Mental Meanderings

Shrek 3 and a Day by the Beach

I had a good day today. It's wonderful to get out and about and while I knew I wasn't looking forward to the day out I did also know that I'd enjoy it while it happens. My sister spoilt me today for my birthday. I started the day same as normal but instead of heading home to work for a few hours after dropping my daughter to school I drove thirty minutes across town to my sisters house.

She's two years older than I am and currently lives with her boyfriend of two years in a beautiful (and expensive) house near the beach just south of Fremantle. After having a hot cuppa when I got there (it was windy and cold on the road) baby boy kicked the balls (there are nine of them) around her lovely big backyard. We chatted for a few minutes before she disappeared to get ready. (She's never dressed and ready when I get there, does all that after I arrive, slacker. )

Anyway, we headed out, she drove, through the busy streets of Fremantle (busy by WA Fremantle standards, I understand the rest of the world knows what REAL busy actually is. ) to a lovely little corner store. It was the old fashioned sort of store that still sells fresh flowers on the corner and lollies in jars that you can bag yourself. Home made pies and cakes in the window with a cafe attached.

We were there on a mission. A MUFFIN mission because apparently the store makes GREAT muffins. I have to say, they certainly live up to their reputation. The marshmallows in the hot chocolate were great and huge and the chocolate coating and foam were fantastic. The actual hot chocolate could have withstood being a little sweeter. I don't usually add sugar but this time wished I had. Anyway, it was a beautiful morning tea. My sister and I shared our muffins, one a triple choc and one a white choc with rasberries. FRESH rasperries and gourmet chocolate I might add. mmmm DEVINE! And not expensive which was even better even if she paid.

After that we explored the War Memorial nearby and let baby boy play in the small playgrounds around us for an hour or so. I played too. I'm just a kid at heart after all and I love the swing almost as much as he does. Alas, I'm too big for the slide these days but the little twirly thing is awesome. We looked out across the water and saw windsurfers and kite surfers and a huge cargo ship in the distance.

It was windy and the waves chopped about on the surface. We didn't go down to the water because I'm too lazy to carry Josh the whole way and the wind was sure to be whipping up the sand at his eye level so I wouldn't let him walk it. The grassy areas above the beach are wonderful and we enjoyed the view and the warm sunshine (when it came out from behind clouds).

I headed homeward about half an hour earlier than I had planned because the weather was taking a turn for the worse. Made it back to the school with time to find a parking bay (got to be at least thirty minutes early to accomplish this amazing feat) and sat in the warm car while rain poured down on unsuspecting heads outside.

Kaylie was excited because she knew we were going to see Shrek 3 after school. (It's opening day here in the AU) We scurried back to the car out of the rain and went to enjoy the movie. The weather must have deterred some families because it wasn't as busy as I thought it would be, especially since we went to the first after school session of the night.

The movie is great by the way and if you enjoyed Shrek 1 and 2 you'll find it just as enjoyable. It also has a strong message which is what a lot of movies (even animated movies) seem to lack these days. Somehow I don't think The Simpsons Movie is going to have such a well threaded and uplifting theme to it (and no, I'm not wasting my money taking my kids to that one).

It's good to be home at last and given it's almost 9PM now I'm not going to get as early a night as I'd have liked. I am getting out of here now though. After an rundown of my day, you know, the kind of boring blog people hate. But at least it's a blog for the day. After the day I've had I've no brain capacity left to come up with something interesting and enlightening. Maybe tomorrow. Or maybe never.