We had an early birthday celebration

Michele planned and executed a lovely afternoon/ evening with family and friends to celebrate the upcoming big birthday. Four months early but it has meant that I have been able to celebrate with friends and family in the lovely setting of Michele's and my home.

I went rural...

and the sun eventually shone.

A trip to visit a school not far out of Melbourne. An easy drive and a lovely little spot (to visit) for a school.

Sunday lunch

 Spending time at home is great especially in winter when Michele whips up her soups.

The wonderfully chunky and tasty pea and ham soup

She prompted me to take the photo having taken loads of photos of our food at Merricote

 

We "had" to finish up the cupcakes from afternoon tea with Annemarie. The green tea one was scrumptious- light and fluffy- the cake and the "frosting".The chocolate one ended up being afternoon tea. quite restrained really.

How many?

How many hours can you spend in the spa?
Going by our evening with Andrew and Lynne.... many! Especially after a great dinner and then watching the footy (go Pies!) drinking ice cold water and making travel plans, catching up on news the hours flew by.

Ethnic dinner

 Since 1981 I have been a "member" of the Ethnic Dinner group that a wonderful group of friends have been part of. Just six of us when I joined the group, I believe a few had been gathering for some time before but this iteration of the group was when i joined.
The plan was to gather for a different "ethnic" meal at a restaurant in Melbourne every six weeks. That is what we have been doing for the past 32 years- where did that time go???

We take it in turns to organize the restaurant and the only responsibility is to let the others know where we are going. The date for the next meeting is arranged near the end of the dinner. Last night is was "ethnic Sue" and what a splendid treat it was. It was expensive but we knew that before we went.
To quote Peter Russell Clarke an expensive meal can be one that you pay just $3 for and don't enjoy and a cheap meal can be one that costs $$$ but totally satisfies and delights and that was dinner at Merricote. A very unassuming looking place with divine food and great service.

The degustation menu had us tottering out absolutely satisfied with the food and the evening.

But one oyster... we were thankful it was only one by the end of the meal!

Seafood served in a tin?

Quail

Scallop

Pork

Ice cream in a "fairy floss" bed

And the bill had companions!

Time with family and friends

 Michele and I drove across to do a spot of "Dylan watching". What a lovely task that is to do! His fascination with technology was demonstrated throughout the time I was there.

One cannot begin to use something without him finding a way to push the right button to get something happening.

He puts his cap on backwards by choice.

Michele's camera got a bit of a beating during the day. He took ot out of the pouch and luckily hung onto the camera with the pouch swinging in the wind rather than the other way around.

Holding the camera at arms length he tried taking photos. Eventually he got to take a photo of his toy cat "eating". As Sean said "wouldn't his mother be proud!"

I interrupted my visit by going into the city by train and meeting up with friends for lunch and then train back to the lovely boy again.

He abandoned the iphone eventually and took over Michele's notebook writing important things down just as she had been doing. 

Perched on the "step" of the pusher/stroller making notes.

A day being "auntie"

I chose not to embarrass them by taking a photo under the clocks

 The thing about going to the Aquarium in the school holidays is to go early in the morning. I guess getting a carload of little kids out the door early in the morning is tricky.
Not having to do that and having arranged to meet Nick and Kate "under the clocks" at Flinders Street station (gosh they have grown into two lovely young people- grown from two lovely little kids), we beat the crowd.
The walk through the Aquarium was lovely seeing all those amazing creatures and chatting with the lovely Nick and Kate

On exiting the building the queue was stretching on forever and we were so thankful that we had got out there early. A walk through the grey old day to South gate and lunch and more chattting.
We finally settled on going to a movie and got into "Spiderman" which i think we all enjoyed.
I made sure Nick and Kate were safely on the Frankston line train to Carrum and then made my way to have a lovely latte at Young and Jackson's cafe section. Great view of the station and the passing parade.
The tram ride during peak hour made for further interesting crowd watching as commuters went about the process of getting home after work and struggled to stay awake. A walk through the streets of Richmond to Wendy's house and a lovely dinner and evening with friends.

It's hot

The boats on the little lake

The temperature just blew up and has stayed there -fortunately though it has been cooling down in the evening so with windows and doors open it is possible to get a good night's sleep as long as the fan blows that is.
What does one do when it is so hot? First thing was to report the air con in the bedroom on the ottest side of the apartment, needed fixing and fix it they did so a pleasant evening at home after a lovely Sunday in the park with .... friends. Not the whole day spent in the park and the part that was spent in the park was mainly indoors having brunch at the Boathouse. Such a delightful spot and with really good friends.

Fifth Avenue Champagne cocktail overlooking Fifth Avenue

Some left to travel back quickly to get on with the rest of the day while four of us walked back through the park and down Fifth Avenue- the crowds and the heat were exhausting but the sojourn into Apple was cooling in both senses of the word (heat and fashion) and then on to Uniclo for a bit of a shop and then unwinding from such a hectic time with a Fifth Avenue Champagne Cocktail at the bar in the Armani store.