just getting bigger and bigger - nearly one million square kilometres. The disaster this has done to our Australian wildlife fauna is unfathomable - kangaroos and wallabies, koalas, wombats, emus and all those dear little things that live in burrows and our wonderful array of goannas and lizards - so so many losses. Below a Goanna, a large group of stranded Wallabies and one lone Wallaby in dire straits in this flood.
(A lot of the snakes, and of course the crocs will swim their way out of it - not losing much sleep over the survival of these two breeds !!!)
Then the livestock, goats, sheep, alpacas, horses and cattle just washed away, whole breeding herds just perished..
We have a rain gauge, and the Brig measured over 25 inches of rain here for the month of December - and that's small compared to the flooded areas.
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HAPPIER PICS!
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I have just received some photos of "kids around the world"
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Sean Martin (our Godson Scott, and his wife Jenny's baby boy) enjoying his first Christmas in Manchester, New Hampshire - a very smart and happy little half yearling!
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Just by coincidence, Scott (a proud USA Eagle Scout, like his Godfather Frank, being an English Queen Scout) and his young sister Lynne and parents, Anne and Henry, were with us for Christmas in the mid 80's along with Jeff, the father of this special little one below.
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Caitlin - Jeff and Monica's 3 yr old (Jeff spent some time with us on the farm when he was 19 - during his break year) now his progeny is relaxing and reading on their deck in Denver, Colorado in December when her grandparents (our friends Lois and Glenn) were visiting for Caitlin's 3rd birthday party. Apparently the Jacquie Lawson ADVENT Calendar I emailed Caitlin went down a treat, even with Grandma - had to send Lois one when she returned to New Hampshire, just so she could discuss each day's happening with young Caitlin! OKAY, I sent myself one as well, and opened it early every morning for the 25 days !!*****
Emily, Margaret and Kevin's grand daughter posing in Sheffield, England in her Chrissie faux fur vest we sent her from downunder. Had a note from Emm and Jack's Dad this morning - we had given Jack a small World Globe - Dan say's he now knows where all the important places are - Sheffield, Chesterfield and Australia!!! These 2 also took a fancy to their ADVENT Calendar at the Barn.
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Then young Mikie in Alice Springs - having a ball with some bubbles at Christmas. This young man also had fun with his ADVENT - he is such a special little outback kid with his attitude and big grin - always get a kick out of the photos Lisa takes of Mikie..
