Lets talk Christmas – Your Last Chance Day – Hang In There!

Thursday 24 December 2015 – Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas from Australia

No pressure, but today is the very last day for you to finalise everything – but we’re so organised we can do it standing on our heads!!  All we really need to do today are very basic and routine jobs so – here’s the list I’ll be sticking with:

1. Cooking  OK, so my plan all along was to cook the meat on the bbq and thankfully my Hubby has a good supply of gas already organised.  I’m going to start with the Ham (recipe here) as this piece will take the longest to cook, plus it really needs to be in the bbq on it’s own, due to it’s physical size.  I can then put the pork, turkey and lamb in different pans on the bbq all at once when the ham is done.  REMEMBER – you must keep checking the meat both to baste, but also to check that it isn’t burning.  You may also have to do some prep on the salads this evening.  I will be cooking the potato salad and the stuffing loaf tonight as this will save me time in the morning, but also allow those lovely flavours to go through the dishes.

2.   Cleaning  Really – it’s just the basics today – lets face it, most of it is already done!  First off lets vacuum.  That will pick up any dirt, grass or tiny stones and prickles that have been dragged in from the yard over the last day or two.  Then do a dust.  You shouldn’t have to go overboard here – just a quick wipe with a microfibre dusting cloth.  Check the bathroom.  Put out fresh towels, hand towel/s and washers (for sticky little fingers and faces).  Quickly wipe over the sink, bath and window sill.  Check the front door and entry hall.  Wipe over the front door nobs and glass so they are spotless and put away all odd pairs of shoes that are lurking in the hallway. Look for drip marks on the kitchen cupboard doors and wipe away.  You may need to do a last minute tidy of the fridge.  Check that your stove top is clean and that there are fresh Christmas tea towels put out. Lastly, wash over the floors with really hot water and mentholated spirits.  ALL DONE!

There you have it everyone, thanks for joining me for my Preston Christmas countdown and I do hope that it has helped you in some small way.  I wish each and every one of you the happiest of Christmases and may it be filled with joyous love and laughter.  I have deliberately shied away from any religious implications for the season, but for all my religious family and friends, may the presence of the Lord be at your table and his love fill your hearts..

Merry Christmas to Everyone

Julie

Lets Talk Christmas – Last Minute Grocery Dash

Wednesday 23 December 2015

 Well, I’m just so excited!! Some of my family start to arrive today and I want to be ready and waiting with coffee and cake from the moment they get here.

Yummy Fresh Vegetables

So – that means that I need to rush off to the store EARLY to grab the last minute fruit and vegetables that are needed over the next few days.

Scrumptious Fresh Fruit

 Take a few minutes to look carefully look through the fridge to establish exactly what is needed, as this will be one totally focused approached to shopping!  By 8.00 or 8.30  am the car parking will be at a premium at any large shopping outlet today; you may just have to be prepared to walk a distance to your vehicle.  So, knowing exactly what you need and not stopping to consider anything else (the old impulse buying monster) will actually save you the discomfort of dragging unnecessary baggage back to your car.  Consider the following:

• Do you need fresh produce – salad vegies, fresh fruit for fruit salad
• Are you purchasing seafood – Can you possibly pick it up today
• Think of the basics – will you have enough bread, eggs and milk to last during the time that your guests will be with you
• Do your animals have everything they need – extra treats of course!! after all it is Christmas – even for them!

Family Visiting at Christmas

The trick is to stay focused. Plan the trip in your mind.  See yourself visiting the 2 or 3 aisles that you need produce from – and then visualise yourself walking out of the store!  If you follow these very simple steps you should be in and out of the shops, and at home enjoying your day with family, in no time at all.

