11 July 2010

Hello, it's your long lost blogger friend...

deciding to do a spot of blogging.  Yes, yes...I know.  Shock, horror, whatever...That's all I'm going to say on the subject.

Since I last posted, there has been a change in the work scene for me.  At 65, I've found myself another job.  I'm still working from home for four hours or so a day, but getting heaps more for it.  I used to work for this particular orthopaedic practice about eight or nine years ago.  A friend of mine is the practice manager and a couple of years back she rang me and asked if I would work for them again.  It wasn't the right time then, but about a month ago the timing was impeccable.  I really enjoy this work and it's lovely to be back with them...even if it is off site.

Three friends have had babies in the last month...one lady who I used to work with, had twins; our neighbour had a little girl and another friend I worked with until recently is having a C section on 14th.  As well as these three, the manageress of the bookshop where we have our monthly writers' group meetings had a little boy in May.  I'm surrounded by fertile women...thank God it's not catchinig!

Last Thursday was my youngest daughter, Suzie's 40th birthday.  I had said I'd  take her out for lunch, however, it was the last week of the school holidays and Harry was over visiting from New Zealand, so we decided to leave it for a few days.  Then around Tuesday last week, Gabbie phoned me and asked me to take Suzie to lunch as she, Brooke and Harry were planning a surprise evening for her.  Gabbie had told her mother she'd cook dinner for her that night.

I love partaking in surprise events for people...all the secrecy, biting of tongues and skulduggery that goes on...great fun.  The kids wanted to get their mother out of the house for at least the afternoon so I thought it was a good time have the birthday lunch.  We duly went to the Springfield Tavern where Jane's brother, Roger, is the chef.  Unfortunately, he had gone home sick so we missed him, but still had a lovely lunch.  Suzie had a fillet of Tasmanian salmon with Hollandaise sauce and Asian greens and I had Springfield chicken, which is breast with avocado, semi-dried tomatoes and Camembert cheese on a bed of sweet potato mash accompanied with vegetables.  We both had a glass of wine as well.

After that, we thought we'd better walk it off in the Orion Shopping Centre as well as seeing what was on sale.  Some shops are putting spring stuff out already...yay.  I've had enough of winter.  After about an hour and a half, it was time for a coffee and after that then drove back to my place.  Suzie wasn't allowed home until 6.30, so she jumped online and looked for a dress for Brooke's grade 12 formal.  What the girls are doing here, is going onto the American websites, ordering their dresses and having them sent to Australia.  The styles and fabrics are to die for and there is soooo much choice.  With the exchange rate and postage added in, the price is about the same as here, but with the attraction of the dress being sent from the USA.  Great resale value.

We spent a lovely couple of hours browsing through the designer's websites and I couldn't believe how reasonable the prices were. I've decided I'm going to have a look for next year's winter clothes that way...for me!

We finally left to go to Suzie's place which is about a half hour's drive from me.  I waited until Suzie had driven off, then packed all the food I had prepared that morning into an esky, grabbed a bottle of wine and followed her.  The kids had put up party balloons and streamers and those invited were there waiting for the birthday girl .  Suzie knew her kids were up to something, but wasn't sure what.  When she mentioned it to me...I just gave a non committal "Oh yeah" and didn't say anymore.

We had a lovely evening.  I didn't stay too late as I was going to the markets with Jane the next morning and had to be up at 4.30 am.  Three of Gabbie's friends arrived and everyone was making noises about finishing off the rest of the evening at the local pub where there was live music.  Whether they did or not, I didn't wait to find out.  Let's just say that by the time I left, a few sore heads were well in the making....

I've been working hard on my essay for our writers' group anthology, which we hope to publish early next year, as well as working on my book.  I was looking for a publisher a few weeks ago and found a local one.  Deciding it would be nice to support local business, I duly emailed a submission and a couple of chapters only to have it bounce back.  When I mentioned this at our last meeting, two others had the same experience.  As one said, the company was in business for a week...and we missed it!

I hope all is well in your world.  Below are some photos I thought you might like to see.  Now, I'm off to visit your blogs.



I couldn't resist this...it's a web made by a St Andrew's cross spider, so named for obvious reasons..  If you enlarge the photo, you'll see her behind her very artistic web.
.


The birthday girl hamming it up with her glass of red.


Who brung this lot?  A lovely photo of Brooke...pity about the rest.



A family photo...and Brooke gets her own back.  From L to R.  Brooke, me, Suzie, Gabbie, Harry


Like mother...

like daughter.

When she was young, every time I took a photo, Suzie's head and grin would be in it somewhere.  Nothing's changed...and her daughter does the same thing,


18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello and nice to see you back! It looks like a wonderful event and I can see from the photos that everyone had fun.

I am just like you, I like to make surprise parties or events to people that I care. It's just a joy to see their reaction once you unveil everything.

Jack K. said...

There is no doubt about it, you had a wonderful time. I hope the rest of the time during your blogging respite was just as enjoyable.

Great photos of a wonderful family. thanks for sharing.

Hootin Anni said...

Love, love, love the photo share and all the wonderful smiles and fun!! Forty, huh?!! I don't even remember back that far when I was 40. Terrific that you got a new job. And that spider? Ewwwwwwwww, creepy. But what a 'tangled web she weaved'....I couldn't resist that line.

Thanks for popping in for a visit. It's always a pleasure seeing your comments.

Gattina said...

