Dreams can come true, Virginia!
26.12.16 - Maria's been trying to find a house for us to build a life together for over a year now and we thought we'd found the ideal place in Montmorency a month or so back, but lost out at the auction.
Despite being bitterly disappointed Maria kept looking, and lo and behold, just when we thought there could be nothing else for the year a house came up in Mt Evelyn, an out-lying suburb M had never even heard of!
To cut a brief story even shorter, M put in a bid (pic 1) and then a second, and then a third and ultimately emerged from the contest as the WINNER! The real estate business can be pretty disheartening, but we were well looked after by Noel Jones' Laura Geddes. (pic 2)
Christmas Day was hosted by the Cafarellas and it turned out to be a hot, hot day. (36°) Christmas lunch traditionally starts late and this one was no exception, but, perhaps because there were fewer children on hand everything seemed to run a little smoother than usual.
It was probably as well there were fewer children around when Santa (pic 7) started distributing the pressies with Molly his little helper. Santa seemed to progessively lose the plot as the temperatures soared and at the conclusion of his official duties started doing the strip-tease from hell - and the startled assembly of relations hadn't even had their pudding yet!
Boxing Day saw everybody (including an unrepentant Santa) returning to the scene of the crime and doing their best to finish off the lavish leftovers from the day before. We gave it a good try, but the Cafarellas are going to be dining on Chrissy fare for weeks to come.