Dancing queen

Here's our little music lover Florence, busting some serious rug-cutting moves accompanied by her idols The Wiggles

This freelance life

I spent a few enjoyable days last week finally learning to embrace the extra time I have on my hands as I look for work, freelance and permanent. On Wednesday we  took Flo to Redleaf pool to meet up with Julia and Jo plus assorted children and parents. On Thursday, with both children occupied by school and daycare, I drove 90 minutes north from the city to Palm Beach Sydney's most northern and most exclusive suburb. I was there to research and update the online guide to the area for London-based uber magazine Monocle. I spent a few happy hours strolling the streets checking details on shops and restaurants before hitting the beach for some rays and then swimming my 20 laps in the ocean pool at the southern end of the beach. On Friday I spent most of my day at Scarlett's school co-ordinating the hot food lunch, a bbq the parents put on once a term to feed 300 kids hot dogs and chicken kebabs. It was great fun being in the school during lesson time and seeing what goes on. During a break in setting up, I sat in on a school assemply, perfect timing as it happened as Scarlett was the recipient of an award for getting 10 merits in one week. I'm not sure who was prouder, Scarlett or me.Finally, below is a video clip of Julia and her mother carol doing their famous doll wink. 

It's freakish at best.

Happy 2nd Birthday Flo!!

Our super-fruity, gorgeous, funny, popsicle Florence turned 2 today. Can it really be only 24 months since she came bursting into our lives? Here she is, funny as can be, shortly before being taken to the beach for the morning with her new bucket full of beach toys. After her lunchtime sleep godmothers George, Amelia and Melissa arrived bearing gifts. After a cake care of Daddy we sang Happy Birthday (amid emotional tears from Flo) and then hit the local bowling club with Martin and Godfather Drew for bad food and cheap wine for the grown ups. Lots and lots of fun. Happy Birthday sweetheart.

Backflips, babies and bicycles

What an active weekend. On Friday night I attended an acrobatics class for a story for the Herald. I was absolutely dreading it as the last time I put myself through some bizarre physical task - the trapeze - it was no more than an exercise in humiliation and defeat. In spite of the median age of the class being 14, I rocked. I did handstands, cartwheels, walkovers and round offs without any trouble at all and had an absolute blast. I didn't quite manage a backflip but had help from the instructor with two good handsprings. I left the class completely exhilarated and keen to do it again. On Saturday of course, I resembled  a 90-year-old lady as I limped about the place rubbing my sore muscles - my arms in particular were agony. After Scarlett's ballet class we went to see our old neighbours Rob and Freya whose baby girl Faren (I know, that's what I said) was born on Scarlett's birthday. The girls loved playing with this real life 'doll' as we toasted her good health. We spent Saturday night at a dinner party at Julia and Richard's house - fantastic food and company and lots of laughs - and we drove home through the city to see the throngs of party goers out celebrating Mardi Gras.

Last year Scarlett had a go at riding her bike without her training wheels with short-lived success. She had a blinding first run followed by  a massive crash which ended with a bloody nose, fat lip and a declaration that she wouldn't ride her bike again until she was 5. So yesterday morning we took the girls to the park  so Scarlett could have another go and Flo could try her new bike - got for $20 at a local garage sale on Saturday morning . It was a great success as after 10 minutes of stroppy 'I can't do it' behaviour, Scarlett finally mastered it and is now a fully fledged grown up bike riding girl. Flo did not have as much fun as even if her legs could reach the peddles, she wouldn't be strong enough to push them. Cue small crying episode.

Foam angels

Now that Dad and Alexandra have left us, the weather has changed but we're not allowed to tell them that . DAD AND ALEXANDRA - STOPPING READING NOW. It is glorious Autumn weather, cool mornings and evenings but long, warm sunny days. In fact I've have just filed my first freelance travel story and am about to head to the pool for my 20 lengths. Scarlett has had a few late arrivals in the present department this week.  A brilliant toy and book sent by Maria arrived in a huge box filled with foam shapes. Scarlett loved the gifts but there's no question the box and foam were a highlight too. Here are some pictures of the girls going mental with it.

Talking of going mental, for my second freelance commission, tonight I have to attend a backflip class  at a dance school run by a finalist from the tv show So You Think You Can Dance? and then have to write about it for the SMH. I don't think I can dance, I've never said I think I can dance, but there you are. I am prepared to be enveloped by the same deep humiliation and shame that I experienced after my trapeze class.

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Happy 5th birthday Scarlett

Scarlett's day began with  a pile of presents to open, something she was strangely casual about, preferring to take her time and wait until after her birthday breakfast of - her choice - Tiny Teddy biscuits and orange juice.  She got some great clothes, a snorkel and mask and fish to dive for at the bottom of the pool and a waterproof torch from her sister. 'Perfect,' said Scarlett ' for exploring underwater caves.' She's right, of course.  From 10 to midday we had a tea party for Scarlett and 4 of her little mates with Rob and I as the entertainment. Never has musical chairs been so politically played and you've have thought we were overseeing the Middle East peace process when it came to What's the time Mister Wolf.  We spent the afternoon having a teddy bears' picnic in the garden followed by a pizza and pasta dinner for 13 in nearby Haberfield . Scarlett had a brilliant day, and after we heard our friends Rob and Freya gave birth to a baby girl on the same day, Scarlett greeted that news by declaring it 

"the best present ever."

Farewells and au revoir

Thankfully, the last few days of Dad and Alexandra's visit were sunny. I know it's disappointing to have rubbish weather on a holiday but the dull weather meant they got to do a lot more than just lie on the beach. They mastered Sydney's tram and bus system, visited Paddy's market, Manly, went to the movies, checked out a new shopping mall, lunched at flying Fish and found time to sort out our garden which needed a good prune and helped create a new raised garden bed for our herbs and salad greens. And Dad got to visit his beloved Harry's Cafe de Wheels for a classic Tiger - pie, mash, peas and gravy - not once but twice. When the sun was out they fitted in visits to Balmoral beach, the harbour pools at Redleaf and Nielsen Park,  4 open air inner west pools and drinks on the deck of the pub at Watson's Bay. We farewelled them yesterday, the evening after a spectacular final dinner at Aria.  As they left the day before Scarlett's birthday, she was allowed to open presents from them a day early. We had an absolute ball having them here, the tv was never on, we ate together every night and then sat around talking and talking, recounting stories old and new. It's now just 16 weeks before we see them again in the UK. Huzzah.