ghotiindustries

Giftmas Day Cooking Adventures

Posted on December 28, 2012December 28, 2012 by ghotiindustries

I can honestly say that I hit a new low point with my cooking on Giftmas Day.

I had a strong start and gathered around myself coffee, milk, bacon, eggs, and brie. I even had the coffee before I began cooking!

Something I’ve been wanting to post here for a while and this seems like the perfect opportunity here; what is with Dutch bacon?!?! It’s see through!!! And cured … differently.

But I combined it all and set up for mini frittatas for breakfast, so we’d have something tasty to open presents with! I mean, have something tasty to eat while opening presents!

I did it again. I knew when I poured them that they’d be too full, but I pressed on!

Oh well! They were still damn tasty when combined with the bottle of Veuve!

It was a different Christmas, and thanks to the wonders of modern technology we caught up with everyone at one point or another.

One of the strangest things was watching the international date line move across the world while tracking Santa with NORAD. I’m used to him setting off, reaching Oz within 2 hours, then I go to bed and wake up and am too busy relaxing to think about it. This year while chatting with friends, Santa reached New Zealand, then Australia … and then I had to watch him cover ten more hours of world time zones … New Years Eve is going to be odd … I also suddenly felt really sorry for Alaskan children.

On that note, I hope you all had wonderful Christmases, and are all continuing to be safe, happy, and healthy!

(PS – the less said about the duck, the better *hangs head in shame*)

‘Twas the night before Giftmas

Posted on December 24, 2012December 24, 2012 by ghotiindustries

‘Twas the night before Giftmas and all through the house, not a creature was stiring

not even the flamingo who was standing in for the mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in the hopes that Saint Nicholas (who is _not_ Sinterklaas) soon would be there.

All the little windows on the Advent Calendar have been opened (lewd scenes removed before photography), so it must be that time of year!

We have been shopping and have a ridiculous amount of food for the next three days. The duck is in the fridge, waiting to be slow cooked in the oven on the morrow, there is a paella planned for guests on Boxing Day, and enough cheese and cured meats to clog all the arteries!

As people have been asking, I will also tell you now that the forecast is for rain. Not Snow. It hasn’t been cold enough. I think we’d need to be further North for the white Christmas.

To all our friends and family who were kind enough to send us things, they are under the tree waiting for tomorrow morning. I want to thank you so much, from the bottom of our hearts. It is wonderful that even though we are so far away, we aren’t forgotten. It means a lot that you went to the effort.

I haven’t heard from all of you yet, but I hope all our return packages arrived safely. Know that we love you all, miss you terribly, and you’ll be in our hearts and minds as you always are. I’ll also keep Skype open for all those wishing to indulge!

Have a merry and safe Christmas everyone! See you on the other side!

George & Himself.

Christmas Canal Parade

Posted on December 17, 2012December 17, 2012 by ghotiindustries

We went to the Canal Parade on Saturday night which was wending its way down the Prinsengracht.

It was on as part of the Amsterdam Light Festival which is on at the moment.

We positioned ourselves at the bottom of the Negen Straatjes hoping to get a good position from which to see.

The initial rain shower was disconcerting, but it didn’t hang around long thank goodness!

As the boats and floats wound around the water ways and under our bridge, we had a good view to see the lights, and sing along with the bands!

The fire twirlers filled me with happy memories of going to watch friends perform. The smell of the kerosene brought a smile to my face

Santa made an appearance and waved to the crowd while wishing us all a Merry Christmas.

The parade came to its conclusion with a boat that had red and green lasers pointed at mirror balls. It was a sight to see all those pinpoints reflected onto all the canal houses!

The photo doesn’t really do it justice, so I got footage for you! (I love you all that much!)

But before you watch it, I’m going to issue a seizure warning. It’s got a steady flash to it if you’re susceptible to such things.

The one thing we both forgot (or didn’t think about) was to take tripods to hold the cameras still for really low light shots! (There is a multitude of fuzzy photos which will never see the light of day!)

Sinterklaas

Posted on December 12, 2012December 12, 2012 by ghotiindustries

I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but we got into the swing of things last week and had a visit from Sinterklass (and probably Zwarte Piet came along too). We put our newly acquired clogs out by the fireplace to see what would happen, and lo and behold we awoke to find them full of goodies!

We each got a chocolate letter of our initials, an orange, some walnuts, and a DVD! Thoroughly spoilt! *grins*

We have also cleared a space and put up our Giftmas tree. I was grateful that I only lost one of my glass ornaments in the move!

Miraculously it seemed to attract a multitude of gifts to it almost instantly! Though, these have subsequently gone into the post, bound for far away lands!

Now to restrain myself from putting on my Twisted Sister Christmas album so Himself doesn’t get sick of it too quickly!