Year end delights

We have fun sharing the annual round-up of what we each played on Spotify. Any guesses for who this was?

Baxters' Corner (sketch) with cardinals

Sophie showing how to lounge on her dad's new couch

 

and her flowers

All things Nutcracker

December 1-19 truly turned into all things Nutcracker! But what a glorious show it was, bringing joy to so many people. 

Mum was on ironing and mouse/lotus supervision. Dad was heading up the front of house volunteers. And Sophie rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed (all in a mask)!

Between watching in the performance space to a virtual watch party to people watching other performances online, we had almost 30 audience members: Gramps & Nana, Grandma, Mum, Dad, Bro, Auntie R, Dorothy & Peter, the Eardleys, Kevin & Arthur, Jane, Sydney & Deb, Mark & Mary, Wendy, Mona & David, Jeannie, Diana, neighbours Christina & Christine. I may have missed some but thank you all! You will no doubt agree that it's not a standard community production and the camera work this year was fantastic.

The all important foam roller for backs and legs

A supportive cast

Teens!

Ballet makes you strong



She had 6 roles and thus 6 multi-piece costumes and two sets of shoes (plus dancing barefoot)
Can you name her roles??
Young adult girl in party scene
Wind up toy soldier (solo and trio)
Battle soldier (same costume)
Snow
Amira, desert princess
Flower (one of the blue duo)
-- and back to Amira for the finale --

Ms Bouman and her leads

The glam squad

Pre-show warm up

always led by some of the senior dancers

Notes from the ballet mistress

Not very glamourous backstage...

Amira, princess of the desert

Battle soldier

The mice transfixed by the party scene (Sophie is far right)

The gorgeous and gregarious lotuses

And the beautiful, beautiful costumes

Waterloo lad

Late breakfast one day that Dad drove through

Before you knew it,

first term was over

and it was time to head home.

 

And the final celebration of the month!

LOL Grandma Sylvia

Enjoying her new cardinal PJs

Keeping her well-fed on the last visit with our family favourite of chili

And leaving her with 8 monthly gifts!

 

Super cool

 Look what made it to SPACE and back!!

Seb's postcard from SHAD

More November celebrants

 We all know it's a busy month...

When friends make cakes...

Galpal got a camera from Dad and a lens from bro!!

and chose Thai for dinner 

It's been an autumn made for walking a dog

Sunbathing

Fluffy dog

Took my breath away

So this happened...

You may recognise this dress. I have had it for years - a decade and more. I loved it and loved it some more. The cotton was thin and thinner. I got big and bigger! It tore and was fixed. And then it tore again and I discarded it. (Only because I had bought a 2nd one in the sales at the end of that year - the only time I have ever done that but so so glad I did).

However, our amazing Soph unearthed it and arrived in the kitchen looking fabulous. And it all just rendered me speechless.
 

Celebrating 18!

We 3 couldn't wait to get to Waterloo and hug our birthday boy/brother on his extra special day. He meanwhile rolled out of bed 10 mins before we arrived! A good meal, gifts, a walk in the park and lots of hugs and snaps. Here's to 18!!!

Indulging in some fine, faster food

Having Althea with us as enabled us to try out some of these "food box" services. Turns out that they take just as long to prepare but it's a nicer meal and because of the pre-portioned amounts, you don't have any unusual ingredients left to rot in the fridge!

Some like it hot!