Mantra on Salt - our holiday Part 2

After four nights with the Duthies we picked up our hire car and drove south for an hour or so to the little village of Kingscliff, just over the border back in New South Wales, affecting an hour time change. Kingscliff is made up of a strip of shops and cafes, a couple of campgrounds and a glorious long surf beach. We stayed 2 kms south in a new $1 billion resort called Salt Beach. It comprises a new 'village' with a few shops, cafes and a green, two big hotels, lots of new spectacular beach front homes all built behind a long, long surf beach. We checked into our lovely two bed suite and then headed for the lagoon pool. We managed to entice Scarlett from its turquoise waters and waterfalls three times, once for an afternoon stroll along the beach, once when a deadly brown snake started swimming too and everyone legged it until he slithered away into the undergrowth and to rent bikes with kid's seats to ride along the bike path behind the beach. When that path ran out we took the bikes down to the empty beach and rode for ages along the wet sand. It was absolutely brilliant fun. (The thing I never get about Australian beaches is why they are so frequently entirely empty of people.) It was so relaxing, as Scarlett could be left pretty much on her own in the shallows of the pool, and Flo is happy with a small piece of paper and a clothes peg these days, Rob managed a snooze on his lounger by the pool and I sunbathed for ages without being bothered. We ate out both nights, once at the wonderful Fins restaurant, winner of a chef's hat in the Good Food Guide awards and at a pizza place, Flo sleeping perfectly in her pram and Scarlett on her best behaviour. Great fun.

Where Else But Queensland ? Our holiday Part 1

Last Thursday we dragged a very excited Scarlett out of nursery school early so we could jump in a taxi to the airport to fly to Queensland to see the Duthies of Brisbane. Scarlett was sooooo excited about the prospect of a taxi ride, never mind the plane, you'd think we didn't have a car. She spent most of the day before rearranging furniture to resemble her version of a plane with seats for her and Flo. It was refreshing to see nature (or was it nurture?) take over when Scarlett instinctively popped the airline sick bag on her head once on board, something Rob and I have amused ourselves with for years. As always, a visit to Craig and Lynda's is all about lots of laughing, talking, drinking and eating. We hardly ever even leave their house, why would we? They have a beer fridge and a pool. Scarlett would leave the pool for necessary breaks such as eating and sleeping, but pretty much stayed in there the rest of the time. We managed a break to vote in our new prime minister on Saturday and a visit to a local winery in the afternoon. A winery in Queensland? I know, that's what I said. Scarlett followed Nicole and Ryan everywhere during the brief moments she wasn't in the pool, insisting that they sit with her at all meal times and car trips, and Florence had her first laundry tub bath, something Scarlett didn't want to miss out on either. The weather was perfect, the company peerless and Florence slept like the perfect Gina Ford baby despite the hour time difference.

Parrrrrrtttteeeeeee!!!

Yesterday Rob proved that turning 44 doesn't stop you from having a good time. We had about 30 people over yesterday afternoon/evening/night for a birthday party that began in about 30 degree heat. We filled the paddling pool, put up extra beach umbrellas and made sure there was plenty of beer and wine on ice to keep everyone's fluids up. Rob got loads of great gifts and we feasted on baked salmon, roast lamb, rosemary, thyme and garlic potatoes and bocconcini salad, finished off with banana birthday cake. As guests came and went we drank and ate and drank, while the kids went crazy in the garden. Everyone was gone by 11pm and then Rob stayed up until 1am clearing up, I mean partying hard. Happy Birthday darling.

