I'm an Aunt!

Christine had her baby!

Evelyn - More Holidaying Goodness

Finally managed to get to the beach - went to Clovelly yesterday for a swim. Then had several meetings - for lunch/coffee/drink/dinner lined up - good day in all. Now spending the next few days with family getting ready for my parents 60th birthday celebrations

Becstarr : Hopping kerbs

Feeling very triumphant about organising the very successful family picnic we had on Sunday to celebrate my brother's birthday (Tim, half of the twins).

There was a picnic with free-range bbq chicken and lime & coconut macaroons, then a walk along the Bay Run and coffee at Cafe Bones. We had fun watching the dogs, and I got to try out Tim's Rather Expensive superbike, getting some coaching on how to bunny-hop kerbs. I have a bit of training to go, I think...

Becstarr : Grass rustling

What a strange weekend.
Lots of family time including lunch with Mum and her younger sister, an aunt who I used to see heaps of as a child, but whom I've barely seen since I was about 12. Re-meeting relatives as an adult can be a very odd experience that makes one re-evaluate past situations.

Also jumped the back wall at J's over to the abandoned Sydney Korean Ethnic School (so says the sign in the courtyard) and co-opted a large amount of grass growing between their bricks. The big bare patch in the lawn has been turned, forked, and composted and replanted with the rustled greenery!

Becstarr : Hula hula dreams dreams

Big event of the day was the opening for Hula Dreams II out at Clovelly, which J has two works in (Sheik Uke Al-Hilaly and Martin Uke, which sold on the night). The opening went well and my mum met J's mum and Jess met Zoe- not that anyone really got a chance to talk; too much ukelele playing going on!

Had a small family dinner with Jess, Mum and Dad after. 4 is actually a very civilised number for a dinner - everyone can be in on the same conversation easily. :)

Becstarr : Setup

Meeting with Nutrition folks-- rolling along at a good speed now. Spent some time moving gigs of data over so my new laptop is now my primary work computer. I have 30GB left out of 150GB, so I may have to start some serious archiving soon!

Swam some laps with J after work, then dinner at Correlli's with Jess and Rach. Rach is fully vaccinated and packing pens and pencils for her 3 weeks in the African orphanage / school. Hard to believe!!

Becstarr : Pennywort salad

A day of minor but accumulating frustrations and hold-ups. Luckily, after work things picked up, with goat curry and pennywort salad at the monthly family dinner, this time at Burmese restaurant Bagan (Strathfield).

Becstarr : Dad's birthday lunch

Went for one of those slightly tricky "combined family" lunches at Dad's new partner's place. Sat on the deck, met Barb's daughter Jill (about Jess' age I think), and gave Dad his presents: 2 tix to Keating! and a bird-identification book, both of which went down well. It all went reasonably smoothly, but I was totally zonked afterwards. Took a lot of energy.

Becstarr : Massed choir

Dinner at Wagamamas with the sibs, then off to the Basement to see Mum perform with her a cappella group Voices on the Waters at a fundraiser choir night for the Sydney Street Choir (like Melbourne's Choir of Hard Knocks). It was a fun evening, and good to have time with the family before everyone starts heading off. Rach leaves for Ireland next month and Jess is aiming for London soon. Christmas looks like being a lot smaller this year... so got to make the most of having them here now!