Two presents in two days

Over the last two days I have been lucky enough to receive two belated birthday presents in a row! Both from my long list of favourite things on Etsy.

The first to arrive was this beautiful screen print of birds and branches from PoetryAndCloth in New Zealand. I was about to go out to run some errands when I noticed a big red and brown box sitting outside by the front door! The box was promptly ripped open to reveal the lovely parcel wrapped in brown paper and string (these are a few of my favourite things!), and the print was, within the space of a minute, in pride of place above my cream leather lounge.

The very next day I visited the post office to check the mail and lo and behold, there was another box waiting for me! The customs form told me the box, which had travelled all the way from the USA, contained books, so I knew straight away that my three vintage, black, hardcover books from ErieStreet, were nestled safely inside!

These babies are now sitting happily on my coffee table, which sits in front of aforementioned cream lounge, right next to a vintage vase that was hand painted by His Travel Romance's great aunt, a jar containing three of my birthday moustaches, and some candles. Love. If it wasn't already, the lounge is now most definitely one of my most favourite places in the whole house! I may even sit with a nice cup of tea and do some knitting there later today.

My, what a lovely moustache!

As any self-respecting almost-30 year old knows, the only way to celebrate turning the big three oh is by getting a group of amazing friends together at a beautiful winery, slapping fake moustaches on them all, and drinking and eating until you pass out from the pleasure of it all!

The moustache bus!

A tremendously, stupendously huge thank you to everyone who helped to make my birthday one to remember - the weather was perfect, the food and wine were delicious, and the company could not be beat! An especially tremendously, stupendously huge thank you to His Travel Romance, who took me out for a delightful breakfast before the day's festivities, and who not only organised the moustache bus, but helped decorate it, and then drove it, along with 16 of my friends, to the Swan Valley for the day. What a man! xx

Squonk time

Normally I would write a few paragraphs about a family member on their birthday but, for this one, only one word needs to be said...

AWESOME!

To my youngest nephew: I hope you have a birthday that is every bit as awesome as you are - hard, I know, but if anyone can do it, you can! I can't wait to see you in less that a fortnight - we'll do something totally awesome for your birthday then so start thinking :-)

Awesome.

;-)

Happy birthday Jont!

xx

Long John's

If there was an award for the person who could eat the biggest chocolate filled chocolate iced donut in the world, it would have to go to my second eldest nephew.

If there was an award for the person who has eaten the most cheeseburgers from McDonalds restaurants all around Europe, it would probably also have to go to my second eldest nephew.

If there was an award for the person who was 23 kinds of awesome at a Christmas Day snowball fight last year, it would go to me, but I'd give special acknowledgement to my second eldest nephew, who did try hard, even with snow in his ear...

Drivers on the roads of Queensland, beware... Today, Jonathan, my anime-addicted nephew, turns 16. I'm sure he wont be watching anime whilst he's driving through... Well, I'm pretty sure.

Jonathan is a brilliant sportsman, a brilliant student, an above-average snowballer, and a nephew I wouldn't swap for any other, and I hope he as an amazing day today filled with everything that makes him smile, and nothing that doesn't.

Happy birthday shorty!

xx

A marsipan day

What better way to celebrate the 30th birthday of one of your childhood friends, than to take her to a sumptuous chocolate and champagne afternoon tea at the Winter Garden?

Surrounded by palm trees and elegance, we stuffed ourselves silly on a delicious selection of sandwich fingers - organic egg mayonnaise and mustard cress, chicken, tarragon, and creme fraiche, oak smoked Scottish salmon, and the classic cucumber sandwich on fluffy white bread.

We quaffed sparkling glasses of Rose Tattinger Reserve Brut Champagne, sipped warming cups of the Winter Garden's bespoke tea, and then gorged ourselves into stupors on our tower of chocolate! For those not in the know, the tower of chocolate includes such delights as a white chocolate and mint macaroon, chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate and raspberry creme brulee, a milk chocolate and banana pot au chocolate, and a dark chocolate and mango 'dream'...

There were also chocolate chip and fruit peel scones served with jam, clotted cream, and chocolate hazelnut spread but, our poor little tummies could take no more! So, we had them packed up for this beautiful lady to take them home for later in her special Landmark shopping bag.

Mothers day

I think we can all agree that mum's are pretty special people. My mum, however, is even more special because she makes the best cake in the world - a banana sponge roll, which is a home made sponge, wrapped around some fresh cream and bananas, and covered in a delicious chocolate icing topped with desiccated coconut. Mmmm.... I used to have to beg and plead for this cake to be made but, since I've moved out of home, my requests get results at a much higher success rate! It appears absence makes the mum cook favourites. Either that, or she's finally realised that I am indeed her favourite child... (Don't tell my brothers!)

