Merry and Happy to All!

I hope you all had a nice time.  We are having Boxing Day here today, another holiday day, with the prospect of tomorrow off as well.

The last couple of days have been quite busy and social but very nice.  First we had to wrap prezzies, with Cyrano's help as is traditional for cat households.

Oh, so helpful Mr Kitty!

Then it was time to go to Saturday Schedules, where I once more sat on my backside while the two vehicles both got a lovely polish.  It was a very friendly and pleasant morning. This year so far has been great with hardly any fires in our area, though other parts of WA haven't been so lucky.  We're still keeping our brigade primed and ready.

Don't know how Gogs stood wearing those shorts!  The march flies were savage.  Long pans have been the order of the day for weeks now.  Luckily I have a very light pair of work pants to wear when outside so it hasn't been too hot, but better hot than bitten to pieces.

It's all very well to love nature, but I don't think even a mother could love these buggers!

   
After that it was Christmas Eve at my Uncle and Aunty's place, where we had a delightful time as usual.  So glad my family is so lovely.  We sat under the oak tree that is grown from an acorn from my Great Grandma's tree.  I took this pic when we'd just arrived as it is hard to capture the tree later when it gets dark.

     
What a beauty it is, and very well loved by my Uncle Greggy.

I didn't craft much this year for Chrissie.  I did make my sister a dragon that she has christened Trifle.

And I made a quick cartoon for our Brigade friend, Angus, who we invited along to Christmas breakfast at the last minute.  Harley is his dog and often comes out with us on training runs, but we don't let him drive!  

It's handy being able to use your art skills to fall back on instead of having a generic box of choccies ready.  :)

I also got my latest book, Land of Giants, ready to send out to my first readers just before Christmas, since I figured they might like to have it to read over the holiday period.  It's a little rougher still than I would usually send it out, but I'm sure they'll forgive me.  I had a bit of a set-back due to one thing and another before Christmas!

Last news, but most exciting, my sis's family has a new dog, another Lab!  This is Pippa.  She is 7 mths old and such a darling.  She is a re-home, not a rescue, and they really lucked out.  What a sweetie!  

    
I'm always happy when a new dogs joins the family.  The more the merrier, in my opinion, when it comes to dogs.  With the proviso that it is only so long as you can love, feed, train and care for however many you have, which for me would be three or so (or maybe a couple more if they are little ones?) so it's nice to have a family that loves dogs too so I can have lots of extras in my life!