Birthday boy

Yesterday Robert Hamish Duthie turned 44. I know, that's what I said. He doesn't look a day over 43. Rob was on nights the night before so dragged himself home desperate for bed, but knowing he'd never get passed Miss Scarlett who wanted to hand over gifts and repeatedly spill the beans about the various cakes I'd made as surprises. I also had a surprise planned for lunch which I couldn't mention to her at all for fear she'd spill. Rob's presents included a large glass paperweight with a giant tarantula inside - something he has always said he'd like - plus a book of photos I made of him and the girls in the style of one of our favourite children's books called My Dad. Oh yes, there were tears. Rob finally made it into bed at 8am, only to be woken by me 3 hours later as we were heading off out to a special birthday lunch. With Scarlett in nursery for the day, Rob, Florence and I headed to the north shore to an amazing spot in Mosman. The old barracks and gunnery that once stood here has all been converted into a visitors centre, workshops and a restaurant that must have one of the best views of Sydney harbour. The Tearoom Gunners Barracks is a stunning 19th century sandstone building built into the side of the cliff over looking the harbour but hidden from sight when you are on the top of the hill. Nearby are the cannons once used to protect Sydney Harbour facing out to the heads. On the verandah, where we enjoyed a magnificent lunch, the view was quite spectacular. As was the vision of Ms Sarah-Kate Lynch, my next surprise. SK was in Sydney for the weekend with her sisters but took time away from them to surprise Rob. We had a really great catch up and laugh as always and SK finally got to meet her God-daughter Florence. In the afternoon, we picked Scarlett up early from nursery ready for our family birthday dinner at our local Italian. On the walk there, with the birthday cupcakes I had made secreted in my bag, Scarlett repeatedly asked "where are those cupcakes you made for Dad, Mum?' I sense we are not yet at the point where we can reveal where the Ark of the Covenant is kept. Poor old Rob was shattered by the time we got to Napoli in Bocca so after a swift pasta dinner, finished with my cupcakes - presented by our waiter with candles blazing - we hit the pavement for home and an early night. Today is Rob's party. More later.

It's a beautiful day

Once Scarlett had finished her chores for the day - train them young I say, we set out for uber groovy cafe Deusexmachina to meet our mate Jo with her son Zebadee. Zeb , and his dad Mark, are motorbike nuts, so this place is perfect as you can buy coffee, have breakfast and get a vintage bike all at the same time. Later we were thrilled to finally get news from our great friends Julia and Richard that their baby had been born - a girl hurrah. Beautiful Tess caused us to feel a little shiver of joy and recognition when we held her tiny body and remarked, not for the first time, how small babies are and how we couldn't believe our two were ever that small etc, when in fact they were both born smaller. With the sun shining again and Rob's night shifts over for the week, we decamped to the north shore, to Cremorne, to see our top mates Jacqui and Mark (she of the recent 40th birthday celebrations). Cremorne is known for its pretty spectacular uninterrupted views across the harbour to the bridge and Opera house, which we enjoyed looking at as the sun dropped lower in the sky and we ate fresh bread and brie, water melon and sipped chardonnay.

Rainy days

Though still lovely and warm, we have been enjoying a week of storms and very changeable weather. Shorts and sundresses are put on and then just as we are about to leave the house it pours with rain. We change into long trousers and cardis and then the sun comes out. We decide to go to the pool and on the way there, there is a huge thunderstorm and we end up in the mall instead. The first day it makes a change from all the constant sunshine. The second day it's slightly less fun to be indoors again and a trip to the hairdressers for Scarlett fills the morning. The third day it's a relief if it happens to be one of Scarlett's nursery days, so someone else can come up with indoors amusements for the day. By the fourth day, Scarlett develops a love for bandannas and we are making spaceships out of an old milk carton, yoghurt pots, the middle of a kitchen roll, a length of foil and several bottle tops and stickers. By the fifth day we are actually encouraging Scarlett to put on a dance show for us and are amazed, and slightly appalled, to discover Michael Flatley appears to be her inspiration. Today we are amusing ourselves taking photos of each other, ourselves, a spaceship and a dance show.

