Shoe Fetish

On Saturday I spent some time with my 2 year old nephew Lachlan who appears to have a serious shoe fetish....much like his mother.

Gold Coasting - edited

16/9/08 I have had to remove some photos of my nieces from this blog. Unfortunately they were part of some lovely photos that also included my sisters and nephews.

Last Saturday I spent the day at the Gold Coast with my two sisters and their four children. We went to the beach, enjoyed the pool and the spa, had lunch at the surf life savers club, and Chinese takeaway for dinner. The cousins presented me with birthday gifts and sang 'Happy Birthday' heartily and slightly off key. The weather was gorgeous and we even managed to sleep in until 6.30am on Sunday morning (she writes tongue-in-cheek). The kids are delightful, fun, articulate, well mannered and a testament to their mothers.

Brisbane colours

Now the workmen can sit down on the job

instead of just leaning against their shovels.
The new Brisbane Square.

Note the guy to the left, no shirt and Aussie flag shorts!
I loved the muted red, white and blues of this lonely seat.
Brisbane Square's modern angles.
Victoria Bridge looking back towards the city.

Ahh, to be young.

Do you remember what it felt like to be this young? This young woman literally threw herself over the lower backs of her male friends and stayed there for almost an hour soaking up the sun, no doubt providing some food for thought for those below.

Mother nature

It doesn't matter whether you are taking in the details or appreciating the wide expanse, Mother Nature always provides colour, texture and beauty. These shots were taken at Noosa.

Absolutely Qld

What says Queensland more than just about any other image?

Beachin' birthday

What do you do when your birthday falls in the middle of Autumn and you live in South East Queenland? Go to the beach of course. We spent the weekend at the Sheraton at Noosa and enjoyed the Coolum and Perigian beaches and Noosa National Park. The highlight of the weekend though was the Krung Thep Thai restaurant at Noosaville overlooking the river, as recommended by Gi's mate Tracey. It really is beautiful one day, perfect the next in this little corner of the world. You must come and see for yourself!

1. Beach signs. 2. Dusk along the canals at Noosa.
Surf rescue comes into the 21st century.

Noosa River
The view from our room at the Sheraton.

Perigian beach on Saturday morning.

Ed weds Julie

It might seem a bit strange going to your ex boyfriend's wedding. But when you've been exes five times as long as the time you went out (together for three years, exex for more than 15) it puts it into perspective really.

After all this time Eddie and I remain good friends. I was honoured to be invited to his and Julie's wedding. I must admit that I didn't give it much thought after having responded to the RSVP weeks ago. This was the first wedding in ages that Gigi and I would be attending without being caught up with some sort of responsibility as a family member or attendant. Having bought a gift on Friday, I bought a new blouse on Saturday, confident that my outfit would somehow fall together without too much pre planning.

We managed to pull ourselves into wedding mode and arrived in good time, although as we drove into the carpark I suddenly found myself thinking 'Is it really such a good idea that I be coming to this wedding?'. Very self centred of me, but it suddenly dawned on me that I would be seeing Eddie's friends and family again, after a 17 year hiatus. I was right and wrong to feel that way. I struggled with waves of shyness all night, having to admit to several people that I couldn't remember their names, or their place in the historical picture.

My doubts were misplaced though as they all remembered me (isn't it always so unfair that you have to remember a dozen names, and yet everyone else just has to remember your one name). The whole evening was a collage of interesting conversations, fuelled by waiters who continually refilled my beer/wine/champagne glass at every opportunity. At 38 I am certainly a more mature being than I was when they last encountered me in 1991 and I was fascinated to catch up on their life developments. Marriages, children, careers, life choices. It was better than a school reunion somehow.

The ceremony and reception were at the Victoria Park Golf complex, with sweeping views over the golf course looking out towards Brisbane city centre. As dusk settled the city began to light up, changing from a panorama of leafy green and steely coloured sky scrapers to a blanket of black punctuated with sparkling jewels of red, white and blue.

Highlights of the event included Eddie and Julie's daughter (just over 1 year old) toddling down the red carpet, looking up at the guests in wonder, managing to lose a little white shoe along the way. The ceremony itself was punctuated with laughs as Eddie leapt into the rabbit hole of matrimony. In honour of his Chinese heritage they conducted a Chinese tea ceremony demonstrating their respect for both sets of parents.

