April and May – all of the things

The last couple of months have been really quite good. I’ve been up to all sorts of stuff. And now I’m going to tell you about it.

• We started April off right with some early morning gardening sessions. Every day for a week we got up at 6am and gardened until it was time to get ready for work. It put a huge dent in our outdoor ‘to do’ list. And what a lovely way to start the day – out in the fresh morning air with your honey!

• Then was the event of the year – the arrival of my niece Antigone Eliza who I simply can’t get enough of. She’s the cutest little cuddlebug and nothing makes me feel happier than holding her, talking to her and thinking about her. I love this recent picture of her.

• After Tiggs came along, the next big thing was a family trip to the Gold Coast. My Aunt had organised a ten year anniversary service for my Cousin Patrick. At first I was perplexed by this event. She asked me to speak and I was befuddled. What does one say at such things?  It wasn’t a funeral but it wasn’t exactly a celebration. In the end, it really did turn out to be a lovely way to remember Patrick, who passed away so suddenly at the age of 17. It meant that the anniversary of his passing wasn’t just a ceremonial nod to an event confined to its moment in time. I guess I’d like to think that if I died, 10 years on, people were still willing to attend a service for me.

Also, the school Patrick went to is TSS on the Gold Coast. It’s certainly an amazing school , very Hatter Potterish with a formal dining hall, stunning buildings and beautiful grounds. I always like visiting there.

• Then it was my birthday. The thing I loved the most about my birthday was being reminded that I am friends with the best people. I was spoilt rotten with messages, phone calls, cards, presents and emails. My sister is always lovely, but her particular lovely loveliness was all the more evident when she baked me this cake.

Chocolate cake with smarties is the way to my heart! Leigh not only spoilt me with this  nom nom nominess but also with the most divine gifts. And only a week after having a baby!
Love. Her.

•  I also really must show you this present. IT’S THE BOXED SET OF ROALD DAHL BOOKS. My work partner-in-crime bought these for me and I am a bit lucky to have them, I think! I have been coveting this set for years. You’ll find them in prime position on my book shelf. When you visit, I’m happy for you to look at them but please don’t touch! And sorry but you’ll never be able to borrow them. Just sayin.
  
• I also received two beautiful bunches of yellow flowers, which when merged into one bunch was like a MAJOR burst of sunshine on my dining room table. They made me happy every day that they were alive.

• I spent my birthday watching this movie.
  
  It was beautiful but incredibly depressing and I did a lot of crying. Not really smart planning for my birthday! But then I had a bit of a dumpling gorge and everything was ok. What is wrong with two whole steam boats of dumplings for lunch? Nothing.

• I came home one day to find that Sheela had decorated my eggs. How awesome are these eggs?
  It made me laugh for weeks. And now everyone now seems to be drawing faces on their eggs. It’s like the fashion accessory du jour for your fridge.

• David, Leigh & Tiggs came to stay over Anzac Day. We went to the bakery then ate treats by the lake. Then my Mumzy-in-law and nephews came to visit. We had a toastie night and did a lot of talking. My nephews fished hot cross buns out of my freezer and smooshed nutella and banana into them before toasting. They were sickly in the best possible way. 

• Other wonderful things in April: An afternoon browsing through the cute shops in Wahroonga, beef pho & Black Star Pastry with Sheela, dinner club with the Williams at a delish Greek restaurant in the City.

• In May, Sheels, Kys & I went to Canberra to visit our friends Kat & Adrian. Their baby Connor is so cute it is ridiculous. We picknicked and breakfasted and played in the beautiful autumn leaves. Was delightful!
• Then there was a day off work in the middle of the week to celebrate my Mumzy’s birthday. We went for a lovely walk around the lake with Leigh and Tiggs before lunching with friends.Despite it being my Mum’s birthday, our close family friends gave me a stunning gift! They passed their beautiful Royal Albert tea cups on to me. I have loved these cups since I was little, which they knew. I don’t really feel deserving but I was most touched!
• Then was some more family time. I got to meet my Cousin’s new baby Mason (isn’t he cute with Tiggs below?), there was Mothers Day, a family lunch and more snuggles with my niecey.
  
• We spent Ian’s birthday dining at Porteno with Mel & Jay. We slept over which meant waking up and finding this little dude in my bed!
• Then the next night Ian and I had dinner in the City and it felt so good to be back for the second night in a row in our old stomping ground.

• And now to this past weekend. It was la superbe! I met up with Lis & Mel for the Writers Festival on Saturday. Both events I went to were great! One was a talk by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and the other a panel discussion on speculative fiction. In the evening we had our May dinner club with the Williams at Gallon. Cue drinking, good food, laughter and another sleep over. I love those two. On Sunday we brunched, shopped and then went home to the Mountains feeling like we’d had a good fill of City time.

So that’s the last couple of months for me. It’s been fun peeps! And did I mention we booked return flights to the ‘dam? No? Well more on that in my next post then!