Today (again, in Aussie land) is Mum's birthday, and I hope that she is being treated like a queen! I'm not going to blather about the usual soppy stuff Hallmark says you should say about your mum. My mum is a strong, stubborn, loving, argumentative, caring, and beautiful woman with gorgeous red cheeks, a habit of dying her hair odd colours, and a secret softer side that not everyone gets to see. I know that my mum's heart is choc-full of love for her family and on her birthday I want her to know that my heart could just about burst with how much I love her back.

I love you Mum, even more than I love your banana sponge rolls (and that's saying something!), so I hope you have a fabulous day, and that you get at least five extra hugs from everyone you see today to make up for the ones that I can't give you in person (Dad - please make sure they deliver).

Happy birthday my dearest Mum!! xx

SGH

Today one of the most beautiful ladies I know turns 50.

It's hard to believe, because she in no way acts, looks, or appears in any way to be a lady of such a fine vintage. To be honest, I think she may actually have discovered some sort of elixir of youth or be caught in a time warp of some description, because the way we've been going I'm sure that within the next few years we'll appear to be roughly the same age.

This lady is the brilliant mother of my niece and my youngest nephew, the wife of my youngest brother, and my amazing and gorgeous sister. She is my sister by marriage technically of course, but I could not love her more if I had grown up with her by my side... In fact, I did grow up with her by my side! It's just that she was a few years ahead of me which, as a sister, I can rub in a little every now and then... ;-)

Shelley is the bubbles in my champagne, the see in my saw, and one of the best sisters a girl could ever ask for. She's always been there for me to talk about love, life, and anything else that comes up in casual or not so casual conversation, and has always been 100% supportive of me, which I am immensely thankful for and appreciative of.

She is generous to a fault, exceedingly caring, infinitely beautiful - both inside and out, a superior hostess, hilariously entertaining, and she is one of the most loving women I know.

She actually gave us a bit of a scare not too long ago, and surprisingly, to me at least, expressed a little surprise herself at how much everyone gathered in around her, expressing their love and care for her. This, my dear sister, should come as no surprise what-so-ever. You are loved adoringly by anyone and everyone who knows you, and for very good reasons. You are gorgeous. GAW-JUS! So, on your birthday, lets all eat a little bit of dust and celebrate one of the most fabulous women any of us know!

Love you sis.
xx

For Christ(opher)'s sake!

Today is a day for multiple celebrations. Today is the 18th anniversary of my parents becoming grandparents for the very first time. It's the 18th anniversary of my big brother Micheal, and his lovely wife Caroline, becoming parents for the very first time. It's also the 18th anniversary of my becoming an aunty for the very first time... This, of course, means that today is the day that my eldest nephew officially becomes an adult, can vote in political elections, and can learn the pleasures of a glass of good wine or a fine spirit in public... Today, Christopher turns 18.

I can remember the very moment I found out that Christopher had arrived - I was sitting in my classroom at school, working on an assignment quietly, completely absorbed, when all of a sudden my mother's head was right next to mine, and she was telling me that Micheal and Caroline had had a little boy. She was so excited she'd driven right to my school to tell me. Being at quite a finicky age, when parents weren't so cool, I acted nonchalantly and responded with something like "... So...?" But of course, as only a pre-teen myself, I couldn't possibly have known that one of the most brilliant people I would ever know had just arrived in the world.

One of Christopher's stand out qualities, well known amongst our family, his peers, and anyone who meets him, is that he has an exceptional mind. I have quite often joked (very seriously!) that I look forward to the day when Christopher, by then a self made millionaire, will hire me on a ridiculous salary as his personal assistant! But there is much more to this incredible young man than his distinctions and scholarships. Christopher has a good head on his shoulders - and by this I mean he has the rare ability to know who he is and what he wants, without succumbing to peer pressures. He has the great gift of being able to pursue his own dreams without amending them to fit in with the passing fancies of others around him and I only wish I had his self confidence and self assurance, not only when I was a teenager, but even now!

With a gentle spirit, and a willingness to help others wherever he can, Christopher is already a young man to be admired; I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to see what happens next with my eldest nephew. I am so proud of all of his achievements to date, but more than that, I am proud of the amazing young man he has become. Today, I hope that he has a day filled with nothing but fun, happiness, laughter, and love, and I hope that his future is everything he wants it to be and then some. May all your dreams come true Christopher... Except maybe the one about the rabid turkeys...

Me, Jonathan, and Christopher at Edinburgh Castle, Dec 2007

Happy 18th birthday! xx

Celliebration!

I just have to say that my niece is awesome to the power of infinity.

Today however, she is especially awesome, because today it's her birthday :-)

Ellie is the milk in my tea, the lemon and sugar on my pancakes, and the llama in my hat. In short, she makes life supremely fun and is one of the most delightful young ladies you could ever have the pleasure of meeting.

