04 January 2009

More Eating & Drinking

Yes, we've been at it again. Yesterday was a barbeque for friends not seen for a while. I was particularly pleased because Jeanie and Doug (who are my age) would be there. I have to tell you about these two...their daughters emigrated to Australia from England, so Jeanie and Doug spend about six months of the year here and six months back in England or going to other places.

Doug is a very quiet, dignified gentleman...a delightful man, one of the old school in manner. Jeanie is his polar opposite. She's outgoing, talks non stop and has a deliciously naughty sense of humour...totally irrepressible and we get along like a house on fire. So, I was thrilled to see them again and of course, Jeanie and I talked for ages catching up on each other's news. She's also fascinating to listen to with tales of her childhood. Although Doug is Indian, Jeannie was born in Burma (now Myanmar) and when war broke out, she, her mother and siblings all fled first to Singapore then to England where they eventually settled.

She was educated at the convent school of the Holy Shepherd in Rangoon and after leaving school, took up nursing in England. Her mother had been a nurse in Rangoon Hospital. Apparently, Jeannie was saying, the convent and hospital are still there...she found them on Google Earth.

There was another friend there, Beryl, who is around the same vintage as Jeannie and me and is a straight talking Aussie...so the three of us sat together and of course, it was christened the Naughty Old Ladies' Corner...isn't that just lovely??

So this went on all yesterday afternoon and into the evening, but by nine o'clock, I'd had it (I'd been up since 5.30 am), said my goodbyes and left the others to it. I have a friend coming for lunch tomorrow...that means more eating and drinking.

Actually it's a busy month...there's Cirque du Soleil on 11 Jan, Fred's sister, Mary, is having a party for her 50th birthday on 16, then it's my birthday and lastly, Harry's birthday. I'm going to need to sleep for a week when all this is over.

Here are some photos from yesterday.

I made a fruit platter and didn't have a plate big enough, so covered an oven tray with alfoil and used that. It all got eaten, too.


Under the patio, eating and drinking, with Shelby's head in the foreground.

Another angle of the food marathon.


Beryl (left) with Jeannie talking coach tours and Doug in the background.



Sophie (front) and Pearl, two of Roger and Wendy's dogs.

Pearl...when one gets tired, one can use a football as a pillow. In case you're wondering, she's a Maremma sheepdog. They originate from Italy and actually sleep with the sheep at night.

11 comments:

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Nice to hear from you..Looks like you have been having a great time eating and drinking and talking too...I am good at that...
I too want to see Australia but have it listed on my netflix and will see it that way.
When is your birthday? Is it soon..sounds like it is..Mine is next month..i will be 64 already.wow!! Where is the time going?

Merle said...

Dear Robyn ~~ Sounds like you and your friends are always eating and celebrating something. Glad you all had a good time even in the "naughty old ladies corner" Glad you liked the story of Molly as most seemed to.
I was a bit concerned about your comment about not enjoying the lead up to Christmas as there were too may horrible people around. I hope they were only busy and not TOO horrible. Take care, my friend. Love, Merle.

Gattina said...

I hope your stomac is solid like a rock with this "diet", lol ! We had our New Years neighborhood meeting yesterday, not sitting outside but inside with an open fire and the heating turning ! - 4° outside ! Some 6 years ago my son was 6 weeks travelling through Australia and announced us that he wanted to stay there. He should have done so, then I could do like Jeannie and sit outside in winter too !

Unknown said...

Thanks, Robyn, for introducing Beryl, Jeanie and Doug—and especially the Naughty Old Ladies' Corner! It appears that all of you have had a fantastic time. Great!

Peter said...

Hi Rob, all the food at this time of year is delicious, we should serve up nasty tasting stuff and not put on weight!!!

Gledwood said...

I've had REAL issues trying to get into this commentary this "arvo" I can tell you! Sometimes commentboxes in pop-ups gimme trouble, running foul of the dreaded popupblocker, who assumes they're porno-junkmail!

Those are lovely fotos... YOURS was one of those suburban houses I was writing about today... kids running about the garden and dogs..!

Convent school in RANGOON..! Living in BURMA: MAN THAT IS SO FUNKY!! If I'd have lived in that age I'd have been a colonial and Burma would have been my NUMBER ONE OPTION re where to be... o wow amazing.

Convent schools I've heard a lot about. Did you ever see that (Aussie production as far as I know at least it was set Down Under) TV series Brides of Christ about a nuns' convent... starring our (Irish) Brenda Fricker, who used to be in BBC1's Saturday night drama CASUALTY... it was hardly full of action but in its own way I really loved it ... when it came on around 2.30am every week I was glued to it!
;->...

Anonymous said...

sounds like you had a lovely time visiting with your long-time friends :) love your humor!

Merle said...

Hi again Robyn ~~ Thanks for the visit and I am glad you enjoyed the
Good for the Soul story. That "lady" would more than likely choke on that ice cream. Take care, my friend, Love, Merle.

Anonymous said...

Is there anything better in life than eating, drinking and good conversation. That fruit salad looks so yummy. Summer is the only time of year I really yearn for fruit and you can't beat the fruit in Queensland.

What a beautiful dog Pearl is. I've never heard of that breed. I thought she might have been a golden retriever.

Walker said...

Food anf friends, whats more is there to have a fun time.

Liz Hinds said...

You do have a wonderful life! That platter looks gorgeous!

It's been freezing here although not as cold where we are as it has been inland.