Got up early . The wind , you can hear it . Leroy ended up in our bed at 1am , shaken up by the sounds . It’s rare , but Christmas away has that extra chill this time . I sit on the couch and wait in the dark . Weird . 
Just the flickering of our Christmas tree lights . Shit we are all alone . It’s 5am and it’ll be until 7am before anyone else surfaces .
Emma in all her industriousness is an effervescent force. She has us on the road to the Marriott hotel by 11am . There’ll be no moping here . Presents , a gourmet breakfast and then it’s out to the most glamorous cool spot in the desert , Palm Springs. It’s called treat yourself and keep busy , that way you don’t get caught up in sentimentality. I
t’s not long before we are in the JW Marriott ( I told you Emma doesn’t do it by half ) and are seated for the Christmas lunch buffet . And ….. what a buffet . Prawns , oysters , sushi , crab and a host of seafood delicacies. 
Champaign complementary, had Emma and I giving the nod to the wait staff real quick . ” Hey champ top me up ” . Turkey , sirloin steak , quail and a shit load of other wholesome treats had me declaring this the best buffet yet . A big fucken call , as we’ve had our fair share . There were Aussie accents too , but I was I embarrassed as I’d underestimated the occasion and only dressed in boardies and t shirt . They were looking sharp , me ….. ahhhh , not so . I’d normally have introduced myself , but even I got a little insecure . A moment lost . . I feel a real guilt , when I let an Aussie slide by without saying hello . Emma shook her head and said , ” you’re an embarrassment “. Everyone else was in a collar and dress . Shit , I might I’ve got this one wrong . .
Christmas Day ,we weren’t alone . The Marriott was packed with families doing the same thing as us , even some Aussies.
Wouldn’t you know it ? Even got to watch Benny Simonds and Aaron Baines doin it Chrissy day .
aussiehowieinla 