Happy New Year, dear Reader...
I hope 2017 brings you good health, happiness, and your heart's desire...
Since Christmas we have had another heat wave, another big storm, and a bit of a cool change..
Summer living by the pool, and white wine in the turquoise glasses from DD.
My Canadian Songbirds calendar sprang into action on January 1st -
and the little Canadians set off on the long trip home to the Land of Ice and Snow:
Suddenly the house is quiet and empty again, after six weeks bursting at the seams with action and excitement.
We have lots of happy memories, and hope they do as well.
I have to admit to being a teeny tiny bit overtired,
but have managed to put away the Christmas decorations....
And throw out any leftover foods containing sugar...
I wonder how it feels to go from this, to -15c and snow on the ground?
Balmy night on New Year's Eve, enjoying the pool with new blue lights...
Our grandsons, who could hardly swim when they arrived, were swimming like two little fishes by the end of their holiday.
Very Australian.
M and I had lunch at Pitch & Fork, Toowong...
Delicious food, and not a smidgen of sugar was consumed:
Post Christmas austerity plan successfully adhered to ..
ahem...
I'm off to wash a few more sheets,
and continue the January decluttering process.
Enjoy your weekend
XXXXX
Oh those cheery turquoise glasses look so sun worthy!
ReplyDeleteIt's a busy time of year clearing up from all the holidays...you had houseguests and that in itself can be tiring. I hope you get some rest and can pace yourself in the domestic arena...
The snowy cold weather here must have been a huge shock to your family when they returned from your sunny climate!
I do so enjoy looking at your pool pics...
Thank you Hostess, the turquoise does work well on a sunny day. In my enthusiasm to get the house back to normal, I will take heed of your wise words - too easy to overtire oneself yet again! I hear that BC has had lots of snow, which they would have encountered on arrival. It seemed odd seeing them get on the plane to Vancouver carrying their heavy coats, when all were in tropical sunny day clothes :)
DeleteHappy New Year, Patricia! Your turquoise cups are so pretty. Love the color! The new blue lights on the swimming pool look so cool. How I miss my big pool sometimes. So glad to hear the grandchildren learned how to swim better when they visited. The food looks so Yummy that you had for lunch. Too bad you had to throw out those cookies, they look good.
ReplyDeleteI hope the new year is being kind to you, Patricia.
love, ~Sheri
Happy New Year, Sheri. We love the turquoise, which works so well in the heat, and I really like the blue pool lights too. I am now enjoying getting my house back to its normal self, putting away all the guest things, and doing a spot of redecorating, and gathering things to take to the charity store.
DeleteI love those turquoise mugs as well. Something so cheerful about the colour, and cool looking in summer, but enough warmth in the colour for winter as well. I am sure your family will have lots of wonderful memories, and I am not at all surprised you are a little tired...Happy New Year
ReplyDeleteLong live turquoise, a perfect colour for the tropics. Happy New Year, Sarah Liz, and I hope you enjoy lots of sewing in 2017.
DeleteI see what you mean Val, and remember coming home to Brisbane once after a few weeks in snowy climes, and finding 20c heat overpowering - so funny when normally we see that as a bit cold! We do acclimatize quite quickly, don't we. Miss the kids, keep referring to their funny little ways and sayings.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Patricia,what a lovely post,boy i love the calendar.
ReplyDeleteHow nice the kiddies got to have so much fun in the pool.
Hi, and welcome to my blog. The calendar is gorgeous, and I will share more of the birds through the year.
DeleteDearest Patricia
ReplyDeleteOh I know THAT feeling of emptiness after they've flown away.... trying to keep occupied.
What a wonderful Christmas for you both with the whole family there - I'm sure you took many photos which will keep you going until the next time.
My friend lives near Toowong and I think I've been to restaurants there - your boards looked very yummy!
I'm trying to dispose of the sugary things too - too many French chocolates eaten in our house at Christmas time!
Love to you both
Shane x
Dear Shane, yes, you would know how it is, definitely.
DeleteOh, Toowong is only three suburbs away; next time you come we should go to Pitch and Fork!
