Comfort in the Blue Mountains

A certain little person turned 4 this weekend and we celebrated by heading up to the Blue Mountains for some family fun.  We were going to spend the night up there but I and then Andy searched fruitlessly for somewhere that would come up to my standards and failed miserably.  I resent having to spend $300-$400 to stay in somewhere that only just does the job (at a push - I have needs you know!).  

So we decided to make 2 day trips instead and save ourselves the bill.  This actually turned out fine and it was only around 1 1/2 hours to get there.  So we visited some classic attractions:

• Leura  - a lovely little town that had a trendy ski resort feel to it.  Great main street peppered with boutique shops for gifts and kitchen stuff etc...Found a great little gourmet deli cafe for lunch and then headed off to the Zig Zag railway taking a stop on the way for a walk through the bush.

• We came across a lovely little pizza bar and grill on the way home and as it was fully booked for the evening we booked for lunch the next day - turns out it's owned by a city chef who moved out to the mountains a few years ago - Apple Bar, Mount Tomah.

• So lunch the next day was lovely but the service was absolutely shocking - probably one of the worst ever actually!  It took 1 hour and 30 minutes after entering the establishment to get our food - mine was just a pizza!  And it took a good 45 minutes to get our drinks!  OMG - awful!  Pizza was fine but no mozzarella on it and cheddar instead - what's that all about?

• The Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens were stunning.  Finn & Isla scooted around the paths and explored around the trees - an amazing place to see in the Autumn when the leaves are all changing.  We will head back here again and soon I imagine.

We drove up to Mount Tomah on the Sunday morning and as we climbed up the mountain the cloud came down to meet us.  The rain misted periodically and the mist settled in for the day.  Before Andy & I had Finn & Isla we holidayed in Scotland during the winter.  We had our boxer dog then - Jazz and we would drive up and stay for a couple of weeks in the highlands.  Escaping to a cottage, with a fire, a good box set and our wet weather gear.  As we spent the day in the Blue Mountains we were reminded again and again of Scotland.  It was so familiar and therefore oh so comforting.  For both of us.  At times we could have been in an English garden.  There were snowdrops under the trees in the wood and daffodils about to bloom.  Lichen growing on the trees and the mountain peaks surrounded by cloud.  So very lovely.  It's quite surprising that only just a few hours from our house we can see and experience something so different.  There is even snow up there in the winter so our next mission will be to see that!

It's been too long...

..and I feel I am neglecting my blog.  Things worthy of note:

• I have 8 working days left at work for a company who I joined at 17 and have been with for 15 years.  I used to love, love, love going to work.  Two things have changed that.  Having Finn & Isla, who I would much rather spend my time with in their formative years.  Also, it's not the place it once was.  Things have changed for the worse at a place where I felt we were once making a difference with innovation, effort, ideas and imagination.  Now we are making the wheels turn for an organisation who does not appreciate the effort it takes to make that happen or the people involved.  When I leave I will be sad for the place that was 4 years or so ago.  I will also miss some of the people who I have known for a long time now.

• I have a very exciting party planned for Finn tomorrow at our house to celebrate him turning 3.  Finn's birthday is actually next week but we are going to London on the train and so his party is tomorrow and the weather forecast is great!  I am hugely relieved as the birthday plans are all based on the sun shining.  Andy has cut the grass to within an inch of its life.  I have made 2 teepee's and put up 2 tents on the lawn to fill with a blanket and toys for some den fun!  Trampoline and water table poised and ready for action.  A huge brand new New Holland tractor is lined up and ready to be parked in the field for the children to climb all over and explore.  Bella, the pony is going to be kept in on the yard for tiny hands to proffer carrots at her.  BBQ food all ready to go.  Lengths of bunting made to string across the patio.  Bubble machine stocked with batteries and liquid.  Bucket of ice and beer ready on standby!  It's going to be a good, good day tomorrow.

• Andy has studied ferociously for 18 months now and yesterday it came to fruition as he was successful in getting his MCITP:EA (using last years' MCSE 2003 as a jumping off point).  Much kudos for all the studying and hard work.  I am so, so proud and pleased for him.  He said he was going to do it and he has.

• Finn is thriving on independence at the moment.  He revels in the discovery that he can do something by himself.  At the moment he loves getting into the car and then his car seat on his own!  He is so pleased when he tells me his latest conquest.  However, he still fights me and wants me to put on his shoes! Finn & I talk about moving to Australia quite often.  He is really looking forward to a new house, our 'tainer arriving and getting all his toys!  I taught him today that we are going via Singapore and to hear his little voice pipe up that we are going there on a plane makes me melt.  I love that he is starting to get a concept of the world around him.  He remembers America last year and it is great to hear him talk about it.

• Isla is the epitome of gorgeous, girly, chubby sweetness.  What a girl she is.  She totally embraces hair clips, bracelets, hair bands and anything 'pretty' as she puts it.  I love it.  On a Friday, Finn goes to nursery and Isla & I shop.  What fun we have.  Isla's thing at the moment is to put whichever her chosen toy at the time into the nearest water container.  Be that the bath, toilet or even a mucky old water trough on the farm, she cares not.  Lovely....!

• I miss having our own home.  I miss my things.  I miss being able to potter around in our own space and take a whim to make or bake something.  I miss baking my own bread (our bread maker is in the container).  I miss having a study and being organised with our infrastructure in general.  I miss being the master of the kitchen!  I love having company and family around all of the time.  I love the greenness and countryside that we live in now.  I love the farm.  I love the garden and the children in shorts and t-shirts.  I love the sun and the warmth.