Boxing DayRight hook, left jab. Yup, Boxing Day 2007 has just passed, and as is the usual tradition, Chantelle and I spent the day amongst family, this time with my side of the family playing host for the day.

By the time we arrived there just before noon, my dad already had a nice fire going in the inside braai area whilst watching the opening day of SA’s cricket test match against the West Indies, and Mom was busy faffing around the kitchen preparing salads and the whatnot.

The table outside under the deck was already nicely laid and set out, and we quickly found ourselves plonking down in the comfortable chairs in the shade in order to escape the summer sun that was beating down upon us. Not that it was the only way to escape the brow melting humidity and heat of course – I made a beeline for my bather pretty early on and must admit that the water was splendidly refreshing for a change. Truly there is nothing better than a leisurely cannonball in the summer! (For some strange reason neither Claire nor Chantelle agreed :D)

Of course, what would a family lunch be without the food, and we were once again in for a treat, with some delicious curry chicken, chops and wors as a main, supplemented by some freshly baked onion bread and mouthwatering potato salad that Claire had whipped up.

And what would summer be without ice cream, so we made sure there was plenty of that to go around for dessert and of course, with all the left over cakes and tart from the various weddings, Christmas and birthdays the last while, we had more than enough to pick and choose from in terms of tea snacks!

We were joined later in the afternoon by Riley’s mom and sister, just in time to witness the biggest event of the year – the unwrapping of Claire and Riley’s wedding gifts! I had thought that I took a large haul home from Christmas with me – until I witnessed the size and scope of the stuff Riley and Claire hauled in with the wedding! In fact, the whole of Claire’s old room was jam packed with gifts, so much so that it took almost an hour to get through them all!

I think that if I ever want to kit out my flat again, I’m definitely going to have to get married – it seems the best way to lay your hands on a ton of useful loot!

Chantelle and I ended up spending the entire day there, before eventually sneaking off home, making a quick stop in at her parents’ place and then nipping out for a sunset stroll around Sonstraal dam, avoiding getting nipped by any of the volatile geese that seem to threaten non-food-givers at the drop of a hat!

It was a beautiful end to an enjoyable day (even if I had to go and spoil it a little by making Chantelle sit down and watch an anime episode with me – note to self: Tactics does not make a good show to try and convince someone that anime is fun).

So hopefully all the season’s feasting is done at last, because my scale is groaning and I think I’m going to hurl if anyone invites me over for lunch any time soon. Must…get..out…and…exercise…

(Someone pass me that cupcake please)