Today is the day that we're heading up to visit my Auntie, the one who inspired the trip, and Sue and Phil are both taking us up to Gosford area for the weekend - we thought that Phil would have to join us later but he's managed a day of 'work from home' and so we head off after breakfast, leaving at about 10 a.m. for the hour and half journey. The traffic is busy but isn't too bad and I think Sue's glad that Phil's here to drive as we hit the Freeway. The journey goes well and we arrive for a very happy and tearful reunion, and a coffee and catchup before heading off to the nearest Shopping Mall for lunch. The Australians do this so well, I don't know why we can't get this kind of development over in the UK.
There's a nice cafe situated in the middle of the Mall that Sue and my Auntie use fairly regularly because they provide for coeliacs and vegetarians as well as your average meat eaters too - so it suits us all! We all order our lunch/late breakfasts and I manage a win on the paying front and also get a money off voucher which Sue can use another time - bonus!
We have a quick wander around the Mall on the way back to the car and find one of the Pet Shops that every Mall seems to have over here, with puppies and kittens in cages in the window and stop for the obligatory 'ooohs and aaahs' - and manage to get away without buying one, but it was close!
We get back to Auntie's place and continue with the reminiscing until my Auntie is sent for a rest or she won't be able to come out to play later - that's dinner! We all play with our respective devices, and when she returns an hour or so later, the memories and questions continue about our families and it is lovely to hear her remembering things she thought she had long forgotten!
The plan is to meet up with Sue's brother Philip and his family at an Indian Restaurant just down the road from Auntie's place at about 7 p.m. as Philip has some tutoring to do first. A table is booked and we arrive shortly before the family which is when Becky and I realise that it is another one of those BYO places and we haven't Brung Our Own - but here, Phil comes to the rescue and pops over to a Bottle Store and manages to find some more of the wine from his Vineyard which will sort us out nicely - thanks Phil!
When Philip arrives with his wife and three children, chaos ensues and children and adults all intermingle and we're not quite sure who belongs to who. Introductions are made and we're told that Philip has told his children that we talk like the Queen, so that's something to try and live up to! I think the children are completely confused as we look nothing like the Queen and probably don't sound anything like her either - poor confused kids!
Becky and I are placed safely at the end of the table and have a chance to catch up with cousin Philip, who spent a year living with my Mum and Dad when he was a mere teenager and it has got to be over 30 years ago, but at that time, we got on really well, being similar ages. Catching up is really good, he hasn't changed except for the greying hair, like the rest of us, except his is only on his chin now! It's a very nice meal, dishes being swapped around amongst most of us, except for Sue and Auntie as their diets prevent them from eating ours, but we get to try theirs which seems unfair but, Oh well! The wine goes down well and we even take a little left in the bottom back with us, and it makes us feel even more like a couple of old alkies when no-one else drinks alcohol - not even the children!
After the meal, it is decided not to stay here for dessert but to call at an Ice-Cream Place in Terrigal Beach, just near to where Philip and family live and the children all seem quite perky still and raring to go, so we all pile into the respective cars and make our way to get dessert. We manage to park along the road from the Shop so it's not too far for Auntie to walk and then, meeting the family in the shop, we take about 15 minutes for everyone to decide on the flavours, cone or cup, one or two scoops, required and finally get the order placed. We sit outside the shop on the sidewalk and the little ones crawl all over Uncle Phil like a rash, at one point almost falling off his head onto the road behind him, but they're saved by Sue's quick thinking! It's warm, but raining, but we have a really good time with all the family and all too soon the ice creams are gone and the kids are failing (along with the rest of us) so it's time to head home with a promise to see everyone tomorrow.
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