Christmas report

The temperature crashed from 31° on Friday to freezing fog and hailstorms on Saturday evening. I can confirm that on Christmas morning I saw significant snow with my own eyes on Mt Wellington before the clouds lowered for the day at about 7.00am. Since Elf moved to Hobart in 2000 it has snowed here every Christmas Day we have been at home.

Saturday and Sunday passed in a bit of a blur. There was some beach action. We did a big shop-up for Christmas lunch and I wrapped, at last. I have had an uninspired year for gifts, I'm afraid to say. Sorry everyone. After the boys had crashed on Christmas Eve, we put up in their room a dozen big folded-paper stars that Elf had made. They looked great. Then we went outside and assembled the Big Present.

Michael had a disturbed night. I think he is a bit young for genuine anticipatory excitement, but something has been giving him worrisome dreams lately. He slept in. Marcus was first awake, and came in to report that there was "a big sock full of stuff" on his bed! Had he opened anything? "No!" We opened stuff and waited for Michael. After a bit of noisiness from us, he finally woke in a bad mood.

"Open your stocking Michael? "NO!"
"Come on, let's see what Father Christmas has brought you!" "QUAAAAAAAAACK!"

It didn't take all that long for him to get the idea. Elf, who has organised Christmas completely off her own bat, had bought the boys a small trampoline. We put a wrapped box under the tree with a note in it saying "This thing is too big to fit under the tree, so look outside". The loved it straight away. Michael didn't want to bounce on it at first, but was very happy to drive the Big Red Car around on the bright blue spring-covers. He is now a dedicated tramp scamp.

The tramp was a great distraction until Auntie Sal and Uncle Matt appeared at 10.00. They gave Marcus a tub of Monster Bones, to put together however you like. He has knocked off about two dozen masterpieces in this medium since, and each time insists on having it photographed immediately so he can cannibalise it for the next one.

Elf specified exactly what she wanted from the boys and I, but was no less pleased when she unwrapped them (Pictionary and a small tank of Sunflowers perfume). I received a good swag of books. I have to finish Captain Corelli's Mandolin first - I should have read it years ago.

We had a big cold meat and salad lunch. We had eggnog. We had champagne. We had a very nice time just noodling around in a family way. What a nice Christmas.