Eat Street

 It was a last minute thing deciding to go out for lunch on Sunday competing with all the other mothers. Eat Street had some spare tables, Eureka! so we managed to get into the, you guessed it, Eureka Hotel.  Even then we had a time limit before the next session.  This was also one of the venues for the after dark light show we went to some yar ago and has a large stage for bands.  We ticked some more off the travel list, like up to date power adapters for the US and Europe, as well as getting another pandora bracelet ready for the charms of countries like Estonia. 

A Picnic in the Park

Back to Queenscliff we go to the same park and the same table but different cousins. This time we came with the lunch of chicken rolls, salad, sandwiches, hot buns, watermelon, grapes, blueberries, squeegy drinks and icy poles.  Most of the play action was on the outdoor gym equipment although the playground came into it later along with the climbing tree. We finished off on the beach for 90 mins before a quick packup to get the cousins onto the ferry.  All in time for me to get back for a five minute doctor call to get a long standing prescription renewed. There must be another way for this but so far chemists just can't give it to me.

Black Sheep

 I have been wanting to checkout the woolstores here but have never got around to it. The Black Sheep is a restuarant in the same building but not part of the museum.  So even though we were having lunch in this part there were observation points thru to the old wool processing. We could see a loom with many coloured wool skeins which stretched across one side of the building.  Our beach friend Jill worked nearby and knows how to work this apparatus. As for lunch we went entirely for share plates, which was very tasty. I tried their expresso martini which was topped off with a belgian shaved chocolate. How decadent.

Gin Joint

share plates

shaved expresso

Tarra Town again

 We seem to be spending a lot of time hanging around that ferry terminal lately. We were back there again this time with the Taylors in tow. Not those Taylors from last week, the other Taylors.  It was a longish drive for them as they came from Melbourne and then drove a bit further to Queencliff. After lunch at Tarra we went upstairs to checkout the undersea room.  Then it was a post-prandial stroll around the town and finished off with an ice cream. 

Never been into this church cum art store cum book store

Snapper

We have had lunch for two which was a whole snapper and likely caught just down the road. I saw one of these wash up on our beach once with a large bite out of it.  The preparations are now on for tomorrow. I've carved the lid out of a large pumpkin and it looks like leeks are going to be used to help fill it.  I have heard of nirvous leaks and short leaks but I have never seen kitchen leeks and this big as well.

Gastro stops visitations

 There is always something to workaround and this time it was gastroenteritis.  There was an outbreak on Charlie's floor so all visits are off.  Rick arrived with Jill and Evie in tow but could not get passed the front door.  In the meantime Debbie and I met Brendon and Cathie at the Vittoria restuarant. This was a good feed of spaghetti and meatballs and only $40 each including drinks. We did the handover from Jill at 4:30pm and carried on the Evie entertainment service from then on. We have been turning the key ever so carefully in the car.

Vittoria near Eagle Farm

Nundah Corner

 A rather leisurely adult only lunch is a rare thing around here but that is what we did at Nundah Corner as Evie was all tucked up at the childcare centre.  We also had time for a catchup snooze back at our room.  I am starting to feel the effects of too much time on the floor again.  I got over this issue as Asher got bigger but these ankle biters are another story.

Debbie used Laura's sausage roll recipe last night

Evie goes to the races

It was a rainy day so we headed to Chermside shops which had a large indoor playground. This was a well made place and every parent in Brisbane was there. Well mostly.  They had an overhead projector aiming games onto the floor that kept the kids on the move.  We also went out for lunch at the local Rugger Club. It was hard to find a carpark. It was 1:30pm and when we got inside we were surrounded by fascinators, Derr, Melbourne Cup day. There was a table free so we watched the cup activity, although Evie spent a lot of time in the playroom.

Asher's Big Ride

 We got Asher to ride her bike down to the nearby shops.  Now that is a spot I used to use a lot at the train station.  She had the usual babycino and some toasted banana bread. She did not make it all the way back but almost, maybe it was a 2km ride for her.  After that we met the Clancy's at Nana Beryl's to try and identify some of the lifetimes gathering of stuff.  Then we had a lunch in Williamstown at the Pelican's Landing followed by a quick tour of the new apartment.  Yet another busy day between venues but we do have the new spot without driving to Geelong.

