A houseguest, part two

Last week we had another visitor - Jo's cousin Christina. She's going to be one of my bridesmaids, and she very kindly came up to Sydney from Adelaide for a few days for dress fittings! Yvonne also had hers that same week, and my dressmaker pinned all of the fabric together so we would have a better idea of what they would look like - i am VERY excited, i really love the colour and it suits all of the girls. They're going to look beautiful!




We spend Friday getting the dress fittings over and done with, and catching up over coffee and pastries at my favourite Italian Pasticceria in Five Dock. And found time to get our nails done in between, since we were going out on the town that night.




Since it was David's birthday that weekend, we all went out to dinner later at A Tavola, a restaurant we all love, especially the birthday boy. Not that he actually tries anything new off the menu - he orders the same dish every time, and refuses to be talked into trying anything else. "Why mess with a good thing," is his opinion on the matter, and i have to admit the dish in question, the pasta ragu, is awesome. So. There you have it. Drinks followed at the Victoria Rooms across the street later, another of my favourite Sydney haunts, and Christina and I wasted no time polishing off a bottle of champagne, as you do. (What? We all know how i feel about the stuff. Mmmm, love.) Yvonne joined us later, and a big group of us ended up at another bar watching the Brazil vs Portugal match (not that i remember much of the game, truth be told. I admit, we made the fatal and amateur mistake of mixing our drinks, which can only ever end badly. She made me do it *points to Christina*) Somehow we managed to get home and into bed, and Saturday was spent recovering on the couch.





Food eventually beckoned though, and we headed into the rocks and to the Lowenbrau for huge and delicious German meals, just what we needed. Our friend Annie was in town too, and since it was recently her birthday, we went to have some celebratory drinks with her too, not that i could stomach much but beer, and even that was a struggle. Even though we'd just eaten, Nina managed to have two more meals before the night was out, pizza AND McDonald's. Which means i have a food rival - i didn't think anyone else was capable of eating that much but me ;)




Sunday saw us back in town on a big walk down past the wharfs, through the rocks and on the ferry across to Manly for a late lunch.

Nina and me with the harbour bridge

Jo and Nina

On the ferry



Purrrty nails




Nina and I at Manly - don't be deceived by our happy looks. It was freaking cold.

On the ferry

Jo took some really nice pictures on the ferry ride home - here's a sample!

Afterwards we went to see Maria and Jack, since they were off to Italy the very next day and i knew I'd miss my baby so i wanted to say goodbye. Pest he may be, but he was at his hilarious best that night. Somehow over the course of the evening, Jo ended up in a chair he deemed was his. "Get off my chair Jo," he demanded, which Jo of course refused to do. "Did you buy this chair?" asked Jo. "Yes," replied Jack without hesitation. "How much did you pay for it?" countered Jo. Jack considered for a moment. "Two hundred and fifty dollars," he replied finally, and we couldn't help but burst out laughing.

After witnessing a bath time tantrum of epic proportions ("JUST ONE MORE MINUTE!!!! ONE MORE MINUTE!!!!!!!!!!! *insert hysterical wailing here*) and being told lovingly that i looked like his toy monkey, it was time to go. Many hugs and kisses and I Love You's later, we were out the door and back home. I miss him already, and its only been a week! We had to work the next day unfortunately, but we got home in time to take Christina to the airport and say more goodbyes. It was a great weekend, and i am so appreciative that she and Yvonne both made time to come to Sydney and get fittings done - we truly have wonderful friends and family.