All good news, so that's why you disappeared ! Here too is a baby boom around me, mostly the friends of my son and I will be grandma of a boy in November that's sure now. They were here over the weekend and Marieken had swallowed a little football, lol ! It is unusually hot here and we suffer ! In the 30th ! Our barbecue yesterday was interrupted by a thunderstorm ! For once we did one, lol !

Carole Burant said...

I remember when I turned 40...unfortunately it was already 12 years ago! lol Happy "belated" 40th birthday to Suzie:-) I so enjoyed looking at all the pictures, it certainly did look like everyone was having a grand old time! Too bad you couldn't email me a slice of that birthday cake!! hehe

My goodness, you certainly are surrounded with fertile women and as you said, it's a good thing it's not catchy. lol In Niagara Falls last weekend, I couldn't get over how many pregnant woman we saw...we always say it must have been a cold winter, they spent it under the blankets! :-)

Ok, that looks like a HUGE spider. So glad we don't have them that big around here otherwise I'd be having panic attacks! lol I do have to agree with you, though, that the web is quite something, I've never seen anything like it.

No I didn't see the Queen when she was here...while we were in Niagara Falls she was in Toronto which is just an hour away from there but we didn't even attempt to go because not only was the Queen there for the Queen's Plate horse race, it was also the day the Gay Pride Parade was taking place, as well as the Tall Ship Festival and the Shriners Convention. They say over 4 million people were there so it would have been a zoo!!

Take care my friend, think of you often!! xoxox

The Chair Speaks said...

Great that you had a wonderful time.
Thank you for visiting. I don't know how Kenggy lost her paws. You can read how she came into my life here http://thechairspeaks.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

Merle said...

Dear Robyn ~~ Nice to have you back
and what a fun time you have been
having with all the babies and your daughter's 40th/ Mine is a very dim memory!!! Congrats on your job at home - that will be great for you.
Thanks for your comments and Kate
and I enjoyed our mini pizzas - bacon with eggs, capsicum onion and lots of cheese. Bake in oven. Kate would be happy with anything I cook, she is a lovely girl of 22.
Take care,my friend. Love, Merle.

Liz Hinds said...

What great fun! How Harry's grown!!

And that's an amazing web.

Back to work? Really? I suppose if you really enjoy it ...

rel said...

Robyn,
Imust say you have a handsome family not counting the spider.
It's hard to pull off a surprise party these days but I'm sure it was a fun get together.
Are ou sure pregnancy isn't contagious?
rel

Peter said...

Hi Robyn,a good post, happy belated birthday to Suzie.
back to work!!!!! couldn't handle retirement eh????

Gledwood said...

Hi!
Zes itäs Gledwood with a sillz Germanßspeaking kezboard that keeps switching itself on at the most inopportune moments!
OK and we're OFF: back to the UK keyboard where Y and Z are in their proper places and where where I can print lots of lovely £££s. (If only I could print real £££s.)
Yes I thought you had retired too. It must be bloody boring retiring if you're used to being productive.
I found the book I've always wanted yesterday so I'm happy for a change. Apart from that everything is chaos my end as you may have read... It's terrible, people dropping like flies. Only if flies really did drop like that, well, I think London would be a lot more hygeinic.
You know when you were working from home before, do you mind my asking what you were doing? I'm always fascinated at the idea of being able to earn a living without traipsing physically into work... but now you are doing that, surely the social side is a zillion times better. That's what I liked best about all my old jobs.
So this practice, does it have a wombat on the sideboard like a Country Practice? No? OK I know you said it treats people I just wanted an excuse to bring furry animals into the conversation. Now on that note I'd better be orf, it's 2:28am!

Ps the job I wanted to do from home was the job of translator and the book is in German. But I was gonna post on that tomorrow so I didn't want to spoil the "surprise", haha :-)

I'm glad you're sounding well. Did the nasty sinuses "go away", to put it politely?

Take care....

Walker said...

I see you like being the secret agent on your secret adventures.
More work, ah well, keeps ypu busy and adds a little to your pocket book to do some shopping

Hootin Anni said...

Hello again!!---in regards to your question about why Da Vinci pulled off the hoax of the shroud is explained in the book. LOL [didn't want to give the plot away; just tease a little bit]

Merle said...

Dear Robyn ~~ I hope your job is going well for you. It sounds great.Thank you for your comments about my pain. I didn't have a fall, just got out of bed and had awful pain in one leg - hurt to put weight on it.A few months ago, I did the same thing and scans showed I had a hairline fracture of the pelvis, so guess I turned the wrong way or got out of bed differently AGAIN.After 3 awful days, it is a fair bit better today. Thanks for caring Robyn.
Take care, Love, Merle.

Lifecruiser Travel Blog said...

Wow! What a spider+web, impressive indeed. Never seen anything like that one. Very special.

What a wonderful surprise party, looks like you had a blast indeed! I'm glad to hear that you have a great time.

Congrats to the new job too :-)

Mountain Mama said...

Ssurprise Birthday parties are so fun. We haven't done one for ages. Thanks for the reminder.
I am intrigued with your spider!! I have never seen a web like that. Obviously this spider does not live in my neck of the woods!

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Robyn, Thanks for stopping by..I know it has been a while back but who cares. I know it is hard to blog anymore and I really do not know why. I start and never finish one!! Hm. Nice to see the birthday party and I have never heard of a Cross Spider. Loved the pictures...Sandy

Tinsie said...

Sounds like life is good :-) I love the birthday cake!!!