It's been quite a long, arduous 3 weeks of high high ups and low low downs for me.
Lots of laughter and genuinely happy moments but also too many moments filled with tears and awful memories. So much drama for 3 weeks...
I think that's all I can take for now without being on any kind of medication...
Anyways, due to the passing of my grandmother so close to my birthday, I wasn't really able to, nor was I in the mood to celebrate the special day so delayed celebrations with some of my friends followed a week afterwards. Starting with a big catch up with my recent travel buddy, we hadn't really spoken much since we got back and there were heaps to catch up on. To be expected there were lots of laughing to be had, plus a few tearied stories as well and I feel thankful to have a friend like her to listen to my stupidity-ness.
So after a few drinks, got home late-ish, had to wake up the next day early-ish to meet up with some high school chums for lunch and catch up and meeting fiances and wedding talk and the usual gimmick... it's always great to see my girls, makes me reminisce about the fun, carefree days we used to have, none of the complicated situations we find in our lives these days. So lunch was fun, even though none of the boys actually turned up (for various valid reasons) so we didn't get to meet the fiances/ husband/ partners etc...
After lunch I had to race home to get changed for I was being taken out to a fancy-pants restaurant for my birthday bash. Oh Christopher, you know me too well! Just to top it all off, to put a high on a pretty low week, I was taken out to Rockpool for a heaven on earth meal. It was a super-dooper expensive meal but worth every single penny that Christopher paid.
The dessert was so good it almost made me cry and if I had remembered to bring my camera with me (as I have been to nearly everywhere I've been lately) I would love to show you my glorious Strawberry salad with Rose granita and Vanilla pannacotta in a tall martini glass. G-L-O-R-I-O-U-S!
It was so good that I asked to keep the dessert menu and they kindly let me! :)
Chris' food was awesome as well, just perfect, so perfect. Great service, great atmosphere, awesome food. Loved it.
Why can't it be my birthday every single day?? When will the clouds in this life disappear and when my rainbow will appear?
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Pampered in Daylesford - no expenses spared
*SIGH*
I made a promise to myself that I will not be in Melbourne for my birthday this year . Why such a promise? For lots of reasons, which I will keep to myself for now. So, I did not want to be in Melbourne on my birthday... but where did I want to be? Not exactly sure, but I did contemplate going on a short trip interstate, I desperately wanted to be anywhere else but in Melbourne but due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, I wasn't able to get away too far so I decided to treat myself to an entire weekend of pampering, and where best to get pampered than in Daylesford, so that's where I went!
Day 1 - 15 August, THE-day
Wake up bright and late
Shower
Exit shower to find strange man at front door
Strange man turns out to be courier
Courier had with him a big beautiful bunch of flowers
Big bunch of beautiful flowers were for me!
Pleasant surprise and great start to my day
Lil sis calls to see where I am
I'm still at home, was supposed to meet her 30mins ago
Oops
Finally get to city to meet lil sis
Only 1 hour late
Head towards Eureka Tower to see the view of Melbourne
Enjoy the cloudy murky day and wonderful views
Try the Edge, take funny photos
Head to Vic Market to get supplies for weekend away
Decide on Roaring 40s, King Island Chedder and a Buffalo Mozzarella (all to die for!)
Go home to pack
Last minute packing leads to very disorganised packing
My style was to toss everything I possibly can into the bag and locate a few more bags to do the same with
End up packing 4 pairs of shoes, more than enough woolies, socks and undies to last me a Winter in Europe
Pack laptop, pack 3 cameras, pack a little too much food for 2 days away
Get to Daylesford
Find that I forget to bring PJs, toothbrush and toothpaste despite the good mother's reminder
Bugger
Decide no PJs, no big deal, just sleep in undies :)
Decide no toothbrush and toothpaste, awful so must get up extra early to go procure some at the local store
Thank the Lord that I brought gum and mints!
Love the cottage that we're staying at
Move furniture around to suit our needs (ie, couch right in front of the tv...)
Brave the cold to look for dinner
Decide on Koukla
Delicious food
Head back for warm night in
Watch So you think you can dance, movies, eat cheese, eat chocolates, drink wine
Go to sleep
Day 2 - 16 August, Pamper-day
Wake up early
Shower
Head out to Daylesford Day Spa for my treatment
Treatment involves the following:
first getting rubbed down and marinated in salt
then soaked and rubbed in mud
baked in a cocoon contraption with said salt and mud on my body
then steamed in the cocoon whilst marinating in the salt and mud mixture
whilst my body was being cooked in mud, my face was being treated to a different method
my facial involved oats, honey, chamomile, peppermint and a whole heap of other ingredients that I can't
remember
After what seemed like not long enough, the cocoon contraption starts spraying me with jets of water to
wash away the mud and salt whilst giving me a whole body massage
Very usual feeling, but I like it
After I'm fully "detoxed" the therapist rubs me down with a delicious smelling moisteriser - Vanilla
I leave the day spa reluctantly but feeling incredibly refreshed and alive.
