We've spent some time in Australia over Christmas and new year, 5 weeks in total for me. Its very difficult to return to London midwinter after spending time in 35 degree heat let me tell you. And before you ask - yes, I have family in Queensland, Toowoomba as it happens, where the flash flood occurred. (about a week after I left for Perth). Thankfully they were not affected by the floods, although as I'm sure you've read, there were many, many people who lost their homes, and in the flash flood around 30 people died or are still missing. The size of the 'inland sea' was greater than France and Germany combined. Cost of repair and recovery expected to be $AU3.9bn. Despite all this, we managed to completely avoid all the disruption and spent quality time with our friends and families in the sun.
On the home front, we were pleased to find that, contrary to the constructs of my vivid imagination, no squatters had taken up residence in our flat and all was exactly as we left it.
Before heading to Australia, I had invited a few of the girls over for a morning tea, mostly so that I could prove to GG that all my kitchenalia is a useful, nay, absolutely necessary investment. In fact, all it did was highlight to said sceptic the missing items in my cupboard. Like a coffee maker. And a teapot (although I do have a tea cosy, forlornly waiting in the drawer).
I made a list. I got up at 7. I raced to the bakers. Of course I didn't actually make all that stuff. We don't even have the oven hooked up. I got everything from Sweet Boulangerie and Patisserie in Exmouth Market. They've been given a nice write up by Sarah Lambersky here.
Note the vintage green tea cup (part of a trio with cake plate), and 3 layered cake stand, both gifts from my Mum. The 4 green glasses with gold rimming were part of a lemonade set (there is a beautiful accompanying jug that I later used for champagne + OJ), which were a 30th birthday gift from 2 of my lovely friends S and C who joined me for morning tea. And lastly, the Snowden Flood tree glasses in black, also a 30th gift from KtB.
Anyway, the food was good, the conversation even better, ending at around 6pm that evening after grazing all day on the nibbles, watching a few literal videos and having a giggle at this.
Hopefully not too long until the next update, GG has been working hard on our flat - its nearly finished. In Sketchup that is. I also made a few choice purchases back home so will share some of those with you over the coming week or so.
