In which many lovely things happened on one weekend

We went to the Royal Adelaide Show, during which Mr B and I dreamed up all the animals we will keep when we live on our imaginary farm, and Em complained rather a lot until we finally made it (we did drag things on a bit, poor child) to the sideshow area, where she won a bounty of stuffed toys in prizes. We took the tram into Glenelg for a walk on the beach and jetty, followed by pizza and pasta and gelati for dinner.

We walked into the city to shop for part of Em's spring/summer/holidays wardrobe (her bounty #2 for the weekend), and Mr B got a beautiful, hand-blown glass jar from Jam Factory for Father's Day that will take pride of place on his desk at work.

We helped Em with her maths assignment. Well, Mr B helped, and was extremely proud of himself for figuring it out. I am most helpful at maths when I stay well away, so I got some work done in time for my 8am Monday morning deadline.

I made pie, a hybrid apple-pie/strudel recipe of my own making. It was delicious, even if I do say so myself. Moist and sweet and fruity.

In the meantime, happy Monday! And an especially happy Monday to all you lucky Labor Day-ers enjoying a relaxing three-day weekend. Soak it up, my friends.

Winter warmth

It feels like a year ago, although in fact it was less than two weeks, that Mr B, Emily and I took a little pre-move to Adelaide weekend away to visit my parents in the Blue Mountains, about an hour north-west of Sydney, Australia.It was one of those "best of winter" weekends, chock full of simple pleasures enjoyed with people we love. We toasted marshmallows, took walks in woods and gardens, played croquet on a bumpy lawn, ate Devonshire tea with scones baked in flower pots, explored thrift shops, waltzed in the kitchen (in track suits), played home-made Pictionary amid much hilarity, and celebrated Mr B's birthday dinner with home-cooked burgers and fries.

What do you like to do when visiting family?