Sunny Christmas Day

With Niki's organisation, Christmas lunch, cooked by me, was marinated baked salmon, asparagus, beans and pommes de terre, accompanied by a great sauce made by her friend Chef Karen. I made it all ready, solo in the kitchen, and we sat down to lunch at the scheduled 12.30. Niki brought back her two best friends from where they had taken coffee at the Te Papa café at eleven, Andy and wife Gil, pronounced Jill. They are both in 'Sound'!

The view....

...cloudless and hot,

With a fake Christmas tree and baubles....

Tree decorated by Niki and Alice, LJ came later!At lunch on balcony....

Mou Mou enjoys Indian Ice Cream

..while Gil and Andy toast in iced peach tea

They stayed a couple of hours only as Niki promised, so I quickly washed the dishes and brought in the fold-up table which had served us very well indeed, perfect for such an occasion.

Now recovering, I am assailed with three invites to tea but will briefly visit Tom as promised with my orange cake, then go to see Pam with Dan and Ellyn on Vivian Street for an hour later. It has all, even in small portions, been a little too much.