The wheels nearly fell off on Thursday when I tried to mark too many assignments, drive everyone to and from work, take Milo to the vet, make biscuits and pack for a weekend away. I did manage it however and, after work on Friday, I picked up Jossie and Bethany from school and headed down the highway. It is hard to choose a book that all three of us would like to listen to. I went with When we were very young by A.A Milne, read by Richard Briers and Felicity Kendall and Prince Caspian and The Silver Chair by CS Lewis. I started with the delightful poems which had me in nostalgic raptures. The kids didn't get them (we'll have to work on that) so we listened to Jeremy Northam read us The Silver Chair - so good! It got dark pretty much as soon the road became unfamiliar so when we stopped for dinner I rang Andrew and was only able to say that I was somewhere in Victoria.

We arrived at Phil and Kristin's just after nine and it was lovely to see Mum and Dad and then, when they came back from the hospital, Phil and Charlotte. In the morning, Phil drove in to spend the day at the hospital but the rest of us needed to wait until two so we got to explore Melbourne a little bit, which, believe it or not, I have never done. We drove to the train station, caught two trains and emerged here.

Bethany and Charlotte were boisterously enjoying each other's company in such a way that required a
lot of supervision so I didn't see all that I might have without children, but it was still very exciting. I love the narrow alleyways.

We hadn't gone far before Mum, Dad and I were in need of coffee and the children a snack. The lovely little cafés in the alleyways aren't really suited to a party of six so when I spied a  Lindt Café, I thought it might be just the thing. Check out the chandelier in the shoe shop across the corridor!

DIY hot chocolate is both delicious and fun.

Thus fortified we went looking for chocolate shops. I did like this ceiling.

And this shop with lovely, expensive matrushka dolls, across from Koko Black.

We went in to Chokolait and bought just a few chocolates to taste before having lunch, hopping on another train and finally getting to the hospital to see Kristin and the twins. I could have held them all day. Look at Henry's little fingers and I think Georgiana is looking up adoringly at her Aunty Amy ;)

I did, however, let others have a turn. This is Bethany with Georgiana.

Jossie with Henry.

Phil took this photo and it is one of my favourites. It's like they just want to be near each other.

Now we are home again and I want to go back for more cuddles.