PS – it’ worth doing a quick tidy through the house – you know, just putting “stuff” away will keep the home clean and fresh as a daisy! 

talk with you again tomorrow

Julie

Sources:

Fresh Vegetables Picture:  http://kingsfoodmarkets.com

Fresh Fruit Picture: http://itsysparks.com

Lets Talk Christmas – Take a Load Off

Tuesday 22 December 2015

Well folks, I reckon after the hard physical work done in last couple of days that we should take it easier today.  For me, there are just two or three things that are important to finish today and they are:

• Take any meat down from the freezer that you will need on Christmas day and sit it on the bottom shelf of your fridge to defrost.  By sitting the frozen meat in the bottom of the fridge you are giving the meat the best chance to thaw at the correct temperature.  I will be taking the pork, lamb and turkey out to defrost to join the ham which is just sitting in the fridge begging to be baked.  My plan is to cook all the meat on the b-b-q on Christmas eve – Thursday.

• Do that basket of ironing that has been plaguing me for the last few days.  I like to have an empty ironing basket as often as possible, but it seems to have accumulated over the last couple of busy days.  The added bonus of completing the ironing of course is, no matter what situation crops up at the spur of the moment our clothes will be ready and waiting for us. Dinner out – no problem! join you for a picnic – love to! or just come round for drinks  – be there soon!  No need to put that ironing board up and panic about getting places on time.

• Make the rum balls.  My son Brett just loves these “easy as” rum balls that I make.  Just buy a christmas cake and break it up into crumbs, pour in just enough rum to combine the crumbs.  Form a teaspoon full of the cake mixture into a ball, and repeat about 30 times!!  Melt some chocolate and dip the top of the rum ball into it, then dip chocolate covered rum ball into chocolate sprinkles – done – and very yummy!

 

That’s it until tomorrow folks

We’ll talk Christmas again real soon

 

Sources:

Fridge picture:  www.clipartsheep.com

Ironing:   www.picgifts.com

Rum Ball:   http://food-photo-resipes.blogspot.com.au

Lets Talk Christmas – The Great Outdoors

Monday 21 December, 2015

Don’t you just love fresh air, sunshine, birds singing in the trees….and sweat!  That’s what it’s all about today folks, getting outdoors to do a  clean up, which will be great fun after a couple of days spent in department stores shopping ,or cleaning the house.

Clean Spaces to Entertain

Outdoors is where our Preston Christmas celebrations take place so for me, a good clean of the area is as essential as the cleaning of the house.  Now, I’m not really a gardener, but I come into my own when it comes to cleaning and tidying outside.  Here’s my tips for a fantastic looking celebration area – you will need the following tools and equipment:

1. A Blower Vac
2. A Cobweb Brush with Extendable Arm
3. Good Quality Insect Killer (1-2 cans)
4. Good Quality Surface Spray (1-2 cans)
5. Glass Cleaner for the Table Top
6. Cleaning Cloth
7. Gardening Gloves
8. Weed Fork

Now, this is not one of my favourite things to do but the first thing on the agenda is spray any webs that may have any nasties occupying them.  I start by spraying along the top side fence (entry to our outdoor living area), then the pergola area across the back of the house and finally, the carport (where Christmas lunch takes place).  Work in a logical sequence so that you don’t miss old Mr Redback who is tucked away under a chair just waiting to attack someone.  Yes, I once actually found a redback under one of our chairs!!

Bring ’em Down

Once you have sprayed and you are sure everything is dead, it’s time to bring down any cobwebs in each of the above mentioned areas.  Here in Tamworth during the spring and summer months cobwebs seem to be a permanent fixture, so taming them is paramount.  I use a cobweb brush with extendable arm to bring down anything with a web type look, that way I don’t have to get too close!

Finish off this particular task by using surface spray to keep the area clean and web free for 2-3 months.  The less you have to do this job, the better – as far as I’m concerned.  Be sure to walk away and breath in clean air during the spraying process!

After all that, you probably deserve a coffee!!   After coffee though,  it’s time to connect up the Blower Vac.  Ours is powered by electricity so I use a REALLY LONG extension cord for this.  Once again I start at the top (the side entry to the outdoor living area).  Work your way around the house stopping to pick up rubbish a couple of times as you go.  I just love my blower vac: I still remember doing this job with a broom – not fun….

