It doesn’t get much better than this…..

Every boxing Day thousands of Australians descend on the harbour to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart sailing race.

We decided to join the throng. Sitting on the grass on a natural ampitheatre over looking The Bridge and the Opera House, we watched hundreds of boats jockey for postion at the start line and hurtle down towards the Heads and out to sea.

This famous race has claimed many lives and is always threatened by fierce Southerlys as the boats head over the Tasman to Tasmania. In 1998, six lives were lost and out of 90 boats only 40 made it to the safety of Hobart.

It was the most horrific Perfect Storm that created the tragedy and hopefully won’t be seen again but out of this came even more rigorous safety controls that makes this exciting race one of the worlds greatest challenges.

To compete in this race is one of my lifelong ambitions and I discovered, too late, unfortunately, that the company has a sponsored boat - next year hopefully!

So instead of stuffing myself on Christmas day I’ll be eating seasickness tablets and eating digestives!

If you get a chance have a look at some of the coverage on the official web site -  http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/

Another Christmas, another country, another city.

Having moved from Edinburgh, to Brisbane, to Sydney I can honestly say this is the most settled I’ve felt in years.

This is the first Christmas where we have really benefited from living here. No emotional roler coaster from anyone and a temperature that doesn’t melt the furniture or the food!

The weather today was sunny enough to go for a walk in a tee shirt, have a full cooked Christmas lunch and the temperature is now 20 degrees so I’m even considering lighting the fire - we’re that cold!

This morning, we were woken at the usual ridiculous time by the twins, opened heaps of presents, had breakfast, went for a walk, came back for a seafood picnic lunch and then fell asleep watching ”Only Fools and Horses” 

At 7.00pm we sat down for the full Chrissie Dinner with all the bits and now weigh about 8 kilos more than I did this morning.

But it was such a wonderful, relaxed, family day, with beautiful food, great wine and spent in the company of a healthy, happy family!

I’ve a lot to be grateful for. I just keep pinching myself of how lucky we all are.

But as the saying goes: - The harder we work, the luckier we get….

Have a fantastic day everyone and here’s to a fabulour 2008!

My missus decided to take one of her friends shopping the other day for Chrissie presents who was recovering from a stay in hospital.

Unfortunately Mollie wanted to join them.

However, with one with a busted foot and the other having been bitten by a snake, I kid you not, they made for an interesting sight!

So off they set with a cripple, an invalid and a do-gooder.

Never had such great service apparently..

“Humid and warm is the outlook for Sydney this Christmas Day as the city continues its recent pattern of steamy festive seasons,” Weatherzone senior forecaster Matt Pearce said on Tuesday.

“Sydney can look forward to a cooling storm late in the day.”

Weatherzone said Sydney’s hottest Christmas Day was recorded in 1868, when the mercury hit 39 degrees.

The city’s coldest Christmas was a chilly 18 degrees maximum temperature recorded in 1962.

Call me sentimental, but this has got to be one of my favourite songs of all time, sung by the outstanding Gary Clark, who along with Pat Kane still makes the hair stand up on my arms when they sing.

They don’t make the songs like they used to….

Obviously this man is determined to give his son some emotional disorder later in life.

If this continues I will be forced to defend my god sons mental health by posting highly incriminating evidence of his fathers youth.

Which won’t make pleasant viewing I can assure you…

My dearest frend Pete Smith has decided to dress his son up as Santa.

Clearly the man has no understanding of the shame and distress this will cause as they are shown to future girlfriends and mates.

Or indeed posted on the internet for eternity.