Be afraid

Looks innocent enough, doesn't it? Just a simple pop-up beach tent. What a great idea- and only $20. It pops open straight from the convenient shoulder bag, then you just fill the side pockets with sand to keep it from blowing away and voila - a perfect shady spot for your day at the beach. Everyone's having a lovely day. The sun is shining, the azure waves are lapping gently on the shore, the kids are playing in the water, then stopping to rest for lunch in the shade of the tent. Deer come and feed from your hands. It's a perfect day. Then it's time to pack up to go home. What did the tent instructions say again?. Oh, that's right, simply fold the tent at its widest point, then twist. The tent will naturally turn back into a small circular shape ready to slot straight back into the shoulder bag. Lovely. Off you go then, Rob. Haven't quite managed it? Have another go. That's right, and twist. Here, let me try. It was easy as pie in the shop. Mmm, it doesn't want to twist does it? Where are the instructions again? The instructions! Where are the instructions? What do you mean they're in the car?! Not much use in the car are they, when we're on the beach! I'm not shouting at you. It would just be useful to have the instructions here. There's no need to snatch! You don't have to get so cross. That's not the widest point, what are you doing? You'll break it. Rob, that's not the right way. Give it to me. Christ!. Scarlett, please move away while we're doing this. Look, now Florence has woken up. Will you just go over there and play with the ball please. Rob, there's no point shouting. Shouting at it isn't going to get it into the bag, is it? There's something wrong with it. This is rubbish. Absolutely useless. I'd suggest taking it back to the shop, but it's too big to get in the car unless it's back in the bag. Oh that's right, throw it on the ground. Brilliant idea. Why don't you stamp on it too, while you're about it. I was joking - will you please stop stamping on it! It'll never go back in the bag now. I want a divorce.

If anyone else would like to have a go, you'll find our brand new, used only once, pop-up beach tent next to the bins at the northern end of Balmoral beach. Help yourself.

10 years in Australia

Today is the 10th anniversary of the day Rob and I arrived to live in Australia. Back then Rob had a shaved head and I sported a short spiky bleached thing. We had just finished 4 months travelling across the US, the Cook Islands and New Zealand, and carried no more than a backpack each. At the time we knew we were here for the Millenium and the Sydney Olympics (both staggeringly memorable events) but I'm not sure we knew we'd still be sitting here 10 years on. We've lived in 6 different houses, had 4 different jobs - Rob 9 years at IBM and now at QBE, me at New Woman and the The Sydney Morning Herald. We've managed trips to San Francisco, New York, Connecticut, England, Scotland, Italy, Cape Town, New Caledonia, Bali, Lombok, Cambodia, Vietnam, New Zealand, some more than once or twice. We've learned to sail and sailed ourselves around the Whitsundays twice, we've dived on the Great Barrier Reef, driven up and down the east coast of Australia, finding a favourite beach and town along the way and popped to the big red centre to look at the rock. We've paid high taxes, but discovered the hard way they were taxes worth paying, as we've seen inside more hospital rooms that anyone should in a lifetime and came out not just alive but highly impressed with the level of care. We found property here is an expensive as London, which is why winning the lottery forms most of our long-term financial plan. We've eaten amazing food, drunk fine wine and been invited to some brilliant parties. We've made fantastic friends and more than doubled our circle thanks to many of us having children around the same time. And best of all we have produced two beautiful dinky di Aussies of our own, born in the same hospital room, who couldn't love each other more than we love them, and who are beach-loving, water babies. Here's to the next 10 years, may they be as happy and lucky.

It ain't over till it's over...

And it was over at 7am on Sunday morning. I even got up at 5am to watch the game and it was worth it to see Percy being pushed over the barrier into the cameraman. We are no longer the world champions. There, Rob. I said it.

We started the week at a spectacular 10-course French/Japanese wine-matched dinner at Sushi-e. One of a programme of special dinners planned as part of Good Food Month. We had a brilliant night with James and Amelia, sans children, that made me feel young again. It was a proper late night with too many cocktails, too much champagne and too much wine, lots of laughs and good conversation. Well, as good as conversation can be after all that. On Saturday night after a hot day at the pool, Melissa and Larry, Giles and Megan came over, with assorted children, for take out pizza and gelato. Megan and Giles's kids are 6 and 8 and spent the evening happily entertaining Scarlett and Lotus while the growns sat around catching up. We also had a short period of children's entertainment where the best joke, song and acrobatics performances were fiercely competed for. Scarlett and I did our death-defying balancing act. Talk about feel old again. I remember when I was the kids' entertainment at my parents' parties. The purchase of a badminton set, boules, mini golf, frisbee and boomerang, all for $15, also guaranteed children were very much taken care of for the evening.

