Christmas Eve

We take a morning tram two stops to Rundle Mall where we celebrate Christmas Smithfield style, with the pigs. We have no idea why they have them but there are four bronze full size pig statues, one eating out of a garbage bin.

Another two-stop tram ride delivers us to the ACM.  While there we have lunch at the Asian food court, Chinatown Plaza.  Until last year this place was a dump; a group of vendors surrounding a center of long community tables.  They've upgraded it including moving Dumpling King in from it's burnt out location a few hundred feet down the alley in Chinatown. The kitchens now randomly occupy the interior with tables scattered about including a few beneath Asian gazebos.

 

We went in expecting lunch at Dumpling King and had great difficulty selecting the vendor. We decided on Thai.  We both had our usual, Carol had a mountain of Pad Thai (enough for two more meals) and CJ a magnificent bowl of Thai Green Curry.  The taste was as good as Thailand with it only missing those darling tiny Thai eggplants.

 

With ingredients now in hand, Carol gets down to making desert.  Panic sets in.  The oven in the apartment is old and the markings for the control knobs are rubbed off from use. Look ma, no markings! The rental manager emails a user manual and also sends our favorite handyman, Steve.
We've known him since last year and will miss him when he retires in two days.

CJ completes Neil's birthday present.  It's a sign for the room in their outbuilding used mostly by Tom and Louie and their mates for parties; but part of it doubles as our storage area when we're not in country.

Neil picks us up for Christmas Eve dinner. Carol and Neil begin with a special gin concoction. After exchanging presents, Neil takes us to see his new blue baby.

This 1956 Thunderbird is gorgeous. 

Now that is what is called a "proper" automobile engine!

After a fine dinner beginning with a cucumber soup and followed by salmon and roasted potatoes, we're on to the canneles. The molds were purchased following our search throughout France and carried over here.  Carol will make three batches to serve with three friends.

Twas the usual fun Christmas Eve evening with Bronwyn and Neil.