The meal was lovely, and they managed to cater for Gigi's veganism beautifully. The wait staff were exceptional, a little too good really as attested by my jolly state and woozy head the following day. Eddie had programmed his laptop with a selection of music and we hit the dance floor, breaking up the ebb and flow of conversation as favourite hits from the 80's and 90's enticed people away from the tables.

Luke, Nick, Damien, Helen, Sarah were on my reconnection list and I can't say how amazing it was to be talking with them again. New friends included Helen's Steve and Sarah's Brendon, one of whom tore up the dance floor with his sexy moves and the other chose to generally avoid it. Everyone certainly looks older, and wiser, but they definitely looked younger than I would have expected either side of 40.

It was one of those weddings where everyone, bride and groom especially, just seemed to have such a good time. I know I did. Surely these are the best types of weddings.

We congratulate Eddie and Julie on their marriage and wish them only happiness together. Their wedding was a delightful way to kick start a life together, I might say.

1. Little Ava toddled down before her mother.

2. Julie and her dad walk down the aisle.Julie and her Dad both beamed with joy.

1. The view from the reception centre.

2. Julie kneels before Eddie's mum during the tea ceremony.

A Chinese tea ceremony honoured their parents.

The cake was gorgeous.

Eddie and Julie cut the cake.Here I am with the groom Eddie.
And this is how I was feeling towards the end of the night.
Brendon, Sarah (Eddie's 'best' (wo)man) and the groom himself.
Eddie played DJ mixing it up on and off the dance floor.
Groom Eddie with school friend Helen.

Yo Mama

It was my birthday last week. Mid week birthdays can be a bit of a drag, especially if you have to make an appearance at the office. To counterbalance a Wednesday birthday, 38 years no less, Gigi and I had a lovely romantic weekend at Noosa the weekend before my birthday. Just as importantly though I gathered my friends for a relaxed birthday lunch on the Sunday after the anti climatic Wednesday.

Yo Mama Cafe is a bit of a secret gem in New Farm, where they serve deliciously wholesome food, along with some wicked cakes and excellent coffee. Christina, the owner, turned out to be a friend of Gigi's (who doesn't this guy know!) and she kindly took a reservation for 15 (not what they normally do) setting up a table on the footpath amongst the trees and old Queensland style homes that characterise New Farm.

There is something very special about coming home after two years away and being able to step straight back into such solid, warm, caring friendships. I feel blessed to know that such wonderful people take time out of their busy lives to help me celebrate the approach to 40. And, as a side note, with no disrespect to my male friends...Nick you know what I mean...it is the women friends who sat around that table on Sunday afternoon that really bring me joy. I have a different connection with each of them, drawing on their strengths and delighting in their individual quirks. Some of them, well maybe most of them, have seen me behave quite appallingly at times. Either they have forgiven me my faults (thanks Connie), or they have very bad memories. Their generosity and support continues to surprise me, just as it did while we were living in Naples. They inspire me.

And they brought me gifts. Flowers, bottles of wine (white ... thank you ladies), jewellery (some of it lovingly hand crafted, and all of it in my favourite colours red, black and purple), a big of glamour with a silver handbag and travel books (another secret weakness of mine).

I have to say that the highlight of the luncheon was the birthday cake that Christina had made at Gigi's request, using one of her mother's secret recipes. It was something like Greek vanilla cake, but with flaky pastry at the base and oozing luscious sweetness it was surely something a gift from heaven. The girls tried to get the recipe out of Christina but she gently rebuffed their approaches. However, our resident foodie of Italian heritage, Antonia, has managed to dig up some possible recipes from the Internet. I dare say Charmaine, Kylie-Ann and Kristina will be giving it a go as well. I might just wait til the dust settles and see who gets the best result.

Good food, good company, good weather and good vibes. I sat there watching my friends, three of them mothers-to-be, two engaged to be wed, others with children starting to lean over the edge of the nest and some dealing with major life changes, marvelling at my good fortune.

Thank you for the gifts my friends, but mostly I thank you all for your gifts of friendship. Sunday lunch at Yo Mama Cafe was one of the loveliest birthday celebrations I've had in years.

The cheeky Janet with her beau Alex.

Soon to be married Sarah and Moss.
Camera shy David and Jana.
Parents in waiting Bill and Tone.
Me and him.
The two K's - Kristina and Kylie-Ann

1. Mike and Charmaine. 2. Another Jenny