Checklist

Checklist:

Pack a 24cm spring form cake tin, citrus zester, piping bag and nozzles. The husband is packing the knives.
Music – update my iPod, pack the speakers, Elvis christmas CDs.

Presents – stuff for the family, wine, cds. Buy wrapping paper.

Defrost the freezers at work, empty the bins, empty the MilliQ and PBS drums and the water baths, turn off the ovens and incubators and remember to chock the doors open. Change message on voicemail – how do I do that?? Check phone instructions. Throw away last week's agar plates. Turn off all the printers, scanners and computers.

Pack lots of medication to deal with the cat when I get to the city, think about packing gym gear then have a reality check and leave it behind. Shoes, boots? Check the weather forecast. Corsets, skirts and tops, jackets, hats and parasol. Sunscreen and razors. Get nails done. Bathers? Don't be stupid. Confirm flights.

Still haven't decided on an entree for New Years Eve. Prawn cocktail?? Ha! Blini? Rosti? Pate? Thai fish cakes? Something on a stick most likely. Chocolate truffle cake for dessert, hmm, should I make two of them? Will I have enough Margret River chocolate? Check the recipe, confirm guest numbers. Serve with raspberries? Homemade ice cream? Coffee or vanilla? Or chilli chocolate? All three? Make a mini pavlova for the rouge guest who doesn't like chocolate or let him suffer for being a heretic?

Give a key to the chick who is feeding the dog and cat and buy lots of cans of food. Make sure the leash is where I said it would be and that the dog has her tag on her collar. Oh, pay the car rego and the rates. Transfer money to cover the older child.

Stake the tomatoes and spray them with chilli to keep the possums off. Harvest the rhubarb – pack it. Give the veggie patch a really good soaking. Oh yeah, pack the water pistols.

Don't forget to pack the pudding.

I love Christmas.