Next, clean down the table and chairs.  I use glass cleaner on our table top as it is tempered glass.  Wash any chair cushions that may be dirty, or dust them – whichever action is necessary.  Have you checked for cobwebs under the table?

Righty OHH!  Next we use the garden gloves.  Let’s face it – there just isn’t time to weed every bed within an inch of it’s life, so I focus on the two garden beds that will be visible from the lunch table; one at the entrance to the carport, and a larger one at the other end of the carport.  Working as quickly as I can I pull anything that should not be living in these spaces.  It’s always good to give the garden a good water after tampering with the soil, but if you live in an area with water restrictions (most of Australia), then give it a good water tonight.

The Joys of Weeding the Garden

Now, it’s up to you as to whether you mow the lawn and do the edges at this stage.  Personally, I don’t like to – for two reasons.  Firstly, you’ve just blower vac’d the outdoor living space and mowing and/or edging will potentially have grass clipping all over paths etc. again.  Secondly,  you just may find that the lawn will need doing again on Christmas Eve, which I might add is only days away, so why do it twice?? Up to you though.

After all that hard work it’s time for a shower and  good sit down.  You’re done.  Your outdoor living area should look just perfect for your festive visitors – well done!

Sources:

Table Picture: Spring Cleaning  http://springcleaning365.com/clean-outdoor-furniture/

Cobweb: wpclipart  http://www.wpclipart.com/holiday/halloween/spider/cobweb.png.html

Weeding: The Art of Weeding  http://www.plantea.com/weeding-tips-part2.htm

Lets Talk Christmas – Wipe Out !!

Sunday 20/12/20015

OK – so today is all about getting “down and dirty”.  Roll those sleeves up, crank up the housecleaning music and lets Wipe Out The House!!

Now wouldn’t that be great!!

For most of us, Sunday (today) is the last chance we will have to really clean the house before our family and friends pour through the door on Christmas day.  There will be time through the week for a quick tidy up, but that will be about all we can fit in between rushing off to work, cooking dinner for a hungry hoard and falling, semi-conscious, into bed at the end of it all.

So what are the things that need to be done to have the home spick and span?  Well, I’ll tell you what I focus on, and you can decided whether you wish to add to the list as time permits.  My essential cleaning tasks will include:

Kitchen – Cupboard Doors – a quick wipe over with a cloth dampened in hot water and vanilla extract.  The aroma of vanilla will leave your kitchen smelling homely and loved.  Refrigerator – Just a quick tidy up here.  Check all food is covered and stacked to make the most of available space on Christmas day.  Throw out any food/jars that are out of date.  Dishwasher – your dishwasher will take a caning on Christmas day so wipe over the door with the vanilla dampened cloth, clean the filter and put a dishwasher cleaner cycle through.  Tiles – clean down with your preferred cleaner – especially around the stove and sink.  Floor – I have large tiles on the floor in the kitchen and hallway and find that very hot water with a good dash of mentholated spirits will bring anything off them.

Bathroom – There’s no way around it – sorry, but the bathroom will need a top to toe clean.  Don’t forget to clean the mirror!  This will be the 2nd most busy room in the house, so be very particular.  Wash the floor

Lounge Room – Carpet – Vacuum, vacuum & vacuum.  Actually, while you’re at it – vacuum under the lounge cushions.  You just never know when someone will try to retrieve a lost coin or wallet! Whilst you have the vacuum out, change the head and do the curtain tops. Polish – because I want a quick job here, I just use a spray on furniture polish.  It’s much easier to use and takes half the effort of and oil based polish. Tree Tidy – Our Christmas tree is in the lounge room, as I guess most trees are, but it’s a good idea to fully arrange the gifts under the tree and replace any baubles that may have fallen off.  Don’t forget the Window Sills.

