Christmas in Toowoomba

Hope everyone had a Merry and Happy Christmas!!

We went to my daughter Simone's house on Sunday 23rd. As grandson Tom was going to his Dad's on Christmas Eve this year (he has Christmas turn and turn about with each parent) we had our Christmas with him on the Sunday. We arrived in the early afternoon - and had gift giving and lovely dinner with Tom's paternal Grandma Del, his Aunt Rana and her husband Tim, Simone, her partner Rick, and of course Eric and me!

Tom had a wonderful time opening all his many presents - the hit of the moment is Lego - he had a few of those kits - a motor bike, etc. And a wonderful space ship that is remote controlled and flew straight up to the ceiling - WOW!

Then he and Rick had slight difference of opinion about it being time for dinner - but Rick solved that in his own inimitable style and Tom quickly changed his mind!

Rick is a lovely big bear of a man - Simone is a very lucky lady - he absolutely adores her!






But Grandma's baked ham, Mummy's roast lamb, lots of baked veggies, a pavlova and ice cream and a homemade apple and rhubarb pie, plus all the trimmings soon put a sparkle in a little boyo's eyes!
Such a little angel - NOT!!!

Tom is a total ratbag but we love him to bits anyway.

Simone's one and only child - and he is very precious to us all!

He is the image of my son James, mixed up with the looks of his Daddy and my father and brother - sometimes his resemblance to my son is uncanny though!!







Here's Grandma Del ( Tom's Daddy's biological mother) trying to read the motto out of her Christmas cracker without her glasses on! She is a sweetie - and I like her very much ! She has had a sad life. I am so proud of my daughter, who has made Del a happier woman, now that she has contact with the son she was forced to give up for adoption, and of course little Tom, her grandson, the love of her life, as he is mine !

Tom also has a step grandma, my ex husband's wife Molly, and his Daddy's adoptive mother Arlene as well. No wonder he is ruined!!


This little charmer is Caleb, one of Tom's little playmates. He is a sweet little boy aged 5 - his Mum is American and his Dad is an Aussie. They are doing it very tough at the moment. Mum is working while Dad is recovering from an illness. Caleb solemnly informed me that he "doesn't have a grandma and grandpa" so Eric and I were duly recruited for those duties!!

Caleb was taking some Christmas Crackers (bon-bons) home for Mummy, Daddy, and his older brother Jake who has Asperger's - trouble is it was a bit difficult to see his way with the two party hats he was already wearing, and the little toys out of the crackers on a string round his neck!!! I love this little chap - he always gives me a big bear hug when we go to visit Simone!!

Christmas Eve was quiet and uneventful - we had a barbecue early in the evening and all went to bed early to be rested for Christmas Day at Rick's sister, Colleen's place. Rick has a big family, three sisters, and two brothers. His mother Veronica is an artist, still painting beautiful pictures at 81 - and selling them too - and all the family are very musical. Rick plays a mean guitar, and he and his two sisters, Colleen and Cheryl sang for us after dinner that night. We all took food to contribute to the feast and as Colleen only lives in the next street from Simone, we just strolled around there in the afternoon.

But SHOCK!!! we were all sitting outside in Colleens beautiful garden, when the clouds rolled over, and a stiff breeze got up - and it was COLD!! Normally, Christmas Day is sweltering and we all sit around dying of heat, drinking gallons of iced water and not feeling like eating or doing anythig at all! I tell you, I was freezing and had to borrow a poncho from Colleen to keep from shivering!

It was a relief to go inside in the warm to eat hot plum pudding and home made cheesecake with raspberries and blackberries and listen to the Gay family singing - lovely people!! Rick is a gorgeous man - definitely a keeper!!

The next day was cold and drizzly - so unlike our usual Aussie Christmases - so we returned to Brisbane where surprise, surprise, the sun was shining !

The forecast is for a cyclone soon however - haven't had one of those for a few years.