our Christmas was divine. the kids were as good as they knew how to be, and feeding times didn't interrupt with adult feeding times, and it was funny, loving and family-ish. the people were accepting, welcoming, warm and it was so wonderful to have grandparents there, even if they weren't my parents. made the circle of life very pleasant. people mixed well and could talk with everyone, you felt comfortable enough to say NO to their kids when need be, and not to feel insulted when they said the same to yours. proof of it's excellence: i am only mentioning the amazing food now. seriously, the fellowship surpassed the amazing food. laughter. happiness.

we were home by 9pm and in bed by 9.30pm. debated trying to find name tags for some gifts that were wrapped in tissue paper (not taped, just wrapped) and decided to just be really rude and ask people if they sent them.

we also experienced a present conundrum other mums of multiples have warned us we will be having in the next few years. people who send the triplets one gift. or did they? we had two scenarios this year...

there were three kid presents from my mum. one definitely for sebastian. (adorable, excellent). hmm...three kids, two gifts. was this one of those situations where the triplets are meant to share? (which of course works for now, but won't in one year when MINE sets in....) i decided to just be honest and test drive a conversation i am sure i will have to repeat in years to come...

hi mum, ha ha, yes i know we chatted earlier today...ha ha ha...you know, kids should be grateful they are getting any thing at all, and adults should be able to save money and send one gift for all three...what am i saying? getting at? well,um, mum, did you send a present for each of the triplets or would like them to share?

what do you mean of course i sent three gifts, for the triplets and one for sebastian too. of course we did. your father and i. we chose them carefully.are you saying you have lost one of the gifts, teresa?

only temporarily, mum. it could be under the tree, or olivia might have batted it...

there were two gifts without tags, but they were baby books. i don't know if i should contact this person and apologise for losing a present. but i think i will check around first. but i didn't on Christmas day...we came home and went to bed.

it was a good night of sleep, which i was happy with because i was up the next morning at 5am, making stuffing for our boxing day feast. i cut up leeks, green/spring onions, apple, and celery, sauteed them, and then added the bread and seasoning...

and then it was time to stuff it up the 24 pound turkey's bum. but first, pulling out the neck and giblets, while miaowing olivia watched with great interest and whisker licking.

had to go through the back entrance to get the giblets. the turkey responded to the loss of the giblets by loudly sucking up air and expelling fluids. very eerie at 6am. olivia and i jumped a bit.

now to stuff. got about half of the stuffing in there. now, it was time to wake up magnificent charles so he could give it a cerclage. (one of the benefits of having triplets is now i know the official word for sewing up the turkey, even if it is the wrong end. he did a great job.

we seasoned the top of the bird, foiled and threw it in the oven. i had peeled and cut the 20 potatoes we would later make garlic mash with earlier in the week, so the only thing really left to do was make salad, pie crusts and a few other things. all seemed to be relatively calm and according to plan.

except of course, when the guests arrived, we grabbed our drinks and spent the appetizer portion of the meal in our room watching cnn. tsunami in phuket, sri lanka, etc. when people ask me why we have the television in our bedroom i explain that i don't have friends over to watch television. well, yesterday about five of us sat on my bed with the cheese and crackers in front of us, watching the disaster unfold. getting frustrated with the same old video clips that weren't telling us anything new.

magnificent and i have been to the maldives. magnificent and i have been to phuket, he many times, and also to phi phi as well. richard (of aloo gobi fame) was with us on our bed, he got back from phuket three days ago. and suddenly, his blackberry started getting messages from friends in sri lanka.

they couldn't use the mobile, but they could sms. can you help us get out of here, they asked. we are in the mountains, we were staying on the beach but made it to the mountains. we don't think we have suitcases anymore, but we have our passports and we want to come home. is the airport open?

it is, he texted back. how can we help??

poor richard didn't get a chance to eat the great vegetarian lasagne he brought, he was making reservations for his friends. and it did work. their flight was to leave at 9pm, and they texted from the airport i think saying they were close to being on their way. knowing this brought the evening to a good close.

magnificent is at work today, putting together an action plan to help employees who are vacationing or visiting family in phuket, madras, sumatra or sri lanka. and we are here, waiting for more news. putting aside relief items to donate.

one of our diversionary games last night was trying to determine the worst song of the 1980's. the nominees:

wild boys - duran duran

come on eileen - dexy's midnight runners

the oo-oo song - pat benetar

your suggestions are welcome and will be debated seriously.

a great, busy, wonderful Christmas. and i am going to look for lost presents now. and be grateful that missing presents, not people, are the greatest of my concerns.

