My Birthday: Part One - The Pub

On the first day of my birthday celebrations we headed out to a local pub - The Robin Hood - for some dinner and a few drinks. I'm not normally one to spread my birthday over a few days (ah-hem!) but the culmination of a number of factors: welcome back to adelaide, built-in gandparent babysitters, a celebration of my return to drinking and the fact that my actual birthday fell on Good Friday (when all drinking extablisments are closed), meant that more than one occassion was called for. These photos should start to explain why it was that on the following day, at my birthday bbq, I nursed orange juices and water all day long.

It was an excellent birthday this year - a 10 out of 10 - I had the most amazing time and thank you to everyone who helped me celebrate it. It would not have been the same without you. We kicked off at 8pm and had until midnight when the pub kicked us out. I did myself proud in those short 4 hours. By the time 12 rolled around, I was flitting round from person to person, taking photos (and saying 'straight to the blog for this one') and trying to convince everyone to continue the party back at the 'SHED! SHED! SHED!'....

Nancy and her 'Work Colleague' Peter.

Georgia don't do nothing by halves.

Eleanor and Sam. Before he passed out in his car.

No Pete, that is not Elle McPhearson! It's Olivia my sister you nincompoop!

SMILE!! Aww, Rach, Jackie and Todd head straight to the blog with this shot.

My sexy little Dave, some random tall dude and Ricey. This was the only publishable photo of Ricey as in all the others he was trying to have his way with my man.

Eleanor and Kate. Or is it Kate and Eleanor? Im confused too.

See!? Eleanor CAN take an average photo. She isnt healped by standing next to a SUPERmodel.

Craig McLachlan and his groupies. He's still got it!

Nancy regrets leaving her calculator at home. She did not expect Pete to ask her to say her 26 times tables and is embarrassed to be stumped on 34 x 26 (it's 884 Nancy! Duh!)

Eleanor sticks her gargantuian head in the frame at the last minute.

Two old men.

Not the best photo of Rach adn Jackie, but this is probably a good thing seeing as your eyes would probably start to bleed if it was a true likeness (bleed in a good way)

Jess bought Heather a pretty red bag which she uses ALL the time and gets comments on. In fact, she gets so many comments she has stopped telling people that it was a gift and started saying 'I Know, I saw it and couldn't resist etc.'

Nancy and her 'old friend' Lachy.

We both look way more sober than we are. We have eachother in a vice-like grip of support.

Sooo... what happened next? Did Heather convince the pub to go back to the SHED! SHED! SHED!?? or Did Heather go home to be with Fred? You'll have to wait for the next exciting installment.....

Today's Lesson:

Its admittedly pretty sad, but I go through my day often wondering what the next post will be about. These past few days have been no exception. I've been thinking about my next entry - in fact this very entry - I can't pull myself away from wanting to talk about Mascara. I know, I know. A card carrying member of the 1st world, I am. But I keep coming back to it, its driving me insane and I have come to the conclusion that unless I share it, it may never go away. So here it is:

Mascara:
I wear very little make-up - in fact, besides the white sealant I put under my eyes each morning to cover up the bags that developed from 5 months of crap sleep, the only make-up I do wear is mascara. And on Monday I bought mascara so good that it has transcended my mistake of buying it in a brown shade. YES – it’s that good. Now I know that the cosmetic savvy people in the world will probably roll-their-eyes-DUH! (as apparently this is well known as THE mascara to have), Max Factor’s Masterpiece Mascara is dope. It’s the best stuff (by) far I have ever come across, so good that it would be a crime for me not to give it it’s own blog.. I find myself removing the mascara, at some point during the day, simply so I can re-apply it.

PHEW! Thank god I got that out of my system. Im slightly embarrassed by it, but I don’t think I had much choice but to write it.. Maybe I can move on now.

All is well. Cooked a very British (well, Irish) Corned Beef with mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts last night and going to make carrot and coriander soup tonight, using the new hand mixer I bought the other day (In anticipation of Fred’s imminent move into solids). I went to Scream Screen this morning with a fellow mum, Pascale, and we saw that German flick that everyone is raving about ‘The Lives of Others’ and thoroughly enjoyed it. Probably the best movie I have seen in quite a while. Mind you, the last two films I’ve seen were 300 (OH.MY.GOD.AVOID.THIS.AVOID.THIS) and Hot Fuzz (pretty good).

THat 'WhatI'm Reading' picture ot the right is making me feel guilty. Because I haven't really opened it since I got through the first few pages just before I left Adelaide... Hmmm. Maybe those pics are a bad idea. Eh! - I'm full of them so whats one more?

