Final farewells

We were up very early.
said goodbye to Evan at 6am, then Jesika and I were out the door by 6:30am.
Half an hour later I dropped her at work and took her car for a jaunt further north up the motorway.img_9650
I arrived at Jac’s in time to see Isaac before he headed off to school which was a lovely bonus.img_9654
Jan and I spent the rest of the day together which was a wonderfully special ending to my week.

At 2:30pm I had to do a mad scramble out the door and back down the motorway to pick Jesika up from work by 3pm.
We had a couple of hours left so went to a nearby mall and hung out.
Then to the airport, checked in my bag and with plenty of time up my sleeve Jesika took me upstairs to visit her Virgin Airline friends from her previous life.
It was so lovely to meet them and see where she has been spending so much of her time until recently.

All too soon it was time for me to disappear through the security barrier.
So some last minute selfies with my girl.img_9697 img_9698 img_9699 img_9700 img_9703
Sad to be leaving, but I will be back!!
Love you my darling one xxxx

The day was fading as I waited to board.
Farewell Perth, it’s been short but very sweet.
A very necessary and appreciated break from my normal normality.img_9704

My last night in WA

We took the afternoon off and retreated to the darkness of the movie theatre.
Apart from the two heads way down below we had the whole place to ourselves.
Which was actually good because we laughed and laughed out loud and nearly peed ourselves laughing while we rolled in the aisles some more 🙂
The movie – Bad Moms.
If you haven’t seen it you absolutely have to.
It is a life changer 🙂 🙂 🙂
img_9623

Then it was back home to organise my last supper.
It was a good night.
Sam came.
Which raised the tone immensely 😉
img_9625
The party stuff was still a happening!
img_9627
I was doubly delighted because Rory and Alaine were able to join us.
It was ultra special to meet my distant cousins in the flesh.img_9629 img_9630 img_9631 img_9633
It was a delightful evening.
Very relaxed, lots of chat and good food and great company.

East West Design

We were cruising up the street searching for interesting places to go when I spotted this building and called for a fast halt to the vehicle so I could zip out and take some photos of these amazing murals that spanned the whole front and round one side.
img_9582
img_9583img_9606 img_9607 img_9608 img_9609 img_9610 img_9611 img_9612 img_9613 img_9614 img_9615 img_9616 img_9617 img_9618 img_9619 img_9620
We soon discovered that this humungous building houses 2 acres of the most wonderful treasure trove.
East West Design is the largest retail outlet in the southern hemisphere.
We disappeared into the belly of the proverbial whale and were soon drooling with desire and gasping with delight.
These photo do not do it justice.
I was scheming and dreaming as to how I could afford to fill a shipping container with all the wonderful items I was falling in love with.
img_9588-1
I could only partially see this hunky door but was absolutely certain it would look fantabulous set into my back door 😉
img_9584 img_9587 img_9589 img_9590 img_9591 img_9592 img_9593 img_9595 img_9597 img_9601 img_9604 img_9605
It was a veritable paradise filled with objects of desire.
Just as well the Tasman is between there and home!!

Brunch in South Fremantle

Jesika found a wee pet making a get away as we left the house.
Cute eh?img_9552
We had a lovely cruisey day.
Began with brunch at a cafe that I cannot remember the name of but I am sure Jesika will remind me 😉
And I was right!!
It was Roasting Warehouse
It was another funky one with cute decor.img_9556
Murray met us there as he had some spare time up his sleeve so I got the bonus of catching up with him again.
Food was pretty good and presented beautifully.img_9557 img_9558
You don’t have to guess hard to figure out which was Ev’s meal and which was mine!!img_9561
Jesika & Murrayimg_9564
We chatted for a while over our meals and coffees and then we said our goodbyes.
Murray was heading off sailing and we were off to somewhere we hadn’t yet figured out.img_9565

An evening at Manuka

For a Tuesday night treat I was taken to a favourite haunt of Evan & Jesika’s.
Manuka Woodfire Kitchen.

