Wall Art

Photos in albums are so boring and not-looked-at.

I much prefer to laminate mine and stick them on the wall for an every-day reminder of all the fun times.

The only trouble is finding a wall free for the next lot of memories.

Wedding Bells

So it turns out that it is 12 years together - not the 10 I was thinking - that my friend and her new husband have been together.  A commitment in itself really but now they have the official recognition as well.

It was a beautiful wedding.  The weather was crap.  Torrential downpours at exactly the wrong time but that didn't dampen enthusiasm nor spoil the mood.

The bride was late, the groom was surprisingly relaxed, the little kids were very well behaved, and there was one groomsman who looked a little green around the gills (though I have it on good authority that as his girlfriend was the chief bridesmaid he was worried the suits and pretty dresses would put ideas in her head!).

While traditional, the Catholic ceremony was still quite relaxed - the priest's mobile phone ringing during the homily did help to add to that atmosphere!  Certainly, his mention that it was most likely the big man upstairs calling in to see how the ceremony was going lightened the mood considerably! 

The reception kept up that feeling with a cocktail feel - finger food, no set menu, lots of dancing, plenty of wine - and lots of time to laugh and joke and catch up with friends.

The LOML and I looked great, if I do say so myself.

I'd been on my feet for quite a while - that's my excuse for my cankles and I'm sticking to it!!

And as for my shoes, the bride wore the same pair in white.  Definitely great style there.

Overall a magnificent day!

Love is in the air

Tomorrow I will be attending a wedding that has been 10 years in the making.

Not far from the waterfront, a short drive from the city, overlooking the bay and the beach, a woman and her man will be making their union official in front of all their family and friends.  

Tomorrow my friend Nicole marries her sweetheart.

Just made for each other they are, with so much laughter and jokes going on between them you can tell from the outset that they truly are best friends.  

Generous and caring, I can't wait to share their day and celebrate with them...

...especially in these new heels!


**********


Watch this space for photos... 

Card night

The LOML used to play cards a lot when we lived in Brissy.  

Just us.  

A few drinks, some groovin tunes, a shuffle here, a shuffle there, a few more drinks and a couple of cd changes - good times, good times.

Then we left Brissy and for some reason we haven't had a card night for a couple of years.

Multiple reasons were suggested but they were not accepted as excuses.

So the other night we rectified that and dug out the decks, cranked up the moozac and poured a couple of liquid relaxants.


It was fun.  Fun we had forgotten we used to have.

I would tell what we played but it's a game that seems to have morphed over the years into something else.  I think originally it was gin rummy.  Now it's not.  

I would also tell the final score but I got thrashed so I'll keep it a secret.  

The LOML was very pleased.  It's usually him who's getting the thrashing.  His gloating was very unbecoming.

Back to reality

Phew!  What a week!  

I feel exhausted but in a good way.  Like I need to go lie down for a power nap to recharge the batteries and kick-start the starter motor whilst at the same time feeling like I'm on top of the world and absolutely invincible.

I've done a lot these last seven days and all of it good.  To remind myself just how good my week has been and just how much I have done, here's a brief run-down with a few photos for good measure!

It started last Saturday lunchtime when the LOML told me that, as it was my birthweek, I had to agree to say yes to all of his suggestions and plans in order for any of them to happen.  I was tempted to say no because sometimes he gets a bit hare-brained and people can get hurt (kidding!), and really, aren't I supposed to be doing the suggesting on my own birthweek?  Anyway, I agreed and it was on.

Two hours later we were packed and in the car and heading to Stanthorpe for the night.  We booked into a motel in town, walked up to an award winning Italian restaurant for dinner (all you can eat buffet - could it get any better!), rolled back to the hotel room for the night then up early (woken by a posse of elderly lawn bowlers nattering outside our door from 6am - nothing quiet about them, clearly they all forgot to put their hearing aids in!) to head to the Markets in the Mountains and breakfast in town.

We then caught up with our good friends Mr & Mrs H for an 'Oktoberfest' lunch at Claudia's restaurant at Thunderbolt Farm to celebrate all the familial and friend-ial birthdays happening in a very short space of time in October.  It was a divine lunch....example....

Mains - Beef Goulash with herb dumplings and potatoes on the left (mine - yum!) and two German
Sausages (don't ask me to remember their names!) with German potato salad on the right...

What would a German feast be without German beers - the dark one in the middle and on the right
was my favourite....

The best part of the whole meal (and that's saying a lot because the main was DELICIOUS!) - dessert.
L_R: Black Forest Cake, Sticky Date Pudding (mine - double YUM!), Apple Strudel

So back home we went on Sunday night full to bursting from all the good food (and good wine) consumed in a short space of time.  

But it didn't stop there!  Monday night we ended up at one of the local drinking establishments for a delicious pub meal, Tuesday night was Thai with mum, Wednesday night was another all-you-can-eat buffet (seafood this time) with our neighbour friends, Thursday night was a nice light salad in Brisbane at our friends cafe, and then to top it all off, last night was drinks and nibbles at home on the deck followed by a refreshing game of cards with the LOML (I was off form and got soundly trounced!).

Tonight I am craving some home cooking - light meal only because I am still full from the rest of the week so homemade pizzas it is.

Next week I am on a serious food intake reduction plan in order to combat the insane and immediate pants-seam-stretching that has taken place this week.  Expect tantrums, headaches and hissy-fits brought on by some serious sugar-withdrawals (it was my birthweek - sugar was always going to happen this week!).  sigh.