Friday in Melbourne

Long car trips are much better now that the children are older, but are still something of a trial.

No-one has enough space and as the hours go by they become weary of such close quarters.

We made good time to Melbourne on Thursday, hitting the outskirts around four. We then spent the next two hours in traffic when the sat nav said it should take twenty two minutes! Confirmation that while we love a city visit, we are country people now.

Phil and Kristin were both at work on Friday, and the twins taken care of, so we took Charlotte with us on a train ride (exciting for Bethany and Toby) and a wander in the city. We knew the Shephards were also in Melbourne but thought it would be too tricky to organise to do anything together as we both had siblings/cousins to hang out with. We hopped off the train at Flinders Street and ran into them straight away! We joined forces and wreaked havoc, stopping first for some Melbourne coffee - so good and so much cheaper than coffee in Wagga!

On our way to the aquarium Charlotte and Bethany reenacted a Cher film clip. Thankfully not in costume.

The boys were told that if anyone caused anyone else to fall in the river, they must give them their own dry clothes. They moved away from the water.

The queue for the aquarium was almost out the door so we decided to walk to the Queen Victoria Markets instead.

There were plenty of photo opportunities on the way. Here the girls posed under a Showgirls sign.

The revolving door was irresistible.

Bethany thought that if she stood still, with her back to the door, it would push her along. Instead, it grabbed her shoe and got stuck! It was really very bad of us to find it so funny when she was terribly upset.

We distracted her with statue shenanigans.

As soon as we arrived at the markets, we ran into more Wagga folk! We split from the Shephards and wandered the markets, trying on silly hats.

The only two we purchased were the polar bear beanie/mitten numbers. Our polar twins are, in fact, very close in age even if Charlotte is much taller than Bethany!

Such a fun day! We spent Saturday with the rest of the family, photos to appear tomorrow. Le Tour is starting now....

Happy Birthday to the new teenager

We're home from our long weekend in Melbourne. I have many tales and photos to share but we arrived home in time to unpack the essentials, put children to bed and make a cup of French Earl Grey to have in front of le Tour, so I will just post about the birthday girl tonight.

Here she is at lunch today, about to blow out the candles on the chocolate caramel brownies Alice made for her. (We had such a lovely time at lunch, more on that to come).

As we were on the road at dinner time tonight, she had her birthday dinner last night at Phil and Kristin's. Her choice was butter chicken and cheesecake for dessert. Toby can usually be relied upon to make this face when cake is involved.

On Friday night Kristin took Joss shopping (I went too) with birthday money from Phil and Kristin, Tim and Shona and Mama and Bop. She had the very best time and now has $2 left.

A real bargain hunter, she came home with lots of clothes, a wallet and some lollies.

She didn't buy these shoes but indulged us by trying them on.

Same with the wee hat.

Now that she is a teenager, we thought it time to give her a phone. Many lovely friends and relatives sent her texts and rang her today, making her feel very special. She also joined Facebook, as she is of legal age, and has loved making friends. She has received a deluge of advice on how to be sensible with phone and Facebook and we are very thankful that she is a sensible sort of girl. Happy Birthday Joss!

A breather

Watching le Tour is hard work. I rather stupidly did not take advantage of yesterday's rest day and have an early night, so felt a bit average at 6 this morning.

Now, I'm on holidays for a week and a half! A little bit of time in Melbourne and lots of time at home. Can't wait!

Farewelling Maame

Two farewell events have been organised for Maame who has almost finished her PHD. Tonight our bible study headed out for coffee and dessert, or just coffee as the case may be. The news that Maame is not quite finished and really doesn't know when she will be leaving, brings mixed feelings. Of course it is right for her to finish and go home to have her baby, but if she had to stay I would get to hold the baby! I'm so torn.

The friendly waiter took a picture of us.

This is the photo Maame took of me in the kaba and slit she brought back for me from Ghana. The material I wore on my head that day can also be worn around the shoulders. I think I will go for that option as I look ill when you can't see my hair.

Confused?

Do not be fooled into thinking it is warm just because it is sunny.

It is perfectly delightful to sit in the sun in the library because of the air-conditioning.

I think our garden is confused about that. Not only are all the bulbs out and flowering, but blossoms in the dead of winter?

Happy Birthday Bethany

Eight years ago I was feeling pretty pleased with myself. After 25 hours of labour I managed to give birth to a 10 pound seven baby girl! She isn't very chubby any more but her personality is larger than life. She was sooooo looking forward to turning 8 but when she woke up this morning, the first thing she said was "I'm nearly 10!"

We spent the morning at church, of course, and then Andrew had a jazz gig this afternoon and Bethany and I made her cake. There are four eggs in the cake and as it is Bethany's birthday I had to release control and let her crack them. There are a few little crunchy bits in the cake as a result.

We had a lovely walk to the park.

Bethany chose Nigella's victoria sponge with jam and cream and everyone loved it. I had more pearl cous cous with roasted veggies for dessert!

It was very special to have Nan and Grandad here to celebrate.

We all braved the cold to do some sparkling.

I'm not overly thrilled to be back at work tomorrow, not having had quite the sleep ins I might have liked, but Andrew has the next few days off to enjoy the kids' holidays so I only need to pack my own lunch in the morning. We'll say good-bye to Nan and Grandad tomorrow too and have the week to prepare for the next birthday - Joss is officially becoming a teenager!

Great Great Uncle Joseph

It's Bethany's birthday today and, never fear, a birthday post will follow later today. When I woke this morning, just before eight (Bethany couldn't quite wait), I had an email from Mum in France. She and Dad had gone to the cemetery in Harbonnieres to visit the grave of my Great Great Uncle, Joseph Lawson Presho, who died there during World War I.

He was my grandfather, Joe Joe's, uncle and when Nanna Goldsmith (my great grandmother) was pregnant with Joe Joe, he was killed and she named her son after him. Joseph Lawson Goldsmith.

It's odd, don't you think, that I should cry as soon as I read the email? Cry over this man and his sister, people I never met. Bethany was wondering why I was crying on her birthday. There is something very powerful about family, I suppose, and I loved Joe Joe so very much. Mum and Dad, who aren't at all related to Joseph Presho, put a rose on his grave and told him that he is not forgotten. I'm in floods. One day, I'll go too.