19 Jan 2013

From lane cove caravan park,Sydney

Sat afternoon and I am on my bed writing to you all. Reece is dozing or reading. It is 1430. We need a catch up before we are out again tonight with Sal Melocco to an Italian restaurant in Mosman. We seem to be having quite a busy time. we have been here for a week.last weekend we had in Randwick atJo's house looking after babies while they were away. we didn't do too much on monday.washing and off to the Macquarie Shopping centre to get food etc. Boy that was horrible. huge place, we couldn't find our way back to the car, very hopeless lifts (we had woolies shopping) altogether a nightmare. NOT going there again.we have since found a small shopping centre close by. Tues we went to the big smoke by train using our $2.50 all day ticket.very efficient. the train station is 10-15min walk. it is north ryde station and quite daunting when you first go in coz it is at least 4 stories underground. we went in to get some prices on air fares to Rome etc.research is still underway.nothing booked yet, but we plan to leave in the beginning of march. we will be away foe probably 6 weeks. we will leave the caravan with our old friend Ray Bland. he lives at Kyogle, 2 hours south of Brisbane. so we will fly to Rome from Brisbane.
Wednesday i got the train then bus to Jo's and went to Mother's group with her. i have done this a few times now and it is really lovely to meet her friends and the children. The children all had a fun play in the playground and the girls have a good old chat..i then went on to the hairdresser and had a complete refurbishment. cut and colour. "Deago" got rid of the brassiness and grey....
Thursday I went to Chatswood (SO MANY ASIANS THERE IT IS CHATSWOO or chatswong)on the train to go to the fantastic japanese shop that sells all sorts of plastic ware, trinkets, containers etc etc for $2.80 each. i had to go down every aisle to see all the odds and ends.We had dinner here with a couple from Tassie who are doing the same as us. and this weekend they are looking after their grandies. they are good fun so we hope to see some more of them.
Friday was ExTREMELY hot. It got to 45 in Sydney. We went to Uncle Ken and Auntie Diney apartment in Neutral Bay, then wandered up the road a little and had a fabulous Italian lunch at one of their favourite restaurants. there is no shortage of restaurants for them, they are so close to all you would ever need. great apartment with fab views.
we then drove to Jo's place and while the kids were asleep we watched the Oprah interview with lance Armstrong. well what a complete cad (i could-say worse) he is. Jo met Rich after work and reece and i looked after the kids.i had no idea it was so hot, but thank goodness Jo has aircon. we took the kids for a swim in the pool.Lucas now has a bubble strapped to him which keeps his head up. he has got so brave and jumping in and dog paddling , of sorts.Emily sits in a blow up ring thing. it was so much fun. The evening changed quite quickly. There was rain and huge winds.we were a little worried as I had left some washing out and hadn't really secured the caravan tightly. They came home a little earlier than they had planned and fortunately all was OK .just a good lesson to us to really secure everything no matter how long we plan to be away as the weather is so changeable. for instance now it is quite cool. fortunately we haven't been anywhere near the fires.
Today we had brekkie with Duncan Mitchell, Sarah and little boy Oliver who is 14 months at a nice spot at Spit Bridge. they are living in Manley and Dunc is a stockbroker with Macquarie. He was holidaying in Austria with Tony when he died.he is a truly lovely young man and he was an enormous support for us at that time. They are expecting another baby in July.
Tomorrow we are celebrating Lucas 3 birthday (a day early) We will be having , at his request, spag bog and chockie cake. sounds pretty yummy to me.
Plans for the rest of the week...... mothers group wed, lunch with Lori and Charty riley on Thur before they return to Italy where they have been for the past 2 years now. dinner with Ben Moss and fiancé Kath on thurs, dinner with my nursing pal Sheryl Taylor and Mary Ann Bennett ( and husbands). so the week is quite full.
we will leave here Tues 28 jan and go to Royal national Park just south of Sydney. It is near Pete Teudts old stamping ground of Hellensburgh. we will have5 nights there then not sure.

sending this now with lots of love

Penelope and Reece