French chocolates are of course exempt from all diet rules :) xx
Guess what, I just saw the cardinal "see off" the blue jay on our deck in a most frightful manner! Don't mess with the Red Cardinal! Just had to tell you that!!
ReplyDeleteHa ha, so the Red Cardinal is a little feisty? No wonder I like him :)
DeleteIt must have been fun to see Kay, thank you for that.
So happy that your grands got to stay with you guys...
ReplyDeleteThey must have loved the pool...our Miss V couldn't get enough by summers end!
Put your feet up and relax for a bit...things will wait for you!
Cheers!
Linda :o)
Thank you Linda, taking it a little easier today - Sunday, Day of Rest and all. They absolutely loved the pool; boy C2 is the same age as Miss V, I think. Cheers Linda.
DeleteHappy New Year! Yes, it's so wonderful having family stay, but it is a bit exhausting. I think back and wonder how I managed when all the children were young. I love that the Canadians arrived as non-swimmers and left as "fish." I'm sure they will be talking about their time with you for a long time!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I was thinking back also about when our three were little, and all I did on Christmas Day. Not any more! It quite wore me out, and I had nowhere near the crowd which you had. Isn't it great, the boys can swim in the lakes now. I do hope they enjoy telling their friends at school all about it. They are probably still jet-lagged for school tomorrow!
DeleteHappy new year Trish. I bet your home is very quiet. The pool is so much fun for youngsters our little Aussies love it. Lovely lunch x
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle, yes it is quiet, although the washing machine still has not stopped - ha ha. Isn't the pool a great thing to have in our humid heat! We must have lunch!!
DeleteMust be so hard to see them go...but it sounds like it was such a lovely holiday together. I'm sure they made the very best memories to take home with them!! ;) I LOVE your pool lights! Makes me want to jump in!!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you....back to trying to purge all the goodies and get back on track. Why can't treats just be good for us? Lol
Weekend blessings sent your way Trish! xoxo
Hard to see them go, but also definitely was time! We are all worn out from the extra excitement (read: chores!) I love the blue pool lights too, an inadvertent purchase when regular lights unavailable.
DeleteQuite agree, treats should be good for us :)
I'm late but I hope your first week of the New Year has been a good one and that you got a little rest. I laughed at your "austerity" lunch. Looks mighty good to me. So - it is just sugar kicked out of the diet?
ReplyDeleteHi Darla, Week 1 of 2017 was a strange one, as the family left, the house was in a turmoil, but things are gradually returning to normal. Diet is a bit half-hearted, but sugar is the main culprit I find.
DeleteMmm, your Pitch & Fork lunch looks so delicious!
ReplyDeleteTrish, I still have a lots of Christmas cookies left in my tins. Although I like a sweet now and then, I'm not as tempted by sugar as I am by "salt and grease" snacks, I think. I can go without eating a cookie for days. I may have to plan a high tea in January to get those cookies eaten. I will have to do research on how to throw an English high tea before jumping on the idea ... but I'm liking the thought!
Once again, Happy New Year!
Debbie
Hi Debbie, Definitely, you must have a High Tea, just like they do at the Plaza in New York (just had to throw in that Mr C and I went there for high tea, years ago :)
DeleteWe are being so good this week, no sugar or yummy salt and grease snacks for us!
Hope 2017 is good for you and the USA - interesting times!
Rest up now, Patricia! You deserve it after that house full. As I so often say, I'd give a lot to have your summer and temperatures. It's cold, wet and miserable here now. All the same, spring is round the corner, or so I like to think! Happy new year!
ReplyDeleteI have even been watching some TV, a bit of a luxury but most restful, and found an unfinished cross-stitch project to relax myself. It does sound a bit miserable over there, but the daffodils can't be too far away, and then it will be glorious. Happy New Year.
DeleteAlways so lovely to visit your world darling! I have also been decluttering as well. Isn't it such a wonderful feeling when it's done! Happy New Year dear!
ReplyDeletexox
Tamera
The Great 2017 Decluttering continues, and yes, a wonderful feeling to send off the joyless things. Happy New Year to you too Tamera. xox
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