Christmas time, mistletoe and wine....

It's nearly that time of year again when we celebrate the singing voice of our messiah Cliff Richard and the birth of the baby Jesus. We have had weather of biblical proportions this weekend - a huge hail storm on Saturday night and now a roasting hot day with not a cloud in the sky. Despite the heat we are managing to get very excited about Christmas. Scarlett opened the first window in her advent calendar this morning and tonight we are putting up the tree with Florence in attendance, mainly so she doesn't wake up tomorrow and get so excited by the sight of it that she pulls it over. I have already had to confiscate the nativity set when one of the sheep was kidnapped by Florence and used inappropriately in a rendition of Old McDonald. Rob took Scarlett into the city on Thursday night for a special treat, to see the Martin Place Christmas tree lights get turned on. There were dancing kangaroos, fireworks and a performance by The Hooley Dooleys, serious icons when you're 4. On Saturday we were joined at ballet by Uncle Brett (Scarlett's godfather) and Amelia (Florence's godmother) for Scarlett's very first Christmas show (see video below). It was hilarious and sweet at the same time. My favourite bit was when instead of simply doing the dance steps, counting them in their heads, they all sang the numbers of the steps out loud drowning out the song they were dancing to. At the end Brett presented Scarlett with her very first bouquet. Priceless.

Happy Birthday Rob

My lovely husband turned 45 on Sunday. I know, that's what everybody says - he doesn't look old enough. Even more shocking is the realization for me that everyone assumes that if Rob really is 45 - impossible though that is to believe - then I must be 45 too. "Or is she older?" they ask behind their hands. We started celebrating early with a dinner out on Saturday night with Julia and Richard. It was an invitation only dinner at a cafe that isn't usually open in the the evening and doesn't have a drinks licence. A chef takes it over, he chooses the menu, you bring your own wine and he prepares a 5 course dinner.  It's like your own dinner party but without the clearing up.  It was a great night that ended far too late, after too much wine and two Nurofen administered at 5am.  Due in part to the necessity for pharmaceuticals in the early hours, Rob missed out on his birthday lie in and was up at 7am with the girls while I snoozed on. Oops. Once up we gave Rob his presents before heading out for breakfast on the harbour at Pyrmont.  We have had fantastic weather in the last week or so, but after a sunny start it all went pear-shaped and our afternoon picnic with friends, though great fun, saw more picnic rugs being worn than sat upon.In other news, Rob's Movember  Mo continues to grow and he has now raised almost $200. Thanks to those who have sponsored him, and get your hand off your wallets, those who have not.

Scarlett and Florence now really enjoy each other's company - most of the time - and when not fighting over a pen lid, enjoy face pulling. Here is a shot of one of their synchronised efforts.

Finally, the other night when we went in to check on Florence before going to bed, we found her asleep in this extraordinary position.

Bye bye Kendall

Our lovely friend Kendall moves back to Melbourne this week after a decade in Sydney. Kendall and I met at the Sydney Morning Herald when he was my editor on the paper's food and wine section Good Living. We spent our days giggling and hatching plans and our evenings sipping white wine. It was Kendall who got me writing again when he asked me to write the bar review column that I went on to do for 6 years and which really cemented my reputation at the paper. He was the editor of the SMH Cafe and Bar Guide and roped me in to write all the bar reviews for that too. More laughs and drinking.  A few year's later, when he was the deputy editor of Good Weekend, the paper's highly regarded Saturday magazine, he once again got me the fantastic gig of writing the Modern Guru column which I have written ever since. These days Kendall is a freelance travel writer and is always off on some amazing trip or another.  Kendall is also one of Scarlett's godfathers and has been fantastically attentive and loving to her and our family. We are going to miss his hilarious stories of his travels, his generosity and his fantastic cooking. And Rob will miss sponging fags off him at parties.To farewell him, Brett organised a picnic today in the beautiful harbourside grounds of Strickland House. With the bridge and opera house in the distance we ate, drank and caught up with lots of old friends. Magic.

The pox

There has been a pox on our house this last week and a half. Scarlett started developing spots last Monday. I thought they were mozzie bites, but Dr Duthie correctly diagnosed chicken pox. Immunisations for it were only introduced for children born two months after Scarlett so she was always going to get it. Luckily Florence had her jab only a week earlier so she was fine. Blood tests revealed Rob was immune but I was not, so Scarlett wasn't allowed in nursery last week and I am off work until the end of this week in case I have it and could contaminate one of my colleagues. Work policy it would seem. Sweet. So we had a lovely hot day at the beach and pool yesterday, I've been for a run today and I'll have two days to myself on Thursday and Friday while the girls are back at nursery.

Our wonderful friend Maggie Alderson, the chick lit novel queen, was over from the UK this week to promote and launch her new book. We knew she was due about now but didn't have any dates and the first we knew of her arrival was seeing her on morning tv promoting the book. Maggie is English but worked with me on The Herald for several years before heading back to the UK, where she now lives in hastings, near Maria and Jack. We had Maggie over for dinner on Friday night and as usual laughed our heads off and made each other feel bad about not living in Sydney/England anymore. We agreed, once you leave a place it's hard to know where you fit in anymore.

 On Sunday morning a very hungover Sarah-Kate and Mark came over for a cuppa and a catchup. They were in town for the weekend from NZ for a party and will soon be moving to Mexico for several months where Mark will work on the final film from the Narnia series.

In the meantime Rob's mo is taking on a life of its own and is developing quite a personality, although it did give me a bit of cheek this week.