Sydney

This image says it all regarding our trip to Sydney last week to catch up with family and friends. Taken during a family brunch at Centennial Park, I somehow managed to capture just about the whole family - brother, spouse, two daughters, a couple of sons-in-law, and of course, Moi.  

Centennial Park was at its best.

 

Good food and good company.

And lots of fun for the children.

Our daughter and son-in-law had recently moved into their new home, Chez Tardis.  Built in the late 1930s and with a couple of major renovations, it looks something like this from the outside ...

  

 ... but inside it's more like this ...

  

Yes, I realise I'm prone to exaggerate - somewhere in the middle the truth lies.

Living in Brisbane the one thing I miss is the beautiful Magnolia trees which are in full bloom in Sydney right now.  Then I remember in order to have these magnificent trees, you must put up with the cold weather that accompanies them.  Ah ... Poincianas ... warm weather.

They are a hardy breed down south.  Our three year-old grandson wouldn't let a little inclement weather interfere with his swimming lesson.

His big sister equally lives for her weekly fill of soccer with the Under Six school team.

Ooo ... they were so cute.  The pre-game pep talk, however, was all for nought.

See the opposition's boy in blue to the left?  He had Mixmasters for legs and once he wrapped them around the ball, all our brave little team could do was rush to defend the goal.  In vain.

Still, there was always the anticipation after the game, waiting for the Snakes bag to be ripped open and shared around. 

Time to cook up a storm - well, a batch of cupcakes, wearing his Hot Fudge apron, of course.

Our intrepid cook has a problem with loud noises, such as food processors, which he will have to overcome if he is to pursue his dream of winning Master Chef.

 

Icing the cakes takes a deft hand.

There was also a wonderful dinner at a French restaurant with my oldest and dearest friend and her husband.  We go back to First Grade at school.  She and Mr Fudge were born a month apart and this year it's one of those Significant Birthdays.  They have a tradition of ringing a bell at these ten-year celebrations (we can't recall the origin, but it all started 30 years ago and involved a maritime bell and a lot of wine).  

  

On our last evening at Chez Tardis, we were delightfully surprised when we opened the front door to be greeted with a festoon of streamers and our grand-daughter standing at the other end of the hall, paralysed with pleasure at our reaction. 

It was party time.

And of course, there was cake.

We are now back home, with lots of memories to hold us over until Christmas.  Sigh.