Audrey is 2

Audrey has now been alive for two years and today she had a party at Laura and Andy's house.

I gave her a tea set

AND IT was a great success.

Aunty Lu made some cookie monster cakes which seemed to consist mainly of butter, sugar and coconut, all held together with copious quantities of BLUE food colouring

She wanted to share a finger full of blue icing with Lu.....

Laura made a barby fairy cake which Audry and her friend Harbi decorated..

 Just after this photo Barbies dress caught fire!

Happy birthday was sung and the cake cut.

London's finest moment

I didn't get up early enough to watch all of the opening ceremony for the olympic games.  However, I got there in time to see the lighting of the flame which was very spectacular.  All these gorgeous young athletes representing the athletes of UK - I hope you're impressed with the coke bottle tribute to the games - left over from lunch at Wagamama on Friday

I wasn't sure why each team that came into the arena was accompanied by a child carrying a bronze dish - until I saw them all on this wonderful stand - and all on fire.  Each one representing one of the 250 countries participating.

when they all raised up, it looked amazing.....

and the shots from underneath were mind blowing.

melbourne continued

The last couple of days I spent in Melbourne were very happy ones, even if I did have some trouble getting my children to post properly for photos!!!!!
.

At least I got this good one of Floss with her favourite things.....

But they did line up for this.....

 I loved catching up with Prue - no wonder a couple of extra kilos are hanging around..

 The day I was flying home, we went for a lovely walk around Studley Park - very much a blast from the past.....lots of good memories.

Thank goodness I'm not allergic to wattle as there was a very superior display of it down there by the river.

And, as they have been for the past umpty years, the boats were all lined up ready for people to take for a row.

food and friends

This lovely salad was served to us in a restaurant in carlton.  A lovely sunny day with temperatures around 15 - can't complain about that.

 And, what made it very nice was that I was lunching with to friends that I have known for 60 years!!!!

On sunday, we had brunch at a wool store in Abbotsford

and on the way there saw these chairs and the lamps in the window - more about them in the future.

 two daughters, one step daughter and me, having a very happy day

catch up

I spent the weekend in Melbourne catching up with family and friends.  I had a couple of hours in the CBD .  I had a lovely lunch with Floss and then a bit of a walk around - not really much different to home and pretty hard on the feet!

this scary photo is my brother after he came into contact with the bitumen as a result of a fall from his bike - says he's feeling a bit better now!!!!!

Tossie drove me to see b and k and received a terrarium for her troubles...plus a lovely lunch

Then back to Abbotsford where Peter had left some Haig Dimple scotch for me to taste - very nice - I had to have a couple to make sure!

Chips and pizzas for dinner.....

you've got to crack eggs to make an omelette

some parts of my garden are looking ok

but for others, it's the time of the year when you have to be a bit brutal.  I am now exposed to the world walking down the street - I wanted to post these pics so that I can see how long it takes for a euphorbia to return to normal.

Hopefully by September, the verandah will be a shaded and secluded place again!!!!

now that's enough

First it was the ironing board cover.......

Then this morning I was in the shower and heard a crash.  When I came out I found this on the floor:

Somehow, it had jumped sideways off the wall and landed in the doorway.  You can see the hook it was on just to the left and above the light switch

Anyone know a good exorcist?

perhaps these boys know something?

a weekend away

I have just spent a very nice weekend at Evans Head.  It was cold and wet and I hope that's my only real dose of winter for this year.  I think at last I have acclimatised to Briz and was very glad to see some sun when I got back.

We went for a walk along Airforce Beach but had to turn back when it started to rain......

At least there was a lovely rainbow!!

This is a very cosy spot to be - with a bottle of Chivas and some chips!

and in the morning, this was just as cosy for breakfast in bed!  Bed covering consisted of TWO donnas and a blanket!!

There's a very happy little echidna wandering around in Marina's garden.......

There's also another echidna by her front door for boots to be cleaned on!  I hope he wasn't related to the one in the garden!!