..into our Australian adventure! I am exhausted!

It’s been a crazy two weeks of school holidays! We have managed to fit in a huge amount of fun, a birthday, a flat tyre on the car, and a two day headache for me!! The weather seems to be amazingly warm and sunny or bloody Baltic and raining! I am so looking forward to that Aussie sunshine I was promised!

Last weekend we ventured out to Ramsgate Organic Market! (www.organicfoodies.com.au) This market is one of our local ones! It was a pretty chilly day, and we were looking forward to eating lots of yummy treats that our friends had been telling us about! First stop was a stall called ‘whisk & crumb’. These ladies whip up the most awesome donuts! We couldn’t resist the caramel, popcorn one, a Nutella, and a jam donut which only became a jam donut after you had injected the jam yourself!

There really wasn’t any need to go anywhere else, I could have easily pulled up a chair and sat there all day but alas we moved on! There were lots of beautiful stalls selling all sorts from electric pink tutus, beautiful linen , organic meat and veggies and food from all over the globe! As always, most of the morning was spent watching the children on the bouncy castle ! Only $8 for the whole day!! That is crazy! Who in their right mind wants to sit next to a bouncy castle while their kids play all day!? Don’t pretend you’re doing me a favour, when you know as well as I do that if we last till the end of my coffee without a nosebleed or a broken tooth we’re outta here!

Having said that, I did indeed sit and watch the kids on the bouncy castles for 2 whole hours when we visited “Inflatable World” for Poppy’s birthday! It’s basically two soccer pitches filled with bouncy castles! Each one is manned by a strict member of staff making sure no one is queue jumping, and asking kids to get off once they have had a turn! I couldn’t help thinking it would be more of a free for all in the UK, with far more arguments, shoving and general fisticuffs! Not here! The staff weren’t taking any shit! It made the whole noisy experience far more relaxing for the parents, and super for the kids because it was fair! Everyone got a turn! However, I won’t be going again anytime soon! It’s one of those “once a year” places!

So apart from all the bouncy castle activity this week, we have managed to get a few days on the beach! The kids have even had a dip in the sea! I haven’t been brave enough, mainly because of my very “unbeachy” body, but also because I am making the most of the peace while they are occupied and happily playing! They adore the beach! We all do! They happily jump in and out of the surf for hours on end! I sit and watch, and snooze, and watch a little more!

Until that dreaded time comes when I need the loo! Then I find myself in a dilemma where I need to decide what to leave on the beach, the kids or our bags? What’s more precious to me? Do I pack up and take us all to the bathroom? I don’t want to lose our spot (directly outside the cafe), the kids don’t want to come with me, but it’s just not safe for me to risk holding on for any longer!! I usually end up bribing the kids to sit with our bags with an ice cream while I make a dash for it! I never learn! I then come back, they go off to play and I down another gallon of coffee! Round two shortly follows! Maybe I need to invest in some special knickers for days at the beach!

Today’s activity was Ice Skating at Cronulla! This is our favourite beach, favourite town, and now Monty’s favourite ice rink! (The only one he’s ever been to!) The last time I went ice skating was when I was about 7, somewhere in Germany perhaps! My mother and grandmother spent the whole time in the warmth of the cafe in utter hysterics while dad and I stumbled and skidded around the rink! I think the story goes that dad had such a fall there was a dent in the rink!! Anyway, safe to say dad was fine, but mum still to this day collapses into laugher thinking of dad on the ice! Luckily for me, Monty had a penguin to hold on to so I was able to cling on too!
Sadly I can’t upload videos so I can’t show you the one of me in my Lycra doing the Torville and dean spins and jumps! Don’t worry, I will upload that another day (for a small fee).
So the school holidays are nearly over! Not sure if I’m delighted or gutted! Nope, I’m delighted! It’s been full on! I am looking forward to some quiet time with Monty (what am I saying?) and I think Poppy will be glad to be back her buddies at school!

Friday night now and we’re off out for some drinks and food with the children! Sod the hoovering, hide the laundry, ignore the dishes! Let’s get out and have some fun, and by that I mean wine! Xx (photos to follow)