Happy Christmas!!!

Ok so the healthy eating didn’t quite work out. In fact, as always seems to happen to me, the more I try to be healthy the naughtier I usually am. The ole “Oh well it is Christmas” has been used a little too frequently recently. The lil cupcake pictured is a perfect example of some of the naughties I have been enjoying recently. It was given to me by P, who sits beside me in work, as an apology for not going mountain biking this weekend. I must be on top of the Christmas jobs when we can pack up the bikes and head to the Blue Mountains for a bone shaking ride along the Oaks Trail. This is my kind of mountain biking. You park the car, get on the train with your bike. Get off the train up the mountain and cycle down to the car. It’s a great ride and at times felt like we were on the bucking bronco at the rodeo.

I have a very easy 5km cycle into work everyday and apart from fighting off the taxi and bus drivers it’s not very taxing so this ride in the Blue Mountains gave my hybrid bike a work out on the rougher side. Here’s a picture of myself and A who I also work with. He’s my cycle guru so I wouldn’t go out in the mountains without him. You can tell from this photo that the weather here is actually the complete opposite from what I grew up with. At the moment is pretty darn hot here. Chances of snow on Christmas - a definite 0%

Christmas dinner is being taken care of by some very capable cooks who are part of J’s extended family. We are going to his brothers for Christmas dinner and everyone brings along a different dish for the dinner. J’s sister-in-law is Greek and her Aunts make some of the most delicious Christmas food. The dangerous part comes when it’s time for dessert. So as not to offend anyone you must try a little of everything. It’s a tough job but I think I’m up to it. I’ll be up bright and early on Christmas morning, making a very tradition Australian Pavlova. I will be staying well away from the green food colouring.

The only other cooking I will be doing on Christmas day will be a breakfast fry up. This was always one of my favourite parts of Christmas when I was growing up. We would open all the pressies and mid way through the process Mum would disappear into the kitchen to start the most humongous fry up. It would look something like this only much bigger. My family have lived all over the world and Christmas day was the only day when we would all eat breakfast together. I have carried on this tradition and have made a mini version of Mum’s fry up for J and I before we head out to see friends and family on Christmas Day. God forbid we should start the day without a full tummy. I’m thinking of whipping up some Irish Brown Bread too because nothing soaks up the grease like some slices of Irelands finest.

Roll on New Year’s Day when I know what my New Year’s resolution will be....again

Happy Christmas everyone!!!