Seafood paella

The group garden

Ocean Grove Bowls

 That's two Saturday's in a row we have been out to lunch, last week being at Basil's Farm and today at the Ocean Grove Bowls.  Basil's Farm is the better venue and comes with a good view of Swan Bay as well as a higher price, although they seemed to be short on staff which is happening in a lot of work places after COVID.  Today's is your typical club lunch venue with the gaming room, the bar room, and the dining hall.  The Klyes were there and we had the usual discussion about the Collendina Park and its new owners and how high are the new fees going to be.  I wont need a big tea tonight.

Black Code Coffee

 We made our way to Brunswick to a huge coffee factory called Black Code.  We met Heidi's folks Tony and Jackie for a lunch which James and Heidi sneakily paid for.  It has taken a while to get us together but the count down is on for baby and the house move to Watsonia,which is about three weeks away.  Tony  and Jackie announced that they are moving to the Gold Coast and the only hold up has been the COVID business. The food was just the right size and a bit European. We got to know some of their interests and that they were going to retire ASAP.

Danger Signs

Caffeine City

table talk

Saturday Lunch

 Always good to have new visitors around the place. Leanne and Shane arrived about 1:00pm for some lasagne and zucchini slice.  The sidewalk market is still booming here. We received 6 or 7 large zucchini from across the road, so trays of zucchini slice were made up for a return however they had already made a freezer full so we had to get them across to our other neighbour who dropped off the excess dozen eggs the other day.  But before you go take these two bottles of sauce, two jars of jam, a jar of chutney and something else I can't remember.  Anyway back to the lunch, we had plenty of zucchini slice. We took them down to OUR beach even though it was a bit windy but they got the idea. We got talking stamps as their friend whom they just visited, was an avid collector and has now moved to Torquay.  

I baked a cake

The garden tour

No swimmers today

Asher Slam Dunk

 We gathered at Pacino's Italian where I waded thru a large helping of meatballs. This Christmas eating has started early.  I think I was mostly sleepy thru the whole lunch however the disco toilet woke me up nicely.  Asher did the rounds from chair to chair but using the underneath of the table.  It was obvious we made ourselves at home when the presents came out but in the end we left it fairly tidy. I made it home in time to mow the lawns and get the bins out not to mention a bank up of email.

Babycino with marshmellow

Baby Seat

It didn't occur to me that we would need an Asher seat if for some reason we had to drive her somewhere in our car.  As it happens these seats go out of use quickly so we were able to borrow the Pete seat, as they are spending a  year in Buenos Aires and their kids have out grown it anyway. But that meant I had to drive over to Eltham to fetch it. And we got a chicken and roast potatoes lunch as well. The drive back was two hours of pelting rain. As for the Mantra last night they gave us an upgrade to a spa tub room, so we made good use of that.

Coffee Liquers yum

15kms on the bike machine

Mr Mussel

I have been watching the mussel boat in the beds all week. I knew they were stocking up for the festival.  I have been to this before. I do not need to go a third time.  I can go and buy mussels anytime I want.  Mr Mussel's truck is down there every time I get on the ferry.  It has taken me a while but I don't need to do things when everyone else has to because they are visiting. I can bide my time.  Having said that the mussels we ate were really good and the calamari was so soft, it was melt in the mouth. Also we smuggled in our own alcohol so all in all we did it all as well as you could. 

Cook your own

Tent City

Mussel action

Market Day

Managed to put in two more successful bids on some stamps this morning.  I am not going back to this auction for at least a year! I still have a box from the last one, unopened, so these will take at least a year to work thru.  Spent  an hour at the Melbourne Market this morning as well.  The proposed redevelopment (disguised as get the traders off this valuable land) has been averted after the National Trust put its foot down.  A very sunny day compared to that Queensland weather of ice blocks, wind and rain. Debbie is about to head up there for a conference later today.

Get your Meat

Renovations Part 1

Had a look at the recently completed renos  in Pascoe Vale.  No one needs to tell me that these are always a work in progress.  The bedrooms and lounge area are complete as well as the kitchen and bathrooms, except for the bench top.  The backyard can wait.  Lunch was three courses of pumpkin soup, chicken and salad, followed by coffee and cake.  We called in at Highpoint and it seems that the more apps you load onto your phone the more likely you are to attract ads popping up as well as banner style encroachments across the bottom of your display.

Good for vacuum salesmen