Certainly making the most of it

 ...that is what I am doing ... making the most of being at home thanks to my family and friends.
Tony's generosity in coming to visit in Melbourne has been wonderful and today brought together friends of long ago. Eeventually that is, it was one of those arrangements that are made via email and phone, communications became a tad jumbled but we did get together without any real drama- the drama was later in the day.
And so it was that the "Bruce St mob" got together again. It was three of the families from the street in which we grew up. The street has now changed completely- houses sold and demolished replaced by monstrous places that no longer reflect the simpler life we had as kids.

Michele and Alan G and myself

We spent about three hours over lunch talking and laughing about some great times we had as kids growing up in an area where there was sea and the bush and lots of liberty to run around and be kids.
The age range seemed vast as kids but now looking at us all we are within 10 years of each other. 

Alan, Cheryl and Tony

Thanks to Sandy we got photos of the event and had a wonderful time.

As to the drama of the day- Michele and I drove to Williamstown Little Theatre and had tickets to the 5pm performance of "Two Weeks with the Queen". The playbill gives a great intro to the play is by Mary Morris adapted from Morris Gleitzman's book of the same name.


“Dear Your Majesty the Queen,
I need to speak to you urgently about my brother Luke. He’s got cancer and the doctors in Australia are being really slack. If I could borrow your top doctor for a few days I know he/she would fix things up in no time..…Please contact me at the above address urgently.
Yours sincerely, Colin Mudford
PS: This is not a hoax. Ring the above number and Aunty Iris will tell you. Hang up if a man answers.”
Want something done properly? Colin reckons you go straight to the top! If the Queen can’t help, who can? You’ll laugh till you cry, or, like Colin’s new friend Ted, cry till you laugh. It's a warm, funny, poignant play!

Congratulations Shirley Sydenham and Robert Harsley- the show is an absolute delight.  Tim Walker and Dylan Boyd are absolutely engaging as the "young" boys. Tim's performance as Colin is inspired and heart warming. We were totally engaged by the whole show and laughed and cried along with the Mudford family. 
The direction was clever keeping everyone busy including the talented backstage crew. The whole show complemented by Barb Hughes' set design which manages to be witty and functional. 
It was a great opportunity to catch up with my mates at Wlliamstown Little Theatre and to share a meal with Shirl after the show with not only some of the cast but my other friends who had come to see the show. 

Another day in Melbourne of family, friends and fantastic food.