Comments

[Boulder]

Oh so very glad that you and the clan were in HK this holiday season, and not yet in Phuket. The messages coming in from people that you all know or that your friends know must be alarming & comforting all in one.

Can't imagine what it must be like for so very many families to be wondering about their loved ones.

The situation really is unfathomable, and two things that are resounding with me are 1) what an tidal warning system might have done to help save lives & 2) the scale in the physical sense of the tragedy. The amount of coastline impacted is so dramatic & to think of the regions of the world that we haven't yet heard from, and may not for some time.

We that are safe, have enjoyed our families, and know where are loved ones are, well, our blessing are to be counted, all around.

[Boulder]

On a lighter note, my votes:

Sunglasses at Night - Corey Hart
Heartbeat - Don Johnson

xoxo

[AyEnDeeAreEeAyAitch]

Wake me up before you go-go - Wham
Heat of the moment - Asia

Also I was thinking about you last night when I heard on news about tsunami's and earthquakes. I was wondering how far away you were and if you were safe. Then I had dreams about fellow bloggers all night. Hopefully you are still safe and sound and happy holidays!

[Auntie Pammie]

My worse memories of the 80's are as follows:

Manic Monday - Bangles
Anything by Cyndi Lauper,, no literally anything....
I've got a brand new pair of rollerskates..singer mercifully unknown
I think we are alone now..Tiffany

Tess , how about doing a favorite songs from the 80's list after you compile the results from this one. Move over Dick Clark!

[Auntie Pammie]

Ok, here are a few more..

Solid as a Rock....Ashford and Simpson
Saturday Night ..Bay City Rollers
Mickey.. singer hopefully dead
Tell me why I dont like Mondays..
Blinding me with Science. Thomas Dolby
I found Someone....Cher

[tess]

all right...since terrible eighties tunes are haunting my waking and sleeping hours maybe writing them down will exorcise me....

meet me on the beach - no one admits to singing that one

calm before the storm - luba

pac man fever - another artist my mind has thankfully erased

dancing on the feet of the moon - parachute club (?? not sure of the name, just know they were annoying and sadly, canadian).

nothing's going to stop us now - starship

love is love - culture club

99 red balloons - nena

dancing on the ceiling - lionel ritchie

goonies are good enough for me - cyndi lauper

a lot of miami sound machine

get out of my dreams get into my car - bilyl ocean...and while we're on the topic, when th egoing get's tough was pretty bad too, and so was caribbean queen.

walking on sunshine - katrina and the waves

there are more, but it is time for the babies to get up from their nap.

[Boulder]

From DH -

SSSS-AAAA-FFFF-EEEE-TTTT-YYYY.....Safety-dance!
...........by Men without Hats
&
Electric Avenue
...........by Eddy Grant

& from me, well, crap, I guess Pammie & I aren't going to be listening to the same favorites from the 80's while we donate blood in Edmonton someday, because I really LIKE some of the songs that she's listed.....

And, BTW, S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night rocked & wasn't the 80's.

I quote a BCR fan site:

The Rollers were introduced to America on "Saturday Night Live", singing their failed '73 single "Saturday Night". The tune climbed the U.S. chart in late '75 and hit the #1 spot in January '76. The Rollers were on top of the world.

I'm off to sing - la la la...... xoxo

Oh Mickey, you're so fine you're so fine you blow my mind,
hey Mickey (huff huff), hey Mickey (huff huff)

[lynn]

tess.... gee, so many bad songs in the 80's, numbers only to rival bad hair and fashion trends (of which i so freely participated in).... my contributions are:

sussudio (sp?) phil collins
lies,lies,lies thompson twins
cherry pie- warrent

more later!.... lynn p.s keep posting those cute baby pics, hopefully some soon of christmas!! xx lynn

[Auntie Pammie]

Hey ladies,
Sorry about the Bay City Rollers screw up, I was off by a decade.

Boulder, how about we listen to the 90's while we donate ? I am a closet Corey Hart fan, so I understand the music thing, so we will stick to the 90's?

Auntie Pammie
ps) Tess,, you need to do the TOP 80's tunes....

[red shoes]

Glad to know you're all safe, was in Phuket a year and a half ago and watching the films is horrible. Also, LOVE the new photo. Happy New Year!