We went out to dinner to a local Mexican restaurant to celebrate. It was Nick's choice. Chris didn't join us, but we arranged a birthday cake for him at his group home on the day, which he would probably enjoy more than eating out any way. He's not much of a one for lingering over a meal. He prefers to eat and then go home immediatetly.
Me? I like to chat.
Andrea and Rob, her fiancé, joined us and we had a very pleasant meal together, even though it was a miserably cold night out. It might be the start of Spring here now, but there was snow in the air that night.
Believe it or not, Launceston has two Mexican restaurants. See! We do have some culture after all. We're not all Bogans. (US equivalent: Red necks)
Now that Andrea has a regular job, she's been saving up to buy herself her own car. She found one last week and it only cost her $600 because it needed some work done on the engine. It's a 1999 Hyundai wagon and it's in great shape in every other respect. Rob and his father are both petrol heads, (unlike the men in my life - sigh) and they reckon it will be worth 6 grand when they're done with it. She seems to have gotten herself a very good bargain. Lucky girl.
Now all she has to do is find time to get her licence, which currently is easier said than done.
That will mean that the el cheapo '87 Mazda 626 hatch that I bought for her and Nick nearly two years ago for 'learning to drive' purposes will be taken over solely by Nick - once he has HIS licence.
I know. I know. This shouldn't be taking two years....
Anyway, he's going to re-sit his driving test next week and in anticipation of a better result this time, I finally had the front guard that has been crumpled since Jan 09 fixed. (There's a bit of a story that goes with that, but all I'll say is that it involved a badly botched three-point turn, too much speed and an unfortunately placed tree.
Anyway the car has been fixed now, thanks to a retired panel beater who lives nearby. It only cost a couple of hundred dollars to have a 2nd hand replacement guard ($60) fitted and spray painted. While he was at it he fixed the side mirror on my car too. Frankly, this fellow is a gem and I plan to put him on speed dial. I have a terrible habit of backing into things, you see - not recently, mind. But it doesn't hurt to be prepared.
Oh. This week was a big week for my nephew, David Ward, too. He is an actual, honest-to-goodness playwright - at the grand old age of 19. His play is called Sand, and it premiered in Geelong this week. He wrote it, co-directed it, stars in it and received a substantial grant from a local Arts Council last year to stage it.
He wants to go to Drama school next year, possibly NIDA in Sydney or WAPA in WA. I'm confident he'll do really well for himself if he can get in too. (Mel Gibson's alma mater is NIDA)
I wish I could get over to see it, but the timing is all wrong for me, what with my trip and all.
It was a bit of a family affair actually. His father did the sets and his mother ( my sister) the costumes. Since it's set on a desert island and only has a cast of three, I guess that's not too much of a stretch.
Nevertheless I'm a very proud aunt.
Now in exactly one week I will be heading off to Italy. I'm starting to get really excited. But amidst that I'm very conscious of what could go wrong too - but trying not to dwell on it.
I've just organised myself a tour in Florence that will include the Vasari corridor, which is in the Uffizi gallery. Apparently it's really quite special. Watch this space for details, I guess.
I do plan to keep a diary of sorts while I'm away. I'm not promising that I'm going to post it, but I will make an effort to record the details and upload pictures when I can get to a computer.
During my preparations I found a trip diary I wrote during a holiday to the UK 25 years ago. I was surprised how many hidden memories it triggered. (And it wasn't badly written either, if I do say so myself.)
If I can do the same this time, I'll be pretty happy.
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Next time I want to tell you a true story that came out of the boys' birthday reminiscences.
It involved a stinking hot Summer's day, a twin stroller, an old- fashioned department store, a heavily pregnant me, a five foot curtain rod - and a hyper-active 3 and a half year old called Nick.
You could say it was a recipe for disaster.
Nick tells me he doesn't remember any of this.
I'll never forget it.
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