Hello 2013

A Happy New Year to you all.

I really enjoyed the break over the Christmas period and even though I had to work every day but the public holidays I really tried to live like I was on holiday.  I stayed away from the computer and TV , spent time catching up with friends and family, and read lots of books.

We had a lovely relaxed Christmas with hubby's family and my youngest brother who has moved over from New Zealand.
We gave Jessie an grunting pig for Christmas as she loved to death the second hand one someone gave us.

Hmmm what's in here?

I'll just test it with my paw

Grunt little piggy, grunt.

I love my Piggy

And I am not letting piggy go, even when I go to bed.

My sister in law was buying for me (this year we all only brought for one person each.  Like a "not" secret santa) and she made me this fantastic apron which is reversible and labelled Fi's Kitchen.  Plus she got me some cheese moulds to go with the cheese making kit she and my brother in law gave me last Christmas.  I will post about some of my cheese making another day.

We had a lovely relaxed day and spent some of the afternoon playing Finska.  Such a great great game for all of the family.  It is all about knocking down the pins with a wooden baton and then you stand them up where they fall.  The other team/person then has their turn.  The aim is to get exactly 50 points which is not that easy.  If you go over you go back to 25 points.

The starting set up

My father in law taking his turn.

My brother standing them up from where they were knocked by the last person.
By the end of the game some of them had made their
way back under the mango tree in the background.
(It was pretty hard to get them back there)

Over the Christmas period I have also been bottling tomatoes on a weekly basis stocking the pantry for the year to come.  I don't think I could grow and preserve enough to last a whole year but since all of my tomato plants were grown from seeds every bottle represents a money saving.

Seven litre sized bottles to store away

I am picking about this many "Italian Fryers" Capsicums every day.  They are sweet and deliciousness and I have been eating them right of the bush.  Lucky there are still plenty for the kitchen.