THE NEW CHRISTMAS THREAD.

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Richie said:
That'd be so bloody terrific Thomas. And to celebrate your 70th too. The ideal place for our first face to face meeting would have to be a cruise round the spectacular Whitsunday Islands in far north Qld then stay at a five star resort on a luxury private island.
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meet up in Aussie land for a specific occasion.
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Oopps, I didn't edit that. It was my first thought which I then changed to "somewhere down under" or "near Aussieland" after my daughter had told me on Chrissie Eve that she would be flying to NZ in August after her tour to Abu Dhabi, Mauritius from where she'd cruise to SAfrica on MS Europa and then going on a tour to Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia for a big safari in February.
 
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No jingle bells. This is what Christmas looks like in my neck of the woods, more like the end of autumn than winter. If you say the landscape feels cold and desolate as it looked this morning from my bicycle I agree,
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but back home I spotted some early buds on my hydrangea. It's been far to warm again before the next frost will destroy them.
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Today's day is commonly called the "third holiday" which indicates a reluctance to resume work. In fact, almost the whole country is going to remain in sleeping mode until the sixth of January. Bad luck for those who need a special service. Health care claims to offer at least an emergency service but you'd rather not test it. You'll be treated by student's of medicine, care workers, and nurses. The only sector that's operative is grocery stores and commerce in general.

Is that the same in AUS?

Many thanks to each of you for your presents. @Jessica you're right, he did leave a mess in the kitchen (a shame I didn't take a photo) but I've had a dishwasher since 1995 which really is indispensable. (See pic)

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Had to buy a new one after five years in November since getting it repaired is just as expensive as a new one. So I never have fridges, freezers, washing machines, and dishwashers repaired.

Here's the Lord of the Kitchen in full swing. ☺️
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Grier Grier Terry, your present is pretty comprehensive and inclusive and comes close to mine. I had made a point of not reading what other group members were going to give as presents before I posted mine. So we were having similar ideas it seems.

Richie Richie I remember it was a lovely meal and everything one would expect for Christmas. Thanks, mate.

My Christmas was fine even though one daughter was not at her best but did come. Now my MIL has got a cold. grrr The other daughter and family couldn't join us at all for they were all sick. Now we're planing to meet up on 29th for a belated Christmas celebration.That's not unusual since, as said, people are in party mood till 6th of January anyway.
My younger daughter's partner has my full respect (not only for cooking) . He's no big mouth but lived up to his promise of cooking an excellent three-course dinner, which was way too much food. Now my wife says she wouldn't dare to cook for us any more if he's present. ☺️
 
Richie said:
Terry never made the party and has not been here since. You ok mate?
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Hi Guys, so sorry to be awol, Chtistmas didn't sit well with my stomach, especially the chocolates.
Also more of the Christmas "spirit" with more social events than expected. I'm half glad it's over.

My youngest daughter sent me a cryptic clip of her and her husband bursting balloons but I worked it out. She's having twin girls which is a great thing after years of disappounting IVF failures, at great expense.

My other dalliance was and is helping out another ageing mate in a fugue of mental decline. As a freelance volunteer companion carer I wish I could help more, but with two passing in the last year I have given more time to an old pommy mate from decades back. We lived in the hills above Perth and two of our grown up daughters are still "Besties".
Anyway I talked my old mate into buying one of those great Samsung Galaxy A9+ tablets to get going on a selection of those brain sharpening quick games. His son helped heaps too as we set up the tablet for him which is still a work in progress. Internet, pass words, wi fi, Security Apps, email, ... WPS free office, ...

With just a little prodding he got the maxed out version of the 11" Samsung Galaxy A9+ with 128gb storage + an external 64gb sd card, and "8gb" ram for just $100 extra. That's a great tablet I wish I'd got in hindsight. Being wireless like his son's printer he can send print jobs to it easily, from a tablet!
Between me and his tech savvy son we're dragging him back into his old world of critical thinking, .... he was a chartered accountant who played and loves his Rugby.
Hence and sorry for my distractions.

May 2025 bring us and the World to hope again for a brighter future.
 
You're up early. Good to hear from you, Terry. :thumbsu: And sorry to read you didn't feel well.Half my family was sick over Christmas, too. Now my MIL is ill and we're hoping she will be on the mend soon. Tomorrow we'll be celebrating Christmas with my second daughter.
Your engagement as a social carer is a credit to you. And your daughter's got great news for you. 🥳What a message! Being a twin myself, I know what it takes for parents to cope with us but for children it's great.
 
Grier said:
My youngest daughter sent me a cryptic clip of her and her husband bursting balloons but I worked it out. She's having twin girls which is a great thing after years of disappounting IVF failures,
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That is great news mate.👍 Add two more to the grand dad list. I am still lite years from being a grand dad. 🥺
 
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Thomas what annual festivals do you have to see in the German New Year.
Sydney has the annual harbor fireworks display. In recent year a small lite show has been added. Does Perth have similar Terry and what do Lancashire put on Jessica.
We may live a long way from each other, but our friendship brings us closer. Enjoy your New Years Eve my good friends. 🎉 🎉
 
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Richie said:
We may live a long way from each other, but our friendship brings us closer. Enjoy your New Years Eve my good friends. 🎉 🎉
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Thanks mate. So true!:thumbsu: This moment is the weirdest 'cos you're in 2025 while we are still in 2024. Tell me: What does the new year feel like? :)

I can't tell you anything special about the run-up to the new year in GER. If anything, cities are competing as to which one has the biggest new year's eve open-air party with tens of thousands of visitors. That's the one in Berlin in front of the famous Brandenburg Gate which will be broadcast the whole evening by our major TV station.
 
Richie said:
Thomas what annual festivals do you have to see in the German New Year.
Sydney has the annual harbor fireworks display. In recent year a small lite show has been added. Does Perth have similar Terry and what do Lancashire put on Jessica.
We may live a long way from each other, but our friendship brings us closer. Enjoy your New Years Eve my good friends. 🎉 🎉
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We had our Fireworks display again over our Swan River in Perth. I can hear and just see them from my back yard. I'm not fussed any more but my daughters loved me taking them to see them decades ago.
 
Now the new year has arrived here too. There was a weird situation for the passengers boarding a plane in Hongkong in 2025 and leaving it in LA back in 2024 again.🤤
On TV, AUS and NZ were reported on as the first to arrive in the new year plus a particular mention of Sydney's fireworks as the largest in the world due to nine tonnes of explosives used.
Five people died in GER (two in Saxony) and lots were injured (losing hands, fingers, their faces burned, jaws broken, and eyes or teeth lost) when mucking around with heavy-duty firecrackers either self-made or imported from Poland. At my place barricades were built, waste containers burned down, and police and rescue personnel attacked and injured) 😡 There're such crazy people out there.
 
Grier said:
We had our Fireworks display again over our Swan River in Perth. I can hear and just see them from my back yard. I'm not fussed any more but my daughters loved me taking them to see them decades ago.
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Yeh read about it in Perth Now which keeps me up date what is happening in your home city. First time at a new venue too.
 
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