Basher Bainbridge Does Benedict

An overnight visit to the in-laws was a delightful distraction for DrummerBoy and I whilst the Fringelet crams for her last swag of assignments and exams. She finishes Uni in June and has already secured a job with Delloites which is very prestigious for her. So, we took advantage and went to visit the Groovey Grannies together. These are my in-laws with whom we've maintained close contact, my children are their grandchildren after all and we love them dearly. So at Adam's suggestion, we pootled up the freeway, bouncing to Karnivool and Funeral for a Friend, armed with an appropriate amount of Stella's and bottles of Chardonnay.

ClareBear had sent a beautifully crafted DVD and two pretty silver bracelets as a belated Mother's Day present so we took both DB's Thailand DVD and ClareBear's effort to flash in front of the grans.

We arrived just moments after Grandad had lathered a little too long in the shower washing his socks (don't ask - old habits die hard) and had slipped on the tiles. He was bearing a nice blue welt on his poor old back and a sprained pinkie but that didn't stop him mashing sweet potatoes with vigour and completing the evening meal. On Friday, apparently it's his turn to cook, sore back or no! Truth be told, whenever we go up there he cooks! We ate salmon tails and overcooked beans and the boys had a Chocolate Bavarian and ice cream before settling into the movie night. I managed to smash a glass quite easily and shower shards of crystal all over the slate floor . . .Top form Baino! Maybe so . . but very typical.

Not your usual slideshow these, the kids had each edited their stills and video, matched with appropriate music - not exactly granny fodder but rockin' good stuff anyway. So after watching ClareBear's South American adventures of Carnivale in Rio, water party in Paratay, St Patrick's day celebrations in Bolivia, random ear piercing of a fellow traveller, Uyuni Salt Flats, Nascar Lines, Pisco earthquake zones, Amazonian trekking, complete with leaf ants and massive hairy arachnids, Titicacan dressups, horse riding, Caman's and Toucans, Death Road mountain biking and lazing on sun drenched beaches . . .we then ventured to Thailand and trips to Pipi, loads of shopping, much beer drinking, scooter riding, elephant walks and Adam and Alex behaving badly in front of the Singaporean navy on Jet Skis . . .not quite the rugged adventure but they had fun nonetheless.

Adam, stonkered by a week of early starts and hard labour went to bed wondering why he laboured to get a degree when his best efforts comprise digging holes and laying a few pavers and Granny and I discussed the virtues or lack thereof within a certain photographic exhibition which has recently been banned, shared a few home truths and a couple of secrets, hugged and cried as we do - downed a couple more chardy's and retired.

Ever fit, the groovies had tennis at 8:30 - despite Grandad's obviously sprained finger and black and blue back - so DrummerBoy and I took advantage of the wonderfully sunny, if not still a little chilly and hazy, morning and went down to The Cove at Terrigal Haven for brekky. We bathed in the sunshine on their verandah and drank in the view . . .
Sitting on the verandah in the sunshine was perfect. Some of the locals were on hand, enjoying the morning sun or wondering if they could 'down' a swimmer before breakfast . . .

The boats bobbed below the haze as they do . . .

Early bird swimmers braced for the cold and swam for the entire time we were there . . I felt very lazy and guilty for some reason . . . but nothing would come between me and my latte . . .

We tried to pick the Grannymansion out of this lot but it looks very different from down here . . .

Eggs Benedict . . .God's breakfast . . .seriously . . .


Then my camera battery went flat . . .bugga!