Up Top

It's Roast Dinner on Sundays.  We created a little tradition with our Neighbours "Up Top".  And we love it.  How could you not love this?

Roast chicken, carrots, potatoes, and pumpkin, beans, peas and gravy.  Plus because we are in Fiji, we add Fiji's favourite root vegetable, Kassava.  There's no denying it... it's a carby meal. 

We aim to eat around 6pm each Sunday, all together around the big brown table.  Some weeks it takes us a little longer to get organised.  Some weeks we have guests and other weeks we don't.

Take for example the Sunday just gone... there was me, and my 2 girls, there was Jacqui and Danny (who live Up Top), there was Danny's Niece, Bulou who was here visiting because it is school holidays here at the moment.   And of course, Togi, who is also staying Up Top.

Last week we had two lovely French travellers join us, who are spending 6 months travelling the world.  They have been to the most amazing sounding places.  Jealous is an understatement.  We also had my mate, Kiti and her 'new' boyfriend.  Wasn't that exciting!!!  So many questions flew around the table that night.

It may be interesting (or not!) to know that our meals that have fed up to 10 adults and 4 kids is always cooked in two electric fry-pans.  One belonging to me and the other belonging Up Top.  We don't have an oven here...

And that our gravy is super delicious but costs $10 for the teeny-tiny box from the supermarket.  We did bring a stash of gravy with us, but used it all up.  So this is what we use now.

Speaking of having no oven, we also have no television, so every chance she gets, Coco runs Up Top to watch theirs.  This is Coco and Bulou watching cartoons before Family Dinner on Sunday.  They were so engrossed, they didn't even see me take the pic (even with a big flashy flash!)

And after I snapped the TV Gals, I couldn't resist a quick pic of Togi, and little baby Chloe.  Togi is the 'manny' (man nanny) Up Top.  Coco will sit watching TV with him for hours, not saying a word.  But here's saying something, out of 4 other available seats, she always chooses the one right next to him.

Sometimes if we run out of something, like ice-cream for dessert, we walk down our hill, take a sharp left to the little corner shop.

  A little closer...

Yes he is just wearing a towel???

"Smoking kills!" and so does reaching through the many layers of security to ask for some ice-cream or phone credit, and then reach your hand all the way in to pay.

We walk back up the street, and past the flat we used to live in, way back in 2010...

The one on the end, furtherest away from you.  It was small but cute, 2 bedrooms and a loungeroom, small kitchen and bathroom for $350FJD a month.  Yes folks, that about $50 a week in Australia.

And in case you are interested, the house next door is For REANT right now...

We pass the local school, where you will be prosecuted for trespassing if you do it after 4pm.

And back to Home Sweet Home ... well that is the Up Top house you can see in the background, ours is down the driveway (walkway) to the left.  And I don't know what is up with Coco and her arms in all the photos.

After dinner, of course, we have to wash the dishes, so while in Fiji, we do as the Fijians do.  We don't use that whimpy Palmolive dishliquid, we use Axion Paste.  It solid and gets soft(ish) when you put a wet sponge in it.  It fights grease and grime.  It's hardcore.

How blessed we are that our Neighbours are not only caring and funny, but that we get to have dinner with our 'family' every Sunday night.  You are all welcome... next Sunday from 5.30pm.  Hope to see you there...

P.S that's Jacqui and Danny, Jewel and Coco, and Bulou...

Love from Fiji x