We always celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve like they do in Switzerland which is Bill's home country. Our daughters are very happy with this because they can then go to their in laws for Christmas Day. This year Carol and David drove from Melbourne to us in Brisbane (2000km) to spend Christmas with us and David's parents who also live in Brisbane. Sonya, Bernie and the boys couldn't come this year and they will spend Christmas with Bernie's family in Melbourne. Bernie is in the stage show "A Christmas Carol" over the holidays. However, we facetimed when we were celebrating Christmas Eve and opening presents, which they had sent with Carol. They opened presents we had posted to them. So it was a nice family get together, which I was lucky to attend as I was in hospital for two nights until 21st.
I had stroke tests, which were ruled out and then I had a heart monitor for 24 hours. Still waiting for results and hope I don't pass out again.
The village singers walked around all the streets singing Carols. They stopped beneath our back balcony.
The next day our daughter and SIL arrived from Melbourne just in time to put me in an ambulance and send me to hospital to check if I had a TIA mini stroke.
I felt okay but I was worried and after lying down for two days my back complained when I bent down to put on my shoes. It remained sore for two days. Luckily it was better for Christmas.
The view from my room in the hospital. I can see the city in the distance. After tests ruled out a stroke I was sent home wearing a heart monitor for 24 hours. I'm still waiting for results which I don't expect until after the holidays.
On Christmas Eve Bill, Carol and David prepared the lunch/dinner. Bill made Potato Salad, Bean Salad and Russian Salad, which we now call Ukrainian Salad.
Carol made Green Salad, Mince Pies and Pavlova. David prepared the prawns and lobsters. We prefer a cold seafood feast rather than the traditional roast ham and turkey. However, we do have cold cuts of ham and turkey. It's too hot to be in the kitchen roasting for hours.
Only half the family this year but it is better than none. We had a lovely time together as we don't see each other in the flesh very often.
This was David's helping I had half that.
After the delicious meal we opened presents and facetimed the other half of the family as we opened the presents they had sent us. David was Santa and gave out the gifts.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my blogger friends and Happy Holidays to those of other faiths.
Pavlova is Australia's and New Zealand's greatest gift to the world. But as I cannot make it myself, I am full of admiration for those who can. Go Carol!
ReplyDeleteBe well in the New Year!
Merry Christmas, and hope you are feeling better and get good results from your monitor. It was lovely for you that some of your family were with you to celebrate christmas. Its difficul when they are spread over different parts of the country. I havent been blogging much this year but do read yours and some others and enjoy reading about your lifestyle as we have recently moved into a retirment village and are starting to enjoy life here which is different to living in our large home with many steps and stairs and a large garden to maintain. All the best for 2023.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of your health problems. Although a small family gathering for you this year it still had all the ingredients for a happy Christmas.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a great family gathering. My sister treated her daughter for such a good school result to see A Christmas Carol. I read some reviews and the descriptions sounded so interesting. We are all getting older and face challenges. We must just enjoy what we can and be at the mercy of doctors. Very cool that you still give gifts to adults. We have given up on that.
ReplyDeleteYour Christmasparty is earlier than ours in Europe, we celebrated yesterday evening at my daughter's home. We are lucky to live close by each other, only 20 minutes drive by car.
ReplyDeleteHello, Diane
ReplyDeleteIt was nice you were able to spend Christmas with your family, at least part of the family. I am glad to hear you did not have a stroke, I hope all is OK. Take care, have a great day and week ahead!
I am so happy to hear that you were home in time for Christmas and glad that they ruled out the tia! The heart monitor might just say nothing it could be that you just passed out sometimes that happens for no reason and I hope that's what this was. It sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas even with the trip to the hospital.
ReplyDeleteWhat a health scare at the holidays, Diane, to spend a few days hospitalized, but glad you were able to be home with family for Christmas Eve. We also celebrated with family.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that you were home for Christmas. I hope they get some results and have answers to your problem. Sounds like you had a good day and had lots of fun. We always had a cold meal in RSA as it was too hot for a traditional meal.
ReplyDeleteThis year we had a quiet day with just the two of us. We did though have a hot meal though as it was quite chilly!! Take care and get better quickly. Cheers t'other Diane
A belated Merry Christmas Diane and am sorry you had a health scare. Bet you were glad to get out of there and back home with your family. Your day sounded lovely and that food looked scrumptious. Wishing you and Bill A Very Happy and Healthy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were home for Christmas, Diane. Weren't you in hospital around this time last year? I hope this visit was unrelated and that your heart monitor tests being positive results. That would just leave the mystery of "why" which might to even more worrying. Pauline
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were able to be home for Christmas and I hope the results of the tests will be encouraging. So sorry you had some bouts of illness though. Your feast for dinner is my kind of food...yumm
ReplyDeleteSUE
Sorry to read about your health problems, hoping your heart monitor test is okay.
ReplyDeleteBelated good wishes for the Christmas Season, I wish you a Happy New Year.
All the best Jan
What a great meal and so glad you are back and able to celebrate. That is some delicious looking cold food.
ReplyDeleteIn Germany it's the same we always celebrated on Christmas Eve, I didn't even know that there are countries who celebrate on the 25th ! How lucky you were to be able to spend Christmas at home, and test results, if you don't get them immediately, they are good. Otherwise they would have called you !
ReplyDeleteYour meal looks delicious, we too gave up the traditional turkey, we always had a Pirade, a device where you can grill meat cubes on the top and melt cheese underneath. That's practical, as my DIL is vegetarian.
So glad you were home in time for Christmas with part of your dear ones. I hope you get good news from your tests soon. Wow, what a scrumptious Christmas dinner! Your children are good cooks.
ReplyDeleteI am late as always and just hoping you got good results? I didn't see anything about that in the subsequent posts as I was reading backwards (unless I forgot already due to my extremely advanced age). Anyway --- be well!!
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