It's getting cooler at night now (down to about 19C the TV said New Year’s Eve while people waited outside for fireworks and 15C last night) but some days are still pretty warm. The pool has been getting cooler - the other night positively chilly when we went for our regular exercise. We’ve moved from early morning figuring that the water would heat up during the day - but “It’s not evident” as they say here!
Christmas day was cool enough to have a hot meal without drowning in sweat, and after planning for 12, we finally had 5 sit down to eat, after delivering meals for 3 to a missionary family that had a baby on Saturday and couldn't come since the toddler then became too sick! The other cancellations were 3 ' possible' single CMAers, and a new wife who managed to get the last bus up country when she flew in Christmas day after being stranded a few days in Lome airport after being bumped from a flight.
We didn't order nice fat chickens in time so had roast lamb (relatively cheap here and abundant) and vegetables, local chicken in a apricot-French onion soup casserole, green beans prepared French style (sauteed uncut, with lots of butter, garlic and ham) and mashed potatoes. Dessert was pumpkin pie made from scratch by Jane. Jane also made artichoke heart farci entrees - apparently a family favorite (their family seem to be all gourmet cooks) and paper-thin taro and sweet potato chips (better than Pringles!) for nibblies. And the meal started with fondue brought by the swiss couple. So it was pretty nice! I did the beans and chicken, using takeaway chickens from a local street corner.
Jane and I were cooking from about 10am, with a break for breakfast and delivering the meal before eating about 2.30pm. We ended up introducing the Swiss couple to hot chocolate (milo) sucked through peppermint sticks I'd brought out in May from the US for the occasion about 9.30pm after watching "It's a wonderful life" with simultaneous translation from Jane for the Swiss.
I had made "Christmas crackers" before with silly paper hats, silly gifts and silly jokes (got off the internet) so this was a first-time cultural experience for some (photo).
I had the traditional long phone call with most everyone from home at 7am after I'd SMSed them to tell them I was awake - it was already getting on Christmas Day evening in Aust.