Back in London

Well I’m back in London now and I’ve composed this blog entry numerous times in my head over these past few days, with each version dependant on my mood. For example, at about hour 22 of my travel back to London, as I stood in the aisle of a packed economy class, with my hair in every direction, my clothes subtly soaked in sweat, and as I desperately rocked Fred back and forward trying to get him to sleep – SLEEP!! OH DEAR GOD CHILD! SLEEEEP! - I composed a rather vicious and bitter email which was almost wholly about Dave not coming to the airport to pick us up as it was too ‘complicated’ (although it’s not too complicated to get himself to the driving range twice in the week he has been back). I then composed a similar blog in my head upon my return to our house where I discovered the clothes washing I did a month ago still out, not an ounce of food in the house and the showerhead so full of limescale that only three of the sprinkler holes were capable of letting water through them (interpretation: many easily solved problems awaiting my return. Thankfully Dave had found the time to polish his golf shoes). But alas, my scathing words were forever kicked to the side when he handed my second birthday present (after the gift-that-keeps-giving – ‘THE knife sharpener’) of a ga-zillion gigabited iPod. Yes, I CAN be bought. So any of you out there wanting a few words written about you on this popular blog of mine need only send a cash donation.

Anyway, we are back now. I have recovered from the hardest flight of my life, have unpacked and done all the washing and filled the pantry with yummy foods. Fred’s abilities and company continues to accelerate and each day something small, but amazing happens. I am aware that I did not write anything for his 4 month old blog (seeing as I was too busy celebrating my 312th month) and can assure you that a mega 5 month old blog is on the cards. As is all the photos and stories of my trip. Although photos may have to wait as I seem to have forgotten on of the CDs of photos I took and therefore need to have it sent to me.

It feels very normal to be back here and I’ve realize that this must be because London now feels like home. Of course Adelaide does and always will, but now London has a special place in my heart. On Friday Fred and I walked to the Borough market to get the ingredients to a dinner I cooked last night for the Jamiesons (roast rump of Lamb on a herb cous cous with a spiced aubergine puree,) and I experienced the joy and comfort you get when you return to doing something old and familiar. Sitting and having a coffee and Monmouth, smugly watching the world shop by in their bugaboos laden with organic pates and miniature fair trade figs… it felt good.

We are slowly getting over our jet lag and Fred is almost back to normal sleep patterns. He’s going to bed around 6 or 7 pm (getting up for a feed around 3) and then waking up at 6am. I’m hoping to push that wake up time to 8am as it was before, but to be honest I’m not sure whether I can seeing as the sun is coming up pretty damn early at the moment. To be honest I’ve not really had too much time to reflect on how I feel about leaving Adelaide as soon as I said my teary goodbyes at the airport I was thrown straight into 24 hours of trying to keep Fred quiet (and avoid the scorn of my fellow travelers) and then getting back on our feet here. The closest I came to shedding a tear since then was when I opened the most amazing and enormous package sent by Georgia and Pete that was awaiting my return (THANK YOU). But alas – I couldn’t even do it then as the sugar from all the fantales, minties, fruit chocs and twisties had me running circles around the room yipping with delight.

Anyhow – I hope to get a bit more up here in the near future and Fred has told me he is keen to put some photos on his blog. This week I’m planning on doing a bit of shopping for some stuff Fred needs and next weekend we are going to give Fred a go on solids. In theory.

Victor Harbor

These are a few Pics from Dave's family's property down at Victor Harbor - a seaside town about an hour south of Adelaide. They have the most incredible spot and beautiful (electricity free!) house. To come from London and go here for a few days when we first arrived was the greatest therapy - Would you look at that view!!!

How Do You Like Them Apples:

Not posting much, am I? Not much fun for you uncommenting viewers out there is it? You feel sad each time you check and you see nothing new.

But basically: I have a life again. A LIFE. one where I drive, I see friends and family, and I go out in the evening sans the little man. It is awesome. It is the best thing ever. I do not want to leave. The sun is shining and HURRUH HURRAH HURRAH - Fred has started to go to sleep at 8pm and sleep through to 8pm with one wake-up for a feed around 4am. We have our evenings back!! I can't even begin to say how this has revolutionised our life. We pray that it will continue back in England, and we are not praying people.

Anyway - not much to say other than Fred was awesom on the plane, Fred is awsome with all the hundreds of strange new people, and I have eaten a port elliot bakery veggie and cheese pastie with and a farmer's union iced coffee drink. Together. CHerry Ripes, caramello coalas, cibo coffee and gelati, watsonia cheese and king island roaring forties blue, copers pale sparking, draft and light, golden gaytimes, harbour town including everythign under $10 Valley Girl. Summer rolls, Honey logs, AFL, sunshine. SUNSHINE. Dates with dave.. you name it, it is happening.

A full report will be written upon my return.