Last Wednesday was the new Australia Day – well, in my books anyway. I know two people who have moved to live in Oz – both to Sydney, where they have now met each other and have become my Sydney chums outpost.
Weirdly – given that one only makes it to the UK every year or second year – both of them managed to book in for an appearance last Wednesday – totally independently of each other.
So it was an Andy Morton lunch, complete with Chloe who is 4 and baby Sam. Who is apparently known as a 'ranga' in Australia – and yes, that is short for 'orang utan' as he is a touch ginger. The Aussies do still just say it how it is.. Chloe managed to fall down my stairs (thank god while Andy was 'watching' her, not me) but was patched up with ice cubes in a tea towel on her head and a hefty dose of Viennetta. Good to see Morts – although suspect he was bricking it about 24 hours in a plane, in Economy all the way home with both kids to manage all on his tod. One brave man.
And that evening we actually went bowling – yup, that's not something I can often say. And I even managed to beat the other 5 players and win by over 20 points – that's something I get to say even more rarely. God they must all have been crap.
Bowling aside, the whole point was to see Sarah Williams who I used to play hockey with at Wimbledon many moons ago. Very happily living in Sydney still, and truly appalling at bowling (unless the new way is to hang the ball down the side gutters every time?!) Also got to see Jo Close, Georgie Headley, Fitz and Simon Close for bowling and supper – joined by a very pissed Hawksey who just wanted to put the restaurant linen on his head, oh dear. That's what happens when he goes for lunch with Alex McDonald, afternoon beers with his brother, a catch up with Bowlesy and then on to Jules' Beer and Buns – and then crawls to Raynes Park by train feeling rather full of liquid.
Photo is not of Sarah (my phone managed to die the instant I pointed it at her) but one of Jo, trying to take arty shots of bowling before we began. Sorry Jo – couldn't resist snapping this one..)
Still, twas a very good Australia Day all round.
x