Bed Rooms – just a general tidy here – vacuum and polish.  Put shoes away, pick up clothes items, perfume bottles and jewellery and put away in their proper place.  I don’t think I’d go as far as changing the linen, but do so if you must.

Hallway – if you have the opportunity to put fresh flowers near the front door – then do so.  The effect of beautiful blooms on guests as they walk into your home is second to none.  Just the sight of fresh flowers lifts the spirits of the grumpiest person!  Don’t forget to vacuum, dust, look up – are there small cobwebs?  You should also do a quick wipe over of all artwork, photographs and tables in the area, then wash the floor.

Laundry – my laundry is a busy place on any get together that our family has, as the drinks fridge lives in there.  So, wipe over all appliances, clean the sink, wash the floor, look up for those pesky cobwebs, and dust the window sill.  Make sure that most, if not all, the washing and ironing is done, then pack away all clean clothes.

There you have it – a good couple of hours worth of work that will set you up for a much easier Christmas Eve.  Good luck, everyone.  Now, where was that dusting cloth?……………………..

Source:

Picture:   Someecards

Lets Talk Christmas – Countdown – Wrapping It Up

Saturday 19 December, 2015

Today absolutely everything that needs wrapping or putting in a Christmas bag needs to be attended too.  Don’t you Just love seeing prettily wrapped presents piled under the Christmas tree?

So …. here are the steps to follow so no mistakes are made and everyone has a beautifully wrapped gift under the tree:

1. Start by getting your head in the right wrapping space.  For me, the only way to wrap Christmas presents cheerfully is to have Christmas music playing as I wrestle with the paper and cellotape.  I sing along to  the Smokie album – Light a Candle (1996) which is my favourite, but also to Christmas with Boney M (2007), Kenny Rogers Christmas Greetings (2000) and Michael Buble Christmas (2011).  I can’t help myself.  I have to sing the words or hum the tune as I wrap the family’s presents; I just seem to “fill up” with festive good will.
2. Choose Christmas paper that suits the size of the gift.  By my way of thinking the paper should be plainer or have a small design if the gift is smaller, and loudly coloured or larger print papers for larger gifts.  It makes sense, doesn’t it? I love to carefully mitre the corners when wrapping gifts to give them the neatest possible finish.  And I must admit that some of the family think I’m a little anal about securing the gift with cellotape!
3. Embellish your wrapped gift.   Adding  a bow, flower, ribbon or even string to a gift will scream to the receiver of the gift that it was wrapped with love and thoughtfulness.  It really takes no time at all to add a simple touch that will convey so much to others.  If there is a  child or husband in the house at the time you are wrapping, they will often help with bow tying without grumbling.  Don’t you just love the Christmas Spirit!!
4. Do the final gift check.  Go through every gift against your gift shopping list to ensure that no-one has been missed.  Can you imaging the uncomfortable situation as you acknowledge that you simply forgot some-one?
5. Lovingly place all gifts under the tree.  Revel in the certain knowledge that you have spent time on considered gifts for each of your loved ones.

Well, another day bites the dust.  Not many sleeps now, but you must all be feeling less stressed as you complete the major tasks of the festive season one by one. 

Cheers and talk again soon

Julie

Lets Talk Christmas – Countdown – Last Minute Christmas Plan

Well folks, we’re almost there.  We have just one week to pull everything together so that our Christmas day can be as relaxed and happy as is humanly possible.  Each day of the next week I will be focusing on 7 key elements of preparing for Christmas with topics including Shopping, Cooking, Cleaning and Preparation of Food. 

If you haven’t been organising your Christmas by now, this plan should see you through the madness, but if you’ve been working toward the festivities all month my plan should ensure that everything goes off without a hitch!  So……… for today:

Friday 18 Dec 2015

Picture courtesy of midlifecrisishaaai.com

I don’t know anything about where you live, but here in Tamworth, New South Wales, you can hardly move sideways for festive shoppers standing wall to wall in the streets, shops and malls – and it’s only going to get worse. Today is the day that you should “bite the bullet” and tackle all last minute present shopping. 