It is a delightful restaurant.
I loved the ambience and also the staff were fantastic.
img_9517
img_9519
img_9547
img_9548
Everything is cooked in this woodfire oven.
img_9549
They have a cool menu which changes according to the seasons.
You order any selection that floats your boat and it comes out in a random order as it gets cooked.
img_9509

This is a new Ginger Beer to me and it went down exceptionally well.
img_9501
I’m not a huge olive fan but these roasted olives were wonderful, couldn’t stop eating them.
img_9505
The baby heirloom peppers were SO good, and the roasted potatoes were very more-ish too.
img_9506
Roasted cauli with avocado was interesting – actually this is all making me really hungry – I feel like hopping back on the plane and heading there for dinner tonight!!
img_9507
Of course Evan’s meal was not complete without his portion of meat.
I let him enjoy the lamb shoulder.
I was more than happy with all the delicious vege dishes 🙂
img_9510
And this really tells the story of total satisfaction.
img_9515
It was lovely to spend the evening just with these two.  img_9523 img_9529
Can you tell I’m loving my new scarf – don’t think I took it off for days 🙂
img_9532
Even is one of them is a total nutcase!
img_9533 img_9539
We felt we needed to do justice to the menu and sample some desserts.
But actually the first course was enough.
img_9540 img_9544
This was on the wall – it spoke to me.
img_9546

Walking back to the car I spotted this cool piece of mixed media in a random shop window.
It says –
Kindness Matters
the hope and kindness
we give to the world
not only nurtures us
but it becomes
a gift for someone else
to receive for their own healing.
img_9550
Thanks for a lovely end to the day J&E.
Love you both muchly xxxx

The day after

Had a bit of a slowish start after the party,
Jesika was up and on the ball and wanting to go do stuff but Sam was wanting a bit more time to wake up.
img_9382
I did a spot of painting while she took her timeimg_9384
Then we headed off for brunch at Gesha Coffee Co.
Food was good, beautifully presented, but the service was ‘interesting’.
Seems to be something that is lacking in a vast number of Australian cafes ;-/img_9385
I opted for the salmon while the guys chose the big breakfasts.
img_9387
Blair & Evan bro-loving 🙂
img_9388
Cousins keeping a safe distance from the boys
img_9390
Afterwards Jesika drove Ev, Bud and myself up the coast for a sightsee.
It was very blustery and the wind surfers made a very colourful sight as they whizzed across the waves.
img_9392
We got stuck in the crowds for a wee while.
I had never experienced an AFL crowd before.
They were wearing purple, team colours of the Fremantle Dockers, droves of supporters  heading to the  Subiaco Oval to support their team.
img_9398

All too soon it was time to take Bud to the airport.
img_9405 img_9408
And back home to collapse!img_9409

Shopping with Sam

Sam took me shopping today.
I found a swimwear shop I wanted to go to so off we went to find Luce Del Sol.
It is a lovely wee shop full of wonderful swimwear and a very helpful owner.
I walked in and said I don’t wear black, and Sam added that I don’t do Nana either!
So that said she found me everything that was colourful.
I spent ages trying on every swimsuit in the shop – well it felt like every one!
But nothing was really rocking my boat.
So I began looking at the black suits.
And guess what?
They looked great.
And I found the one I loved and felt so good in.
Once I had that nailed I then started trying on two pieces.
Then I found a bikini – yes a bikini!!
Haven’t worn one since I was in my teens.
Never ever thought I would or could again.
I love it 🙂

I was telling my girls recently that after watching a few TV shows like Botched and Beauty & the Beach I have finally decided that at my age and stage in life I am finally perfectly happy with my body.
I’ve had 11 pregnancies, birthed 10 babies – and none too small either!
I’ve breast fed them all – each of them for quite some time.
I don’t have any stretch marks, my boobs aren’t hitting my ankles.
The excess flab around the middle is being dealt to gradually, and I am not getting too hung up about the lack of abdominal muscle tone anymore because my babies made short work of destroying that!
So I am now going to totally get my Queen on this coming summer in my new beach attire 🙂
And maybe, just maybe, I might get a photo up sometime 😉

After the marathon we were both famished so wandered up the street and found Roots & Greens smoothie and juice bar.
Got some wonderfully energising smoothies full of beetroot and stuff to kick us into the afternoon.
img_9423
I love the quaint old buildings around Fremantle.
These ones were just across the road.
img_9424 img_9425 img_9426
We found another shop which had a sale on.
It was a hellishly expensive place but I fell in love with this scarf.
Dithered muchly and then decided I would really regret not getting it.
So I did and I am happy 🙂
It is very different to any other scarf I have.img_9441img_9459

Jesika met us at Sam’s and then she and I went off for a massage.
It was so good.
The guy worked wonders on my shoulders and also my calves, especially the right one which has really knotted up since my altercation with a tow bar a few months ago.
I am going to have to get some on going treatment once I return home.
Sam arrived for her massage just as we had finished.
Then it was back to Jesika & Evan’s for dinner and bed.

