Big Birthdays

The school holidays were very eventful for our family.

Firstly, le Tour de France. Oh, how we love it. The great thing about it being on during the holidays, is that we can set up beds in front of the television for those wishing to watch the whole stage! I got up and left the house for work before anyone else stirred.

I took this as I left for work.

Bethany turned thirteen right in the middle of the holidays. When I was a child, my special birthday meal was wiener schnitzel, something I have never once made as an adult. Bethany, when asked what she would like to do for her birthday dinner, asked to go to the RSL with the Listers! We have done that twice before, over the years, but clearly those evenings were memorable!

Mum and Dad weren't free to come to the RSL, so later in the week we went to their house, full of Melbourne cousins on holidays, for another birthday dinner.

Mum and the girls made Bethany's chosen birthday dessert, chocolate ripple cake. They also dipped strawberries in chocolate!

Only one week of three children all being teenagers, when one of them became an adult.

Joss' best friend, Georgie, came down from Sydney for the party.

Joss' aunt bought her a glass of sparkles. Later I bought her a glass of moscato, judging, correctly as it turned out, that she would take to the sweet stuff most readily.

We went to Beer DeLuxe, a hip sort of bar in town. There were church friends, family and school friends. I didn't really think much about enjoying it myself, but I certainly did. Joss has a lovely group of friends.

It is almost impossible to have a photo that is good of everyone!

Three generations

Beautiful girl woman

Miranda

Miranda. What a lovely name; for a person, for a suburb. Bethany recently told Andrew that she had discovered a lovely name. She realises that it isn't a name she could ever give a child, or adopt for herself, but she finds it very pretty. It's Marijuana......

Back to Miranda. Tim and his family moved there recently, and though Joss and Andrew visited on their way home from Sydney a few months ago, I had not been. Joss had an 18th birthday party to attend in Sydney, last weekend, and I confess that while she is a safe driver, we just weren't quite happy with the idea of her driving to and from Sydney by herself.

So, last Saturday morning she and I woke up early and hit the road. Joss is a great sleeper in the car, so conversation wasn't always scintillating, but I did listen to Eurovision, we had coffee/hot chocolate at the Long Track Pantry, and arrived in Miranda around 12.15!

After waving goodbye to Joss' bus, I spend the rest of the afternoon wandering Miranda Fair, reading my books and drinking coffee. It was a very pleasant way to relax as I waiting for Tim and company to return from a wedding.

I always have a lovely time when I visit them. Three exuberant, affectionate and engaging nephews, one generous, book and fun loving niece,  dinner, chat and a movie on the couch with Tim and Shona. Delightful.

I love this photo, even though the reflection in my glasses makes me look cross-eyed.

I went to their new church on Sunday morning, which was great, though I was sorry it wasn't Tim's turn to preach, and Joss was dropped off around 2. You can imagine the day after a party and mass sleepover, her sleeping in the car game was even stronger. Especially as this was her fourth weekend away in a row!

It makes for a big weekend, and a week of trying to catch up on what didn't get done on the weekend, but I reckon it's totally worth it and will do it again.