Sit down right now and work out if you have done the following:

1. Written a “pressy” list.  If you have – go over the list one last time.  Does it include everyone that you want to buy a Christmas gift for?  Do you need to purchase the obligatory tin of biscuits or box of chocolates for last minute emergencies, should unexpected guests arrive during the day or evening?  Do you just need something extra for someone on your list?  If you haven’t written your list yet, this step will make your shopping experience infinitely easier.  Think about what you want for each person and jot the idea down beside their name.
2. Plan your attack for last minute shopping.   Everyone, be prepared by visualising which shops you need to visit and in what order your visits should take place.  You will waste time if you walk half the main street only to find that you forgot something in the first shop you visited.  It is most likely that you will need to walk some distance from where you were able to secure a car park to the shops, so ensure that you are wearing comfortable shoes – whatever you do!  No-one wants to be crippled by “cool looking strappy sandals” for 2 days after their shopping expedition.
3. Stay focused so that the last minute shopping trip takes as little time from your day as possible.  I am not suggesting for a minute that you “brush off” old Aunt Gert if you should run into her in the mall, but when she suggests a cup of coffee and a catch-up you could politely say that you are on a timeline today however you would love to catch up in the New Year.  The trick is to remember to call old Aunt Gert on Jan 2nd and organise the meeting – so put the task into your iPhone calendar, or write it down in your diary.
4. Don’t forget the ‘sundries” – the wrapping paper, gift tags, ribbon and cellotape.  The last thing you need at this point is the stress of having to dash back to crammed shops and non-existent parking spaces.

Now you can breathe a sigh of relief – it’s done!!  You will most likely have to visit the grocer closer to the day, but for now you can let the rush pass you by.  Take a deep breath, pour a nice glass of something, and breath in the relief of knowing your present shopping is over!

Quote courtesy of http://www.postconsumers.com

Picture Sources:

Christmas Shopping:  Midlife Crisis Hawaai

Stress Quote:   John De Paola

Lets Talk Christmas – The Preston Recipes -Julie’s Festive Potato Salad

Everyone knows about the Aussie love for a fabulous Potato Bake on special occasions, but one weekend about 10 years ago I got caught short of ingredients when visitors arrived unexpectedly. 

I looked frantically through my pantry and fridge and came up with a jar of Thomy whole egg mayonnaise, 6 large potatoes and some capsicum – Ah-Ha! – the basis of potato salad.  With fresh shallots from my garden and some left over sour cream it was almost complete, but I decided to add mashed hard boiled egg as well. 

So there you have it – the recipe that turned into the Preston Family’s favourite and yumscious Festive Potato Salad.  I have written out the recipe below, but quantities are up to you!  I don’t have a recipe for this so I just “wing it” and make it to taste.  Enjoy!

Potaton Salad Recipe courtesy of Simply Recipes

Ingredients:  6 large potatoes (which ever type you would use for mashed potato), 6 hard boiled eggs, good quality whole egg mayonnaise (I use Thomy), sour cream, finely diced red and green capsicum,  3-4 largish shallots finely sliced, salt and pepper to taste.

Method:

Boil potatoes until soft and ready to mash.  Boil eggs until hard. Mash potato without butter or milk, then mash eggs.  Combine mashed potato, mashed eggs, finely sliced shallots and finely diced red and green capsicum in a bowl.  Mix in equal quantities of whole egg mayonnaise and sour cream until the potato is almost smooth in texture.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sources:

Potato Salad Photograph:  Simply Recipes

Lets Talk Christmas – Take a Deep Breath and Make Another List

Well people, here we go.  Can you believe that Christmas is just 12 short sleeps away?  It’s enough to put a person into a  “flat spin” – so I’m here to tell you to BREATHE DEEPLY.

