The weather on Christmas morning was a tad warmer than it had been. The kids woke us around 7 ish and said coffee would be served in front of The Tree. So we got up and started to get into our Christmas finery. The Earl put his foot into his shoe and said – “I can’t get my foot in – what’s in here?”
A frog in his shoe!
After releasing that little problem we headed over for the fun bit.
Pre-Breakfast snacks
The Tree
Simon and Grandpa waiting to start
Shan looking gorgeous in her Christmas outfit
Not to big to sit on Grampy’s lap
Our Beautiful Rural Family
Once fortified with Christmas cake, mince pies and coffee, we opened our gifts. The process more than the actual gifts gave us the most pleasure.
The cats gave Shan a name for her bedroom! Si got one too.
Gran and Grampy thrilled with a book all about The Kruger National Park
Military vehicle card game for Si
And some more Lego – which he just loves
After the gift opening ceremony a light brekkie was served. I decided to skip it – I mean why eat oats when mince pies are so yummy!
Soon it was time to join the Bakers on the other side of Kaag’s Post for a Christmas Braai. We pooled our chops, boerewors, carrot and pineapple salad and potato and butternut bake to the volume of food that others had brought. Of course there was way too much but it was all delicious and yes in spite of all good intentions we over-indulged on all the good stuff!
Sean seeing to the braai
Corne cooking pork on the Weber
Friends of the Bakers Corne and his lovely wife and kids joined us this year. Robyn and Shan took the little girls horse riding on the front lawn.
The Bakers are soon to be leaving Kokstad and relocating to George so it was the last time we would be celebrating Christmas at their beautiful home. Shan had us all write a sentence about the years of friendship we’ve had with them, printed out some memorable photographs and made the most stunning farewell card for them.
The Bakers
Robyn reads the card
I think the Bakers loved it. Farewell Nicoline, Sean, Scott and Robyn. We won’t be seeing you in Kokstad again but George is not so far away from Struisbaai so we hope to catch in The Western Cape soon.
We feast again!
You would think that after lunch nobody would want to move for the next few hours – but not these three young families. They all went onto the front lawn and had an energetic game of soccer – an excellent way to work off the excess.
A fun game of soccer
Even the dogs joined in
Why don’t the humans give us the ball
And in the end a human pile-up!
What a great day it was. It was cold by the time 5 o’clock came round but nothing could spoil our lovely Christmas.
Today we continued with celebrations when Andrew, Barbara and Shirl came over to share a roast gammon with us. And for the rest of the week, I believe we will be living on leftovers!
Merry Christmas everyone. Hope you all had a wonderful time with family and friends.
.
Diary of an Adventurous Retiree 
What an amazing and wonderful Christmas you all had….and the foooooddd wow I think we are all suffering from Liver trouble now. Thankfully one can relax and not eat so much for the next month. Hope your drive home will be safe and that you will be able to relax again.
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