Christmas day

Its Christmas morning in that nice quiet time of the day before the rest of the household gets up and you have time to ponder Christmases past.

This year Laura and Paul, my son and daughter are here in Abu Dhabi to spend Christmas with us. Im thrilled they were able to come. Last year we had Christmas with American friends. In the past I have had Christmas with so many, much loved and interesting folk. Marianne Steen from Denmark and Anne Margarate Matre from Norway spent Christmas with us in the late 80's as exchange students. One year we spent Christmas in Denmark with Mariannes family. It snowed all day and they made a huge effort to give us a wonderful Danish christmas. I spent a few Christmases in Malaysia with The Plenert family, Ceinwen and Michael Schneider and Tina and Zack Bartol.
Of course my extended family have always featured large in Christmas plans. My mum and stepfather, I wish very much that they could be here with us to spend the day together. My sister Jan and brother in law Alan and their family, I miss you all. Trevor and Barbara Williamson, whom for many years we had a fabulous Christmas eve when all our kids were little. We would go to Mt Macedon Carols by Candlelight together. Our friends in Berwick, Bendigo and Macedon. Where ever you are and who ever you are with, I hope you are having a wonderful day.

Today we will spend the day quietly at home together, and later Christmas dinner is at the Rotana on Yas Island with a Muslim family and their three year old triplets! I am so incredibly blessed to have so many good friends who come from all corners of the world. I love you all so much.