She is the sweet little shortbread that the Smart Cookie was named after, and would give Julia Child a run for her money in the kitchen (as long as they were making chocolate souffles or semi-raw pancakes!).

She is a complete drama queen in the best possible way, who laughs with me at all the silly things we find on Youtube, and who is working with me closely on perfecting the art of growing up without growing up.

Without her, there would be no toe-sucking frog at my feet, Perth would be located no where near Canberra, and clouds would not be made out of fairy floss. So, on her birthday, I wish my darling niece the happiest, sparkliest, shiniest of days - may her hair be perfect for the entire 24 hours, may her teachers give her a cupcake with every piece of homework, and may the little somethin' somethin' I left for her brighten her day as much as she brightens my life.

Happy birthday Ellie! xx

An M T day

Tomorrow is my oldest brother's birthday. Tomorrow being the 16th of September. We could say that Micheal, being my oldest brother and my parent's first born, is therefore my number one brother. 16 minus one is 15 which is the date today. So it is for this extremely befitting reason that I pen his birthday blog on this day, and has nothing at all to do with the fact that I fly out of England this afternoon and am not sure if I'll get the chance to do it again before his birthday is over...

Micheal, not wanting to get girl germs (or so I presume), pretty much left home as soon as I was born. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force and lived far, far away - out of easy visiting distance - and as such, I don't have a handy plethora of young childhood memories of my big bro laying around inside my head. I do, however, have memories of him helping me with my maths homework over the phone when no one else could, and of receiving presents of Beverly Hills 90210 merchandise he posted to me for Christmas one year when I had a huge adolescent crush on Luke Perry. The latter he teased me about mercilessly for months!

Micheal has always been my go to person for logical advice, and that hasn't changed as I've gotten older. The questions may have changed from queries about cosines and matrices to mortgages and tax returns, but Micheal has always been there to guide me through life's assignments, paperwork, and contracts, giving me the benefit of his experience and knowledge.

Three years ago, my big bro was also the inspiration and catalyst for my finally visiting the UK. He had planned a fabulous trip for his family to the UK and Europe for Christmas and, like all good little sisters, I decided to tag along! Traveling to the UK and Europe had always been high on my to-do list so, with the knowledge that I could not only travel, but have Christmas overseas with my brother and his family, I just couldn't resist the pull. I love that I was able to explore a bit of London and Edinburgh with my big brother, sis-in-law, and nephews, and to share my first winter Christmas with them all. The photos I have of us all from this time together are some of my most treasured, and I cannot wait to do it all again with them this year, this time in rural France! (And yes... I may have tagged myself onto this trip too... It's what little sisters do when awesome big brothers let them!)

So, on this very auspicious day before his birthday, I want to wish my brilliant big bro a very, very happy birthday. I hope that his morning rushes past in a flurry of birthday hugs, kisses, coffee, cake, and presents, and that his afternoon is filled with a dream round (or two) of golf played under a clear blue sky. Failing that, and erring towards the assumption that he'll be off to work like any other week day, I hope that it's at least as carefree as possible, that his secretary has at least organised a birthday morning tea for him, and that he takes time out at least once every hour to remember that his little sister loves him more than she ever loved Luke Perry, and that she'll be thinking of him and sending him love at least once every minute today (tomorrow... you know...), if not more.

Happy birthday bro! xx

Boythday!

Although it's still the 24th here in sunny SW England, it is now officially (by around four hours) my youngest brother's birthday in Australia, which is where he is, so that's what counts!

On a river winery cruise in Perth, March 2008

Now when I say youngest, I mean he is the youngest of my two older brothers... Just to clarify... I am clearly the younger and better looking one!

Boy, so named by toddler-me when I couldn't pronounce his real name and which thereafter stuck, is the best whistler I know. He has an amazing ability to produce a warbling whistle that I have never heard anyone else do. You know when there is a change in tone or a pause in the lyrics of the song when most people would break off the whistle and start again? He doesn't do this. He warbles the sound so you know the break/change is there, but he keeps going with it... Oh, for an example to play you so I don't have to try to use words to describe a sound! It's brilliant. It's one of those little things that I absolutely love about him, and it's one of the things that I try to do myself and never can. It's a Boy thing, and it makes me smile whenever I think about him doing it.

When I was a toddler or thereabouts, and he still lived at home, I remember Boy taking me for a ride on a motorbike. I remember trips with Mum and Dad to visit him in Adelaide after he moved away and started playing footy for the SANFL and I used to squirm with impatience when Dad made a million kazillion stops to talk with people before we'd finally arrive at his house! I remember trips made on my own, when I was older, and him driving me around in his super-speedy red car and me wishing that I would be as good a driver as him when I got my license. I remember him coming to watch me in a swimming competition once, and making me feel like I was awesome even though I sucked incredibly (I came last) and had a ridiculous bathing suit on that was not made for a race meet. I remember when I was older still, and we started having adult to adult conversations, and I was so proud and happy that I was a grown up like my brother.

