There's Something About Mary

Today was gorgeous. Crisp, blue, chilly but the sun shone and now I know where all the Hills District suburbanites go on a Sunday . . down to the beach.

I went to Dee Why . . a beachside suburb just north of Sydney to meet an avid reader and sometimes commenter on the blog, Mary from Lancashire.

Mary and I have emailed a couple of times and she invited me to meet which I happily accepted. She was very naughty and would not let me pay for the beautifully cooked Atlantic Salmon on warm Salad Nicoise or the delicious Sauvignon Blanc and yet barely touched her double cooked crisp pork belly on Asian greens at Deck 23. That's us, just next to the black pillar just left of Centre (well not really but we were camera shy so that'll have to do!)

Being the driver, it saddened me to sip only a glass or two but Mary did me proud and polished off the rest. Good onya girl but you're a 'cork sniffer!' . . Had I not been driving, I'd have polished off two of those! Bottles that is!

It was lovely to meet her. She's a diminutive 5'3" Lancashire lass with a family of four who emigrated, went back then did what so many English people do, came back to Australia once again. She's missing friends in Perth where they first settled upon coming to Australia many years ago. I think people underestimate the size of this country and Perth may well as be the Moon if you live on the east coast. She has one son who chose to remain in England and is close to finishing his Medical degree. He's entrenched in a relationship there an unlikely to move back to Australia. Two other sons and a daughter are settled here and enjoying life in the sun.

I asked her why she doesn't blog because she's chatty and has plenty say, "I'm a two fingered typist and the words don't flow" was her answer. Shame, because I think she could write some inspirational stuff.



The main boulevard next to the ocean. Similar to many of it's kind with restaurants dotted along the corso, and beyond those Norfolk Pines . . .


Dee Why Beach . . one of Clare's favourites and clearly a favourite with surfers despite the chill.




If you don't have one of your own, you can hire one from the surf club or book in for lessons and these are what you'll use to learn the craft



Sometimes there's little left to do but wait for that seventh wave. I watched for about half an hour and it's true, the seventh wave is worthy of a ride.


He's had enough . . cold tootsies . . .


And the view from our table. Bless her, she asked especially for a waterfront view and that we had. Thank you Mary, it was wonderful. Next time, my shout and maybe on a slightly warmer day . . .