12-15 Sept 2014
The party continued on until 3am last night, though neither Dave or I lasted that long. Yet I awoke feeling hung over and a little queasy, and very grateful for the coffee Dave and Paul went to pick up. And for the lazy sleep-in undisturbed by the early risers. 

Another two couples arrived: John & Caro; and Mike, Laura and their son Otis (4). They are all really nice interesting, creative people. We are a house full of Aussies

The next few days fell into a comfortable and chaotic routine. We let the playing, umpiring, feeding, cycles happen around us. Trying to find a balance between socializing, baby sitting and alone time throughout the day. I tried to find some time to write a few journal posts in the morning when it was too hot to swim. Once the sun has set behind the mountains the temperature drops a little and it’s our favourite time of day. The sky turns pastel and colour returns to the world, having been bleached out by the midday sun.

One day the men folk took control of bathing the kids, cooking dinner, and supplying the ladies with Champagne. This happened quite naturally, in fact we didn’