Becstarr : Emerging from a kid hurricane to an empty nest

Just got back from visiting a full house of kids (5, 7, 9) and 6 adults up the Central Coast to an eerily quiet house. That's right: Matt and Zoe have flown the coop over the weekend, and Joel and I are empty-nesters! For the first time in my life I am savouring owning every shelf in the fridge (and pantry, and bathroom) and so on. Come to think of it, that's not quiet true as I was in that studio in Camden St for a while. OK, forget that particular rhetorical flourish, but it's still Very Exciting!

Becstarr : A great lazy start!

Spent my first day of leave mostly sleeping and reading Thursday Next / Jasper Fforde. Fan-frickin'-tastic!

After an attack from the dentist, managed to cook dinner (incl. banana pikelets!) for Marina and Karinne while K packed for 3 weeks' holiday in Europe. What am I going to do without my flatmate for so long? :)

Becstarr : yAY ErkoBeserko~

Went to check out Erko Beserko, the Erskineville PS fair. There was plenty of music and small children bopping unselfconsciously, and the general enjoyable chaos of a big jumble of people. We drank homemade cumquat cordial for $1 a large cup (bamboo recyclable, if you please!) and ate homemade vietnamese rice-paper rolls in the Devonshire tea area. Ran into ex-flattie and brother-in-sin Luke, back from London and hanging out with his Dad. Bought parsley, pansies and beautiful native violets that the kids had made pots for. Wandered home past a moving sale, where we scored a big truck with horse carrier for Elroy (J's nephew)'s Xmas present.

Becstarr : Meetings and schedules and one lovely baby

Day of meetings and emails and making schedules and admin. Evening of hanging out with old flatmate Ann and baby Bella (now ~3m), up from Melbourne. Bella is beautiful, very awake, and already adept at standing up and balancing / "surfing" on knees... she's going to be into the ocean behind Dad in short order!