A Very Merry Christmas

Heading towards the end of the Blackhurst Advent Cocoktail calendar, we had a Mai Tai for Day 23.

The real cats don't know why we're bothering with these puzzle imposters.

Blackhurst Advent Cocktail Calendar Day 24 was a Gin-gle Bells. How pretty is that? It's gin (obviously), pomegrante juice (supposed to be cranberry but we didn't have any), lime juice, caster sugar, sparkling wine (supposed to be Prosecco but we didn't have any), with green sugar crystals for rimming (steady...).

The cat advent calendar jigsaw puzzle is now completed, and so too is the cocktail one. I made a photo collage of the second half. We did it! Our livers may not thank us, but we were dedicated to the cause. Thanks to all who played along, with love and festive spirits. 

Our Blackhurst traditional Christmas Day morning breakfast: bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon (prosciutto for Him Outdoors) with glasses of Bucks Fizz.

 A walk up Mt Painter and a sh*t selfie.

Roast dinner (pork) with fresh greens and summer salads. 

I'm well aware that I'm no influencer or anything, but here is the 'unboxing' of my Christmas present from Weevil - a wonderful selection of teas and a beautiful cup from which to drink them.

A Christmas Day visitor to the brewery. We relocated them to a more appropriate tree. 

On Boxing Day I went to the Hyatt Hotel to drink champagne with Calamity Sue, and we spent the Chrimbo Limbo period eating and drinking with friends, and walking in the hills. 

Hello, Possum!

While we eat our lunch at college, we are often joined by this fellow. I know this is abnormal behaviour as possums are meant to be asleep during the day, and not scavenging for scraps from students' sandwiches, but they are quite cute for all that.  

I also very much admire this artwork by Dale Huddleston (Sept '93) in the café, every time I get a coffee in my break between classes.

 

It's Canberra Day weekend so, like most Canberrans, we went to the coast. It's been almost a year since I had a holiday (even a weekend away), so I was very keen to spend some time with Him Outdoors by the seaside in Broulee. Of course, it featured walks, swims, bike rides, and breweries. 

Street libraries are everywhere, which is pleasing to see, although I had brought my own reading material, and we also found plenty to amuse us in the little village. 

The next morning we set out for a walk along the beachfront to Mossy Point, stopping at a café for breakfast.

 

I know it may feel a bit weird to take photos of the toilet block, but I like the mosaics. 

Naturally, there are shipwrecks along the coast - there are lots of jagged rocks, so that comes as no surprise. 

Most of the time Him Outdoors is happy and smiley on holiday, but sometime his resting face says otherwise.

 

Get off my beach!

I love it when the stingrays come in close to visit.

Walking back to our accommodation we passed another street library and a few more beaches, but we couldn't pass the pub. 

The next morning we went on a bike ride to the other side of Bengello Beach. It's a very pleasant trail and apparently well known in these parts. 

We continued our bike ride to the café, Mossy on Pacific, for brunch. The descriptions of the food were almost as good as the meals themselves: brioche coated in a cornflake and coconut crumb, berry coulis, berry and whip cream cheese, fresh berries, fresh berries and sweet biscuit crumble - for me. And for him: Two poached Bega valley eggs on artisan toasted sourdough, mint yoghurt, Aleppo chilli and garlic butter, fresh herbs.

Forrest Berry French Toast

Turkish Eggs

We then walked a bit of it off with a stroll around the Broulee Island Walk, which is actually more of an isthmus.

Lunch at Tuross Head (fish and chips) was super windy, but the sea gulls were happy.

I heart Moruya