Go back to cottage to meet lil sis
She tells me I smell like a biscuit, but in a good way
Thanks
My skin feels baby smooth - I feel wonderful
Head out to Himalayas for a vegetarian lunch to keep the "goodness" in
After lunch, walk around the town for a bit
Head up to the Convent Gallery and gardens
Head back to cottage for a little rest
Decide to stay in for dinner tonight - Yay for take-away!
Order pizza from the pizza place
Order papadums and mango chutney from the indian place
Break open the bubbly and enjoy with pizza, papadums, chutney, cheese and a movie
Drink most of the bottle on my own, with some help from lil sis
Sleep like a baby
Day 3 - 17 August
Wake up
Pack
Move furniture back
Walk down to town for a manicure appointment
Cannot find location
Address is a clothing store
Call the number, but number is disconnected
WTF?!
Oh well, decide not to dwell on it too long
Head to Breakfast & Beer for breakfast and a beer
Tables are set with a puzzle set
Ingenious idea!
Breakfast can come as late as they want
Service can be terrible
Food can be awful
Time is lost while customers are playing with puzzles
But that is not the case, both breakfast and service was incredibly good
Lil sis and I take 30mins to complete the one put on our table
We are delighted
Head to Lake House for a posh lunch
Very posh
Change to my posh shoes
Service was exceptional
Food was beyond exceptional
Price reflected such an exceptional experience
After lunch, change back to comfy shoes
Walk around Lake Daylesford
Take lots of photos
Drive to Trentham to see Trentham Falls
Expect more than a trickle since it has rained over the weekend
Was not disappointed, definitely was more than a trickle
Drive back to Melbourne via the Calder Freeway
1.5 hours later, discover that we have not in fact been driving on the Calder, but rather the Western Freeway
Unsure how that happened but no big deal, Western is easier to get home anyway
Home.
Miss my wonderful weekend already
I made a promise to myself that I will not be in Melbourne for my birthday this year . Why such a promise? For lots of reasons, which I will keep to myself for now. So, I did not want to be in Melbourne on my birthday... but where did I want to be? Not exactly sure, but I did contemplate going on a short trip interstate, I desperately wanted to be anywhere else but in Melbourne but due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, I wasn't able to get away too far so I decided to treat myself to an entire weekend of pampering, and where best to get pampered than in Daylesford, so that's where I went!
Day 1 - 15 August, THE-day
Wake up bright and late
Shower
Exit shower to find strange man at front door
Strange man turns out to be courier
Courier had with him a big beautiful bunch of flowers
Big bunch of beautiful flowers were for me!
Pleasant surprise and great start to my day
Lil sis calls to see where I am
I'm still at home, was supposed to meet her 30mins ago
Oops
Finally get to city to meet lil sis
Only 1 hour late
Head towards Eureka Tower to see the view of Melbourne
Enjoy the cloudy murky day and wonderful views
Try the Edge, take funny photos
Head to Vic Market to get supplies for weekend away
Decide on Roaring 40s, King Island Chedder and a Buffalo Mozzarella (all to die for!)
Go home to pack
Last minute packing leads to very disorganised packing
My style was to toss everything I possibly can into the bag and locate a few more bags to do the same with
End up packing 4 pairs of shoes, more than enough woolies, socks and undies to last me a Winter in Europe
Pack laptop, pack 3 cameras, pack a little too much food for 2 days away
Get to Daylesford
Find that I forget to bring PJs, toothbrush and toothpaste despite the good mother's reminder
Bugger
Decide no PJs, no big deal, just sleep in undies :)
Decide no toothbrush and toothpaste, awful so must get up extra early to go procure some at the local store
Thank the Lord that I brought gum and mints!
Love the cottage that we're staying at
Move furniture around to suit our needs (ie, couch right in front of the tv...)
