Usually I added another couple of pages to the Christmas scrapbook series. I have stopped doing the physical scrapbooks now so I had made two short videos and a summary of Christmas period this year.

In Singapore rain was forecast everyday so ‘in or out’ was the question. Luckily ‘in’ won on Christmas Day and we set up inside. The table looked incredible. The flowers were stunning.

After the carols on Christmas Eve at the Fullerton Hotel Kate and David had hosted a more casual dinner for a few families who had been at the carols with us. So Christmas Day was our second run through with turkey, ham and all the wonderful trimmings.

It bucketed during the afternoon but we partied on safe and dry inside. The day went from 2.00pm until 9.00pm. A very successful day!

Liz and her crew in the days leading up to Christmas – the girls flew back to Australia for Christmas. On Boxing Day those remaining all took off for the snow.

David made the paper unexpectedly on 27 December:

Kids have been doing some amazing Lego constructions over the break.

I don’t know why but as soon as it gets close to the time of leaving the office for holidays lots of little emergencies pop up. Yesterday was my last day in the office for the year and I had two “fires” to put out. I just hope they are the last ones for the year as I hate getting panic emails from staff when I am away. Having Peter in the office helps. He isn’t taking any time off over Christmas which means I have some peace of mind when I am away.

We took the staff to a Christmas Lunch at Maha – best Middle Eastern in Melbourne. Unfortunately Jayden had to attend a family funeral so couldn’t join us.

I was pleased to hear from Maddie:

“I finished to first half (makeup) diploma but i chose to not continue on with the second                                component (special effects) and start a new course which i started last month. I now study                            Counselling Psychology and moved back home with my mum.”

Isabelle and Sarah seem to have birthday celebrations spread over a month.

Erich and I will miss Sarah’s actual day but arrive in time for Isabelle’s on Monday. Both girls helped make their cupcakes for classmates. I am surprised they are allowed to do that as I think the nut allergy thing has stopped a lot of that in Australia.

Erich and I had another wonderful dinner at Ezard’s for our anniversary. That is becoming our go to place for special occasions. It is degustation, expensive but great food and service. I can’t believe that we have been together twenty years. Erich probably deserves a medal.

Little bits of teasing news from Liz about whether she may be going back to work. Looking forward to hearing the outcome. All sorts of things happening in Brooklyn. They will be all heading in different directions over the holidays. Erich and I are looking forward to having a quick catch up with Charlotte and Sophie in January.

There has been so much happening at work to finish off the year. We had Beth Jennings in again to take photos of staff. I was happy with the result

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In Singapore they celebrated United Nations Day at school with a big concert. Isabelle was very excited about it. Sarah played an Indonesian instrument (sorry Sarah I forgot what it is called.)

Peter and Rebecca hosted her family for a pre-Christmas get together.

At Isabelle’s class they had a secret reader – she hid under a blanket but Isabelle wasn’t fooled as she saw her mum’s handbag. How good does Kate look. Isabelle helped make the cupcakes for her classmates. Early birthday celebration.

This week Kate had been visiting Majella in Dubai. Things appear to be going well with Majella’s treatment.

I am feeling a lot better this week.

I am really working on my ‘brain training’ about the pain and it is working. Thank you to Gowdeys for my lovely orchid. It looks great on our dining table (picture is when it arrived in my office). Liz gave me a white one when I came out of hospital and it lasted for about 3+months so I am hoping this one does the same.

Erich fell backwards onto his tailbone about a week ago and he is still suffering. The bruise covers his whole bottom so he doesn’t like sitting much.

On 14 December we celebrate 20 years of marriage. I am not sure where the 20 years have gone but I am very grateful to have such a devoted husband. We are going to dinner on our anniversary eve as we couldn’t get a booking on 14th.

We are taking the staff to a long Christmas lunch on Friday afternoon at Maha Restaurant. We aren’t starting to late as O have a treatment at Cabrini late morning. Then on Saturday, Sarah’s birthday, we head off to Singapore for Christmas.

I started this blog with an idea of keeping the family informed of what everyone was doing. It seems it has become superfluous as it is not being read that much for all sorts of reasons and the odd thing on Facebook seems to be all everyone wants. I was hoping for more contact with grandkids but I understand use of internet etc is being restricted. So I am writing this more of a diary/scrapbook of the family for me now. I can cut photos from Facebook and keep them all in one place.

It is already summer and here in Melbourne we didn’t even have spring. It has been so cold and grey – totally depressing. In New York there seems to be a few leaves.

Liz came and went in a flash. It was good to hear of all the news from the NY family. I will be interested to hear the outcome of some of the proposed changes. Typical Melbourne weather when she was here – in the thirties one day and high teens the other two. She was rushing home for Thanksgiving. Not sure if she arrived in time or how Thanksgiving went as I have not heard anything and there was nothing on Facebook.

I have been a bit melancholy this week. I gave two substantial gifts lately one to a friend and one to a member of the family and I did not hear one word back from either. It was like it never happened. I remember Liz saying once I should give just for the sake of giving and not to expect anything back. I am afraid I can’t be like that – I do get hurt. Part of the joy of giving for me is seeing/hearing the response.

I am not sure if this made me so sad or it was because the pain in my feet has come back with a vengeance. I seemed to loose my positive outlook which meant I sort of lost control of the pain. So not sure it sadness caused pain or pain added to sadness. It seems hard to get on top of it when it is severe as it saps my energy and I feel very flat and very tearful.

Anyway to avoid the hurt and disappointment I invariably get, from now on I am not going to give gifts. I think in some ways they have passed their time anyway. Once it was the only time you got something new so they were looked forward to and very precious. Now we all have so much we don’t really need any extras and it doesn’t seem to be very special at all. I think money to charity might be a better option – a goat here, a chicken there etc. In my office we are averaging three charities at least every week writing for support. Because we have given to a few I think we are on a ‘list’ somewhere.

Singapore – At wreath making night

New York – Bruce has a birthday

I am very frustrated with lack of steps for my walking totals. I was hoping by Christmas to have got back to the 10,000 steps per day but this week it kills just walking around the apartment. Treatments going OK. I have my last for the year on 16 Dec in the morning. Taking staff to lunch at Maha same day. Then off to Singapore on Sarah’s birthday.

Isabelle Writing in Chinese

Reached the $100M