More recently, I remember the support Boy gave me when I was going through a really tough time personally, and whilst he has always been there to support me, I didn't expect my sporty, blokey, ocker Aussie brother to show such a sensitive and insightful side of himself. I feel so blessed to know him and to be his little sister. Although he doesn't know it, this time last year, pretty much to this very minute, he saved me, just by being him... and for that, I could never love him more.

So, on his birthday, although his present is already there with him wrapped, and awaiting his drinking pleasure, I send my youngest brother all the love and best wishes in the world, because he means the world to me... Even if he does sometimes have squid ink on his face...

Squidding on our Christmas break, Port Lincoln, 2009

Happy birthday Boy! xx

Absence

I just had a sudden realisation that I've not touched this blog since my birthday almost two weeks ago... This is due to a combination of Hullabaloo, getting the flu (Hullabaflu), and final preparations for my birthday garden party which took place on Sunday and was absolutely perfect and wonderful in every way.

I'm actually at work at the moment so really don't have time to go into detail, but I do have time to quickly post a few photos from the day - just to give you an idea as to what over three hundred hand cut paper hearts look like when you create a canopy out of them in a lovely garden, and add fairy lights, tissue paper pom-poms, dapper looking men and ladies in frocks, and a white porcelain sink!

The most perfect and romantic afternoon and evening. Ever.

Birthday!

Today I turn 29!!! I danced my birthday in with Mr In Wonderland at midnight, then came home to sleep and woke up to some lovely presents, and a Canadian breakfast of pancakes, bacon, fried eggs and golden syrup at a cafe by the sea - complete with bubbles!

My brother in Queensland and his family sent me a handy handbag hook and some money, and Mum & Dad sent through a kitten-covered hand-made card and a birthday cheque! The ever-gorgeous Adyak sent me the most gorgeous Mimco bow brooch with a locket dangling from it, complete with photo of us and her kitty Fing on her wedding day. When I get a good photo of it, I'll be sure to show you. And of course, there's my business class flight from New York to London, courtesy of His Travel Romance!

I also waited until today to unwrap my new little pile of books, ordered via the Book Depository - fast delivery and cheap prices - the best way to buy books, ever! (end unpaid advert)

So after all this tiring birthday work, it's no surprise that a girl had to duck out to the back yard for a nap on the lawn before her lunch date with the Perth swing dancing scene...

Nine More Sleeps!

Although my little ticker is telling me that I will be leaving the country in exactly two months, two weeks, and two days, something else very exciting is happening in just nine sleeps time... My birthday!

I am very much a birthday girl, and I relish the opportunity to have a day that is all about me! Well, me and St George apparently, but I'm happy to share with a guy who will protect me from dragons and encourage me to wear red roses on my lapels... (Note: my birthday, I get to mix traditions and make them up as I go along. That's the rule.)

To celebrate my birthday this year I have taken my inspiration from Jessica Claire (which I realise I've mentioned before...), and I am super supremely excited to be lucky enough to be having my birthday in the garden of Wonderland. Mr & Miss Wonderland are absolute darlings and have just made my day by letting me invade their perfect little walled garden - more than they can know - and I know they read this so thank you so very, very much.

Paper hearts are being cut out, tissue pom poms are being planned (along with wet weather contingency plans) and my little heart was just fluttering away in delight waiting for the ever so lovely Yak to put together my birthday invitations. They arrived about a week ago and ever since I have been trying to set aside some time to photograph them so that I can show you. So, without further flurry or ado... My beautiful, beautiful birthday invitations!

My dearest Yak designed, printed, ribboned, and posted these little marvels to me and I am ever so grateful for her skill and warm heart. xx

A Lovely Garden Party

After such a gloriously lazy day yesterday, it was incredibly hard to be at work today. I found my thoughts kept drifting to this beautiful photo shoot by Jessica Claire which has served as inspiration for my last twenty-something birthday.

Thanks to Jessica, I have now wrapped my arms tightly around the notion of an elegant and timeless garden party, and I'm not letting go! The commencement of my 30th year shall be filled with beautiful flowers in eclectic vases, paper-heart cut outs, home baked delicacies worthy of the most gourmet picnic ever thrown, and women in flowery frocks with curls in their hair, accompanied by dapper looking men. In my customary excitable and impetuous state, out-of-town guests have already been informed of my plans and have been asked if they could make it, and although it's still a good three months away, I have already begun imagining the smell of the delicious apple and rhubarb pies and the three cheese tarts that may be on the menu.
 
Seriously, could anything be more perfect?