Brave the cold to look for dinner
Decide on Koukla
Delicious food
Head back for warm night in
Watch So you think you can dance, movies, eat cheese, eat chocolates, drink wine
Go to sleep
Day 2 - 16 August, Pamper-day
Wake up early
Shower
Head out to Daylesford Day Spa for my treatment
Treatment involves the following:
first getting rubbed down and marinated in salt
then soaked and rubbed in mud
baked in a cocoon contraption with said salt and mud on my body
then steamed in the cocoon whilst marinating in the salt and mud mixture
whilst my body was being cooked in mud, my face was being treated to a different method
my facial involved oats, honey, chamomile, peppermint and a whole heap of other ingredients that I can't
remember
After what seemed like not long enough, the cocoon contraption starts spraying me with jets of water to
wash away the mud and salt whilst giving me a whole body massage
Very usual feeling, but I like it
After I'm fully "detoxed" the therapist rubs me down with a delicious smelling moisteriser - Vanilla
I leave the day spa reluctantly but feeling incredibly refreshed and alive.
Go back to cottage to meet lil sis
She tells me I smell like a biscuit, but in a good way
Thanks
My skin feels baby smooth - I feel wonderful
Head out to Himalayas for a vegetarian lunch to keep the "goodness" in
After lunch, walk around the town for a bit
Head up to the Convent Gallery and gardens
Head back to cottage for a little rest
Decide to stay in for dinner tonight - Yay for take-away!
Order pizza from the pizza place
Order papadums and mango chutney from the indian place
Break open the bubbly and enjoy with pizza, papadums, chutney, cheese and a movie
Drink most of the bottle on my own, with some help from lil sis
Sleep like a baby
Day 3 - 17 August
Wake up
Pack
Move furniture back
Walk down to town for a manicure appointment
Cannot find location
Address is a clothing store
Call the number, but number is disconnected
WTF?!
Oh well, decide not to dwell on it too long
Head to Breakfast & Beer for breakfast and a beer
Tables are set with a puzzle set
Ingenious idea!
Breakfast can come as late as they want
Service can be terrible
Food can be awful
Time is lost while customers are playing with puzzles
But that is not the case, both breakfast and service was incredibly good
Lil sis and I take 30mins to complete the one put on our table
We are delighted
Head to Lake House for a posh lunch
Very posh
Change to my posh shoes
Service was exceptional
Food was beyond exceptional
Price reflected such an exceptional experience
After lunch, change back to comfy shoes
Walk around Lake Daylesford
Take lots of photos
Drive to Trentham to see Trentham Falls
Expect more than a trickle since it has rained over the weekend
Was not disappointed, definitely was more than a trickle
Drive back to Melbourne via the Calder Freeway
1.5 hours later, discover that we have not in fact been driving on the Calder, but rather the Western Freeway
Unsure how that happened but no big deal, Western is easier to get home anyway
Home.
Miss my wonderful weekend already
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Quotable Quotes
"You start changing your life by getting rid of all the rubbish around you"
"It's not always a bad thing having to go through some bad times because it makes you appreciate all the good times in your life. If everything was great all the time, you don't appreciate it as much."
"When you least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready.
The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back." (The Devil and Miss Prym - Paulo Coelho)
"Every path has its puddle" - English Proverb
"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere"
"Great people have one thing in common; they do not conform" - PK Shaw
"I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'd do it again" - Bart Simpson
"It will never rain roses; when we want more roses, we must plant more trees" - George Eliot
"It is never too late to be what you might have been" - George Eliot
"The only way to see a rainbow is to look through the rain"
(oh, I really like this one!)
"Remember that everybody you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something"
"Stupid risks are what makes life worth living" - Homer Simpson
(this is one of my all time favourite quotes!)
"A true friend laughs at your stories even when they're not so good, and sympathizes with your troubles even when they're not so bad"
"The heart that truly loves, never forgets"
"Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday"
"It's not always a bad thing having to go through some bad times because it makes you appreciate all the good times in your life. If everything was great all the time, you don't appreciate it as much."
"When you least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready.
The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back." (The Devil and Miss Prym - Paulo Coelho)
"Every path has its puddle" - English Proverb
"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere"
"Great people have one thing in common; they do not conform" - PK Shaw
"I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'd do it again" - Bart Simpson
"It will never rain roses; when we want more roses, we must plant more trees" - George Eliot
"It is never too late to be what you might have been" - George Eliot
"The only way to see a rainbow is to look through the rain"
(oh, I really like this one!)
"Remember that everybody you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something"
"Stupid risks are what makes life worth living" - Homer Simpson
(this is one of my all time favourite quotes!)
"A true friend laughs at your stories even when they're not so good, and sympathizes with your troubles even when they're not so bad"
"The heart that truly loves, never forgets"
"Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday"
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