We have had the most wonderful extended weekend.
Rachel had Good Friday off and we had arranged to join a group of friends at the Railway Museum in Adelaide. There was about a dozen kids and a bunch of adults and the Museum was excellent. There were loads of Engines from all periods and we were able to climb aboard and walk through period carriages and a mini stream train for the children to ride on around the perimeter which was great fun. I suggested to Rachel that she might want to remove her bloomers and wave them frantically at the train driver all Jenny Agutter like but she declined. Severe lack of nostalgic spirit I thought, severe lack of bloomers it turns out!
All the staff at the railway had big beards so either ZZ Top have retired here or it is a prerequisite to working with Steam engines (perhaps something to think about for you 'Uncle Nick'). We moved on from there to a seafront park where we had our picnic and stayed there for a few hours. When we got back home we went for a bike ride along the seafront and had an icream and another play in yet another park! Tom's riding is really coming on, his confidence growing daily, Rachel is also due to have her stabilizers removed this week. We put two very tired kids to bed and collapsed on the sofa with a glass of wine.
Saturday we decided that we would take the kids bowling, the ten pin kind not grass, I may be nearly 40 but I'm not ready for white trousers and lawn bowls just yet. Tom had a great time with his usual 'I must win everything attitude' and Lucy enjoyed it for a bit but became a bit bored after a while but we still had a great time.
Tom asked if God made all the toys in the world. I said ' no but God gave some people the ability to make things so they made the toys'. He looked deep for a moment and said 'well I think God made the tricky ones'
Having seen 'Transformers' I am inclined to agree.
Sunday, Rachel was on call but had to be in or around the hospital rather than at home so we decided I would take the kids to the Zoo next door to the hospital where hopefully Rachel could join us. It turned out that Rachel was free as we approached the city so joined us straight away and was able to stay with us for four hours by which time the kids were ready for home. They had had their faces painted, eaten ice cream (again) and held a baby wallaby. Rachel had to stay at work but I took the kids home and we had some playdoh fun before tea and bed.
Monday was a fairly calm day with some cake making in the morning and afternoon tea with our lovely neighbours who put on an easter egg hunt for the kids which they loved. That evening we went out to dinner with our 'old' friends Wes and Allie. I had looked at the map and without the aid of a pair of compass I determined the halfway point between us and them and chose a restaurant off the Interweb. It was in a place called Hallet Cove which Rachel helpfully reminded me was where 'Murder She Wrote' was set. That did not bode well. I rang and asked if they were open as it was a public holiday but they assured me they were and asked if I wanted to book a table. A good sign I thought. Well once the kids were down and our other delightful neighbour 'Elizabeth' had settled herself in to babysit, we set off in search of the obviously popular eatery. Following Emily the SatNav blindly we ended up on what can best be described as a bad retail park but lo and behold there was the restaurant. As we pulled up I received a text from Wes saying good job we had booked a table. Knowing Wes I knew exactly what that meant and I was right. There were at least fifty tables, the place was bursting at the seams with tables, sadly all devoid of patrons. There was one other table occupied which left shortly after our arrival. So despite being the only paying human beings in an archepelago of formica the waitress still came out after twenty minutes to ask if we had ordered yet. Stunned, I said no but that we would be ready shortly if that was ok. She smiled like someone who had just broken wind and retreated to the safety of the counter. After another twenty minutes I suddenly spot in very small writing the words Please order at the counter on the corner of the laminated menu. Obviously it had been too much for the waitress to point this out as she was clearly rushed off her feet but we duly traipsed to the counter to place our order.
'What table number are you on?'
Blank look from Wes and I
'Are you sure that is really relevant right now?' (tumble weed and church bells moment)
'I need a number to enter your order.'
Now having spent too long in the catering trade, I know not to upset the waiting staff prior to receiving your food for obvious reasons so I bite my tongue.
Wes says 'that one' and we manage to bypass security and get the order through. We can now only hope that it makes it to our table and does not get delivered to another table where it will sit and go cold on it's own.
Ten minutes later a side order of chips arrive.
Fifteen minutes later the girls Pizzas arrive and the chips plate is removed. I must remember to order chips as a starter next time we eat out, it really was rather good.
Five minutes after that the boy's steaks arrive.
Now despite all this, the steak was good and the company was great and we managed to smile even when all the staff including the chef put their coats on, stacked the chairs and sat there staring at us. I mean really, it was twenty to ten afterall!!!
We left and breaking a self imposed Law, we went to McDonalds across the road for coffee.
I commented that it would be down to Wes and Allie to choose where to eat next time which should be easy for them given that I had set the bar so low that we had been forced to limbo out of the restaurant!
It's not the first time I have been let down by an Internet selection but that is a whole different story.
Oh well, you live and learn.
On tuesday we had another holiday day for Anzac Day and we had received a text from my cousin Martin the night before saying that he was in Adelaide and could we fit him and Karen his lovely better half in for breakfast. So at 9.30 we met at the Jetty Cafe on the beach at Grange and had a great breakfast with them and their friends Andy and Dawn. Taking a post breakfast stroll along the jetty (pier) we were treated to the graceful play of a beautiful dolphin which was obviously playing to the crowd that was forming on the jetty. I asked Tom what he thought the dolphins name was, 'Jeff' came the reply. So we watched Jeff until he decided he would go and play with some guy swimming further up the beach. We then arranged to meet Martin et al later further south at a beach called Willunga and athough we arrived later than intended (about 3.30) we stayed until seven, swimming, 'wave boshing' (Tom's game) and various ball games before collecting Pizza and sitting watching the sunset which was magnificent. Once again two tired children put to bed! The end of a fantastic long weekend.
Good night my friends and family and any random persons that may have happened upon my blog.
Sleep well. xx
Cuiusvis hominis est errare; nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare
