the charisma wrists

Well, as Boxing Day (or Family Day as it’s now known here) draws to a close, the smell of braaied lamb chops wafts over from next door and the guy upstairs has his Johnny Clegg CD going at full volume. The night air is warm and I can hear kids playing hide-and-seek (always better in the dark!) and although we might bemoan the fact that we'll never get to experience frost nipping at our toes let alone a white Christmas, it feels good to celebrate the festive season in the Southern Hemisphere.

In the spirit of Christmases past the family had the annual photo session after a splendid meal (and cocktails and schnapps ...and Steve’s homebrewed Canadian pale ale) and it was fun. Perhaps not as...rockin' as in previous years but a six week old in our midst required a bit more decorum.  

Our group name this year? The Charisma Wrists! 

 Fortunately,  the little man was in the middle of a most satisfying snooze so he could be manhandled without any protestations.

Well, most of the time. 

What a boytjie.

ETA- More pics up in Flickr

Stagger Lee- Lloyd Price 

zat you santa claus?

It's funny the way the muse works.
One little thing sparks off an idea which blossoms into this great big itch and before you know it you're in Fabric City drooling over bolts of fabric, spending all your hard-earned cash. Well, that's how it works for me anyway.

These little vintage ornaments I found on Etsy.

Plus this homey quilt by Posie.
And you've got the makings of the next quilt (and it's got your name on it, Mom).

And because we're having such a lovely cool and wet summer (what the hell are holidaymakers in the Cape doing with themselves?) I'm in the mood for endless measuring and cutting. My fave holiday movies are in a little stack in front of the DVD, a jazzy, retro Christmas playlist is on my hard drive (plus anything I can find from Treme) and I just have to find a way to get the kittehs out the flat.

Stay cool, don't fight over parking spaces and try not to panic buy.
Happy Holidays : )

Zat you Santa Claus?- Louis Armstrong 

 Santa's Second in Line- New Birth Brass Band

eggnog..and a new little elf

Yesterday was Eggnog Day. The day Steve plies us with Cyril’s boozy eggnog and we put up mom’s tree and lights and decorations. And get plastered in the process.

 It was wonderful, as always.

Warning: Cuteness overload.

 Naughty and Nice. 

Saint Nick. 

;-P

 Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas- Michael Buble -2011

the poinsettia posse....

Christmas Day and there's a serious trend starting here. One in which we open pressies, climb into poinsettia cocktails (two bottles of champagne's worth) and then spend the rest of the day eating and planning the photo shoot. Last year's rock group pose was so much fun…how to top it?

With a baddass, mofo rap group pose, that’s how. 

Oh goodgrief it was hilarious.

Research was conducted (Googling rap group poses- we're such geeks), various styles debated over, poses chosen and practiced.
Ladeeeez and gentlemennnn......please welcome the Poinsettia Posse.

The next family pic will have to be more refined and dignified or else we might give people 

the wrong impression.

That we're drunks. Or show offs. Or bloody idiots. 

But  I dare you to try it the next time you're planning a family portrait. It's a load of fun ;-P

 PS- What the hell kind of pose did they give me? Looks frighteningly like me in teacher mode.

Rappers Delight by the Sugarhill Gang

schnapp attack .... and a very merry christmas

We're not big drinkers. Honest.

I mean, my mom says she hadn't even heard of the word schnapps until four years ago.

And she pronounces it shnaps - without the authentic German 'a' and emphasis on the schhh part.

We started with cocktails - those pretty pink poinsettias again.

These were accompanied by a Meeru slideshow by the end of which mom and I were seriously ready

to whip out the suntan lotion and goggles and catch the first Emirates plane out of here.

Eat as much as you like? Check.

Hammocks swinging lazily between palm trees? Check.

Waiters in sarongs at your every beck and call? Check.

Crystal clear ocean sparkling in the tropical sunshine? Check and check.

Later, the schnapps was accompanied by a Meeru video. More twitching. Wondering if passport is still valid.

Look how tanned they are. Lucky buggers.

Grapefruit schnapps helps alleviate envy, did you know that?
It's worth keeping in mind.

It also brings on delusions of rock stardom.

That's how Schnapp Attack was born.

We do weddings, bar mitzvahs and Christmas parties.

PS- I wish to stress that it's not a nazi salute you see, but a peace sign.

See? We know the true meaning of Xmas.

Peace out.

Thanks to Bono and the boys for the pose.

'Christmas- Baby Please Come Home' - U2