Ev’s 40th – Party Time

Saturday night was party time.
The All Blacks had just beaten the Wallabies in the Bledisloe Cup for the 2nd time in two weeks so all was well in Evan’s world and he was ready to party by the time the full time whistle was blown 🙂

Jesika had made a fantastic photo board for him.IMG_9339 IMG_9340 IMG_9341 IMG_9343
He was sporting the satin shorts from Shoshannah and the flashing lit up horns & jandles that Marah sent.
Perfect party attire.
IMG_9303
I presented Evan with a celebratory picture that I had painted on my way over.
It’s carrying my main present – which was too big for me to bring in the flesh, so he has to come home and get it 😉
IMG_9302

The other main man was also suitable attired to attend the Kiwi themed party.
Welcome Fred Dagg 🙂
He was really rocking those gumboots.
Fred Dagg aka John Clarke has always been a favourite of our family.
One skit in particular always made Tim laugh and he was always commenting that ‘the front fell off’ when things didn’t go to plan 🙂IMG_9309
Jesika went all out as did her Chilean friends Jacqui & Javier.
IMG_9324 IMG_9326
Me and my girlIMG_9330
Jesika & Sam getting the cake finished IMG_9335
Cheeky cousins 🙂
IMG_9338 IMG_9334
There was quite a storm blowing outside the marque so lighting candles took skillIMG_9345
Evan with workmate Tracey and her daughter
IMG_9331
Ev with Sam’s present – yes he drinks tea 😉
The ulteria motive was to stop him drinking her cups of tea when he visits!!IMG_9356 IMG_9361
Ev with ‘old’ school mate Tracey.
There were 3 Tracey’s at the party so we had to differentiate with clarification nicknames.IMG_9365 IMG_9366 (1) IMG_9367
A major amount of drunken hilarity occurred of course.
Measure biceps at this point…..IMG_9372

Wal lost his wig later in the evening – somehow looked a lot better on Bud methinks 😉IMG_9373
I love this last photo – it was the last one I actually took that night and it shows the birthday boy in full swing.
He was really enjoying himself 🙂IMG_9374

Meeting Constance

Saturday morning it was wet.
Perth has been experiencing the coldest winter in 20 years and it is also very wet.
So I didn’t need to pack any sunscreen!
Just the same old winter stuff I’ve been wearing for past months back home.
I went with Jesika to the Manning Farmers Market.
The rain was heavy and then it would clear, and then down she’d come again Trev!
It was a lovely market, Jesika has her favourite vege and fruit stalls so we wandered between them and the others that I was interested in.
Like food and coffee and crafts etc.
The crepe stall did really really good avocado wraps with spinach.
The coffee cart next door looked better than it tasted :-/
IMG_9265

On the way home I checked into Facebook, as you do.
And saw to my delight that Constance was signing her books ‘Like a Queen’ at Subiaco today!
Jesika wasn’t going to take me, no way, not ever 😉
All good – she had a party to prepare for.
So I called Sam, pretty sure she’d be keen and yes she was.
So we drove up to Subiaco and discovered Constance is a one very popular lady.
We already knew that she has a world wide following on her blog ‘Queens of Constance’ and Facebook but seeing so many local women queuing cemented that.
In fact the line of women and the occasional husband/partner & children went for miles up the stairs and though the hallways of the Subiaco Hotel.
So long in fact that we were queuing for around 2 hours!
IMG_9269
Was it worth the wait.
You bet it was!
IMG_9288 IMG_9301

IMG_9294 IMG_9296

Loved this sculpture – I thought is was representing all the queens floating out of the hotel after having our books signed and our few moments with Constance.
The best thing along the way though was meeting and chatting with other women who were there from all walks, ages & stages of life.
Her blunt honest way of communicating about the reality of life in the fast lane of motherhood has broken through so many barriers because we all identify with her in some way or other.
IMG_9298

Afterwards we were right hungry we were, so headed home asap, stopping at a supermarket along the way to find food.