Six White Boomers

It’ around this time of year that I try to sit down with a cup of coffee (some years it’s with something a little stronger!) and try to take a hard look at where my plans for “the big day” are up to; what have I finished and how many things have yet to be ticked off my work lists?  If you’re anything like me there are still a number of things that need to be purchased, wrapped, cleaned or put away and it’s hard to put a finger on just where to start.  So – it’s back to making lists I go and this time it’s a “Leave It Till Later List”.

Writing Lists !

I find that by this stage of my Christmas preparation I need to think hard about what jobs are essential and which ones could conceivably be left until after the festive rush.  Ahhh – the joys of prioritising!!  For instance – I just love to oil my wooden venetian blinds which hang in our sunny eat-in kitchen.  The smell of freshly oiled blinds on Christmas morning, for me, is an ingrained part of my Christmas joy.  But would my guests notice the blinds at all?  Of course, this is a task that is essential to complete once a year, but should I spend hours on quietly cleaning and oiling wooden slats, or spend some time clean out and organise my refrigerator – which will be opened by all and sundry on Christmas Day?  Hands down – it’s got to be the refrigerator.

There are many small chores that could be put off for a later date that will not impact on the Christmas experience of your treasured and loved family and friends.  Those things could include washing down cupboard tops, cleaning air conditioning vents, washing windows and cleaning fly screens.  These could all be put off until the new year to allow you to complete the essentials of preparing for Christmas day.  The trick is not to beat yourself up about the things that you just cannot fit into your day.  It is not worth becoming so stressed about what isn’t done around your home that you become unable to enjoy preparing for this wonderful occasion.

What To Do First!?!

And lets face it – if you find you have a little extra time before “the big day”, you can always add in one or two of the jobs you added to your “Leave It Till Later List”.

Happy Christmas Preparation Everyone – and don’t let the festive bugs get you down!!

Sources:

Talented Ladies Club.com – Housework Picture

Lets Talk Christmas – The Preston Recipes – Our Christmas Pudding

Steamed Christmas Pudding Picture from Taste.com.au

More than 15 years ago my eldest son Lucas decided to spend Christmas with friends in Adelaide, South Australia, literally thousands of miles away from our little family in Tamworth, New South Wales.  That year was the first Christmas that I had ever tried to make the traditional boiled Christmas Pudding in calico.  It was also my first experience of not having my children with me on Christmas day, but on top of that, our Christmas pudding was a disaster!!  Had it not been for the bought Woolworths Christmas pudding in the cupboard, we would not have had dessert at all!

I reverted to my “tried and true” steamed Christmas Pudding recipe and have never again tried anything else, mainly because of the angst it causes on Christmas day.  Once again, I use a recipe from “The Best Recipes from The Weekly” cookbook, but this time I use the exact recipe as it just never fails me.

Steamed Christmas Pudding

1. 500g mixed fruit
2. 125g dates
3. 125g raisins
4. 1 cup water
5. 1/2 cup white sugar
6. 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
7. 125g butter
8. 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
9. 2 eggs
10. 1 cup plain flour
11. 1 cup self raising flour
12. 1 tsp mixed spice
13. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
14. 2 tblsp rum

Method

1. Combine chopped fruits, water, sugars and butter in saucepan and stir until butter has melted, then bring to boil
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes, stir in soda
3. Stand until mixture becomes cold
4. Stir in eggs, sifted dry ingredients and rum
5. Steam in well-greased 10 cup steamer for 5 hours, steam further 1 1/2 hours on day of serving

To Steam: Fill pudding mixture into well-greased steamer and cover with large piece of aluminium foil.  Put lid firmly on steamer, then crush surplus foil firmly around the lid to help form a good seal.  Put pudding in large boilber with enough boiling water to come halfway up side of steamer.  Cover with tight-fitting lid, replenish water a s necessary during cooking time.