On Sunday, with the mercury climbing to 30 degrees we set out for Bondi, the famous beach/car park. It was packed and is not a place we would normally head to on a weekend but our mates Kate and Bill, who moved back to Perth a couple of years ago, were in town for the weekend for a wedding, and Bondi is their old stomping ground. From there we hit the pool to cool off, Flo had her first swim of the season and we noticed how very long limbed Scarlett is. All this activity was enough to take my mind off the rugby. Four more years, boys. Four more years.

Let's go England, let's go

I feel so guilty that being English I always expect we will lose. But in the words of, oh that's right, me 'Of course we are the world champions'. It's much better that way because then we are amazed and thrilled in equal part. The Aussies have quite a different take on all forms of competitive sport from kids cricket to professional rugby - you play to win and if you don't win, you should be taken into the street and flogged. Not many people realise that since losing to England last week the entire Wallabies squad has been executed.

The hardest part about all this victory, is that it's all happening in the middle of the night here. In 2003, the World Cup was held right here so we could watch all the games live. This time around I have to wait until morning to read results on line or wait for Rob to come in from a night shift and guess from the look on is face who has won. Florence started celebrating as soon as her Weetbix was finished. Scarlett watched The Wiggles.

While Jonny was kicking us into the final I was sleeping off the several champagnes I slurped in honour of my friend Jacqui's 40th last night. Having missed out on the celebrations for Moira's, Fraser's, Liz's and Sarah's this year, it was nice to join in at last. It was a great party, held at Jacqui's parents lovely north shore house. I got to catch up with my friends from work I haven't seen for months and by the sound of it, I couldn't have timed my maternity leave better. The last round of redundancies have left the paper understaffed and morale is low it would seem.

October is Good Food Month in Sydney so last Wednesday we squashed children into prams and jumped on the tram into the city for the Night Noodle Markets, meeting up with Julia and Ella and Uncle Brett. It's a top night, with about 50 fantastic south-east Asian food stalls in a lantern lit park, DJs, a bar and dance floor.

Anyway, to the final - c'mon England - show us your tackle.

Wigstock Oct 2007

Wigstock is here again. And they're getting younger, people.

Here we see Scarlett modelling a cool '70s style, reminiscent of a young Shaft. Not to miss out on the action, Florence wrestles for control of the hairpiece to create her version of the climatic scene from Hair.

Oh Jonny....

Jonny, Jonny, Jonny, Jonny Wilkinson. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Once again, England don't get to play the All Blacks. Why is that again, Rob?
Oh, that's right because, they got kicked out last night. It's like 2003 all over again.

In other news, we had a blast from the past this week when Rob's old mate from NZ and later London, Darryn Cherry turned up in Sydney for a night. I ended up missing him completely as he arrived at our house for a drink way passed my bedtime, but Rob stayed up until the early hours with Darryn and girlfriend Rachel, reminiscing about happy days in NZ and London. Here they are checking in on a sleepy Scarlett.

After a week of fabulous weather, with some days in the low 30s, we invited mates Sam and Christy and Melissa and Larry over for a lunch in the garden alongwith assorted children. A sudden change in the weather sent us all indoors, grabbing plates and wine glasses as we went. It seems we fared well as on the harbour boats were blown off moorings and skiffs were overturned. Today it's beautiful again.

Now Florence is sitting up, it's opened up a whole new world for both Flo and Scarlett and they have started doing things together. Flo's favourite thing is to be plonked on a rug with a box of lego between her knees. Scarlett sits with her and builds stuff while Flo looks on adoringly. Scarlett has also taken to feeding her in her highchair. We'll have her babysitting soon.