A trip, an anniversary and a birthday

Last Saturday the 5th, KISA and I headed off to Brisbane. He had a conference on the Gold Coast to attend, and rather than rattle around the house alone, I figured I would go too and hang out in Brisbane and catch up with some friends and family. On the early evening flight we were able to watch the full moon rise. It looked different from up high, you could see much more of the reflected moon in the ocean. Of course the photos hardly do it justice. So that day we watched the sunrise and the moonrise over the water. Hard to see in this one, but it lit up the night sky quite remarkably.

With a bit of zoom you can see its orange deliciousness. It was quite a sight.

Son 17 picked us up from the airport and after dropping off our bags, we met up with TBS at Sugi Mi in Oxford street Bulimba for a pizza. They had been to family movies in the park. It was the most delicious pizza I have ever had. Without a doubt.

The following morning we went to church and caught up with our friends there afterwards. Then KISA had to head off to the conference and Nette and I took Nana to see Young Victoria. It was a lovely film, the costumes were beautiful. Nana enjoyed it, and so did we.

During the week I caught up with Alison, Jason, Wendy, Jill, Jules, Kaylene and Helen. I kept taking my camera with me and kept forgetting to take photos! So I only have one catchup photo! This is me and Wendy. This is the second time we have caught up in 33 years. The first time was in January!

On the Wednesday, I travelled to the Gold Coast to join KISA for a night to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. While he was finishing up at the conference, Jill and I renewed our friendship after about 20 years. We met in PNG when our Jessica's were in pre school together. She has posted a lovely photo of the girls on her blog here. We had a wonderful afternoon, and barely got started! I hope I have talked her into a visit up here some day. Jill dropped me at the hotel, and KISA and I shared a bottle of Chandon at the bar before getting ready for our meal at the italian restuarant at Jupiters. It was a lovely meal. We shared a delightful evening. After breakfast next morning, we popped over the road to Myers and purchased a coffee machine. Myers will post anything to anywhere in Queensland for $8. It arrived today.

Then KISA had to get back to the conference and I caught the train to Brisbane city to catch up with Jules. We spent the afternoon shopping, and I would never have figured Jules to be such a bad influence on my wallet!!

Friday morning was an early start. Itwas Son 17s 18th birthday and he had to catch a train at 6.50am for an 8am exam. We shared some time at breakfast then I drove him to the station planning to meet up in the early afternoon for a coffee. I then went in with T to the city for an hour or so before making my way to Kelvin Grove to catch up with Kaylene, a work mate from the late 70s. It had been 30 years since we caught up. This, my 50th year, seems to be a year for renewal of old friendships. I am loving it as it seems those friendships of my youth are just as valid today as they were back then. Although we have all taken varying paths in life, the core values that made us friends in our teens and early twenties have endured.

Son 18 called. Five of his best mates from Mackay had driven down during the night and surprised him as he came out of his exam. I wouldn't be seeing him after all. I was glad as he was kind of resigned to a rather quiet birthday doing 2 exams and hanging out with the family. He turned out to have a fantastic weekend, which is how it should be at 18. On the way home I hung around South Bank station with a good book as KISA was on his way back. We travelled the rest of the way together where the car was waiting to lug his case back to TBSs place.

Early next morning around 6.30am we got a text from Son 24 to ask if we wanted to join him for breakfast. He hadn't been able to sleep so was up early. He took us to Atomica in West End. If you haven't discovered it already, it does the most fabulous breakfasts. Son 24 had the big breakfast, KISA had the omelette and I had the eggs benedict with smoked salmon. Three poached eggs, loads of smoked salmon and 3 pieces of sourdough bread for $15. I would like to say I couldn't eat all that. But I would be lying. The good news is I didn't feel like lunch and could probably have skipped tea as well if we hadn't been going out for Son 18s birthday.

We all met up at the Pineapple Hotel at Kangaroo Point for the birthday dinner at 5.15pm. The Riverfire Fireworks were on and we wanted to get ahead of the traffic and get a park. Son 18 wanted a big steak so we chose this place as it had a good review, which was well justified. He got the 700g T Bone.KISA took the camera and took a few shots of the table. Isn't this a handsome couple.
One of me and the two boys and Miss R. Not a shot we can get too often these days.
Nana came along too, it is nice she can be part of things now she lives in Brisbane.

TBS enjoying the meal. The food was lovely though the servings were massive. The Riverfire started just as we were finishing up the mains. We had a good view of some of the Story Bridge fireworks and the F111 flyover with the afterburn was spectacular. No photo as I wasn't watching the time and it caught us unawares!!

KISA and I drove Son 17 to the Valley to join his friends after dinner, and then we went home to a quiet evening with TBS. Next morning, we packed up our cases and spent a quiet morning with TBS and KISA wasn't feeling well. He had a sore throat which he has now given me. TBS had to go to S's hockey team BBQ and breakup around 11am. Don't they look spiffy in their matching polos??

So KISA and I went to pay a last visit to Nana then to Son 24 and the Divine Miss R at their place with Son 18, who had been dropped home by his mates on their way to the highway north. They had to get back to Mackay for work the next day. They didn't look up for that sort of a drive!! But they made it back.

This is Pivot. She is a movie star. You wouldn't know it to look at her would you. So cute, but a demon at kung fu. I have discovered the red eye setting on the camera only works on humans. The boys, Miss R, KISA and I went to the Sushi Tram for lunch, then we went back to TBS for a spell before Son 18 drove us to the airport.

Someone got the departure time on Sunday confused with the departure time last Saturday, so we were there a little early. Even for me! But the time went by as it does in airports and we had time for an evening meal so we didn't have to worry about it when we got home. We got in about 9.15pm after sharing a cab with the parents of one of Jess's friends, so we had a social time even on the cab ride home! A great week, but it was good to get home and spend Monday getting things organised here.

Kisa's new work uniforms were ready when we got back. These ones are 3 sizes smaller than what he has been wearing. He looks pretty fine in the new set.

Gratuitous rear end shot. Phwoar!!!