Cooking Misadventures

It's always a bit of a challenge to cook here. First, one has to translate cups and tablespoons to grams. Then, there's the fact that the ingredients are slightly different than I'm used to using. The ovens used forced air which heats differently. The cookware is thinner so I burned my pound cake. Some ingredients just don't exist here - green chiles, Velveeta cheese, Monterey Jack cheese and Crisco to name a few.

The other morning, George came into the room where I was emailing and told me someone in the neighborhood was barbequing and it smelled so good. I thought it odd that someone would be grilling so early and said, "Are you sure it's not the food you were warming in the microwave?" "No, come in the kitchen and smell this! It smells so wonderful." It was actually the almonds I was toasting in the oven and forgot about.

However, the classic cooking story is that of our Christmas Eve turkey. One of the butchers had a flyer telling us to order our fresh turkeys early so we dutifully submitted our order for an eight kilogram bird. When George went to pick it up, the clerk gave him two turkeys, each weighing four kilograms, and asked him if that was OK. He asked what his alternatives were and she actually said his choices were that he could take them or leave them. So we found room in the freezer for one and cooked the other. It looked more like a big chicken than a turkey but it tasted good.

Ornamental Extravaganza

Veronica sure knows how to throw a party and, luckily, I know how to have fun when the opportunity presents itself so it's an ideal arrangement. I wasn't feeling in the holiday spirit at all but her ornament exchange did the trick.

We had everything from sushi to nuts,

had a good yak before the gift exchange,

and ate way too much!

Eighteen women of all ages enjoyed the festivities and, of course, the food! I say women of all ages because Veronica refers to her friends from when she lived in Perth before as her "old timers." I do think she needs another term - perhaps we should have a contest.

There's always room for special desserts or pudding as they say here.

Who could resist Audrea's gorgeous Christmas log? Not me!

An array of prezzies from which to choose.

We drew numbers to decide who got first dibs on the goodies. However, we were allowed to steal a gift from someone else if we coveted it or choose something unopened on the table. It got wild with several items being stolen the maximum number of times.

Shirley Kay displays her stained glass candlestick holders.

Audrey models her ornamental "earrings."

Shirley Kay, Queen of the Stolen Gifts, opens another present.

This shoe tempted me since it reminds me of my godmother, Jeanne.

Karen and Pauline examine Kate's choice.

Sophie stole this DIY ornament to decorate with her daughter.

This first gift was stolen and regained. Ah, sweet revenge!

Nancie gets a Santa - he's popular this time of year!

Marka opens a Santa, only to lose him quickly.

Marka takes a peek before showing the rest of us.

She doesn't want to lose this one too.

My favorite "ornament" - couldn't resist stealing it from Diana.
She took it from Pat but I still feel guilty.

Karen opens a beautiful ceramic plate.

Pat loves her Santa.

Karen only enjoyed this one for a minute before Veronica snatched it.

I think Veronica deserved her choice of gifts for throwing such a great do. And thanks to Shirley Kay for giving me a ride home when I can't find my way out of a paper bag here!