Hairy Maclary and the trip to the library

This time last week I was on a little plane to Sydney. Chrissie and I were wondering if we were ever going to get out of the clouds as bad weather kept us bumping around for ages, waiting to land. We went to a seminar at the State Library, on digital engagement and user experience.

There were some excellent speakers and once the seminar had finished we popped upstairs and over the walkway to see the exhibitions. You aren't allowed to photograph them, but the banners out the front have a couple of the Pulp Confidential images. As fascinating as that was, it couldn't compete with the Hairy Maclary exhibition. Chrissie and I recited bits of the books as we walked around. The Hairy Maclary books were such a favourite in our house.

I haven't done much tea in front of the telly in recent months, but thanks to Broadchurch (yay!) I have a regular date again with my pretty tea things.

Bowling

We have a staff meeting every month, and we take turns chairing the meeting and organising lunch beforehand. Sometimes we get takeaway, sometimes we go to pubs or cafes. This month, we went to the bowling alley and some of us had a game with our meals. We all remembered to bring socks, most wore pants. I didn't think beyond my feet and wore a short dress. Thankfully for all, I had tights on.

  

99 is not the highest score ever, but it was enough to beat the other four players (two were on another lane)!

Pizza night

The trick to managing a really busy schedule, is to make sure there are plenty of fun things in there. Last week Jane and I had a work day lunch at the Pot 'n' Kettle. I had just given a talk in a really hot hall, so it was lovely to sit down with coffee and fritters for a good chat.

A few weeks ago, Steve and Jane invited us over for a last minute pizza night. They had bought some terracotta tiles for their BBQ, and were testing them out as pizza stones. They worked a treat and I was inspired to make sourdough pizza bases as I had only ever made pizza with Lebanese bread or bought bases. So easy, so good, I'm never going back! 

After a family trial run, we had all the Listers over last night and had a  pizza, bread, cheese and red wine night. Awesome stuff.

This morning I am listening to the whirr of the washing machine as Bethany flaps about in excitement for her friend to come over, Toby is at tennis, and Joss, newly without braces, is at the first day of her first job. She is working two hours every Saturday morning at ABC Radio, a perfect job for a heavily  sports committed, doing journalism at school, student!

I'll leave to pick her up soon and am thinking that a hot chocolate at the Old Empire Tea Rooms, practically next door, might be just the right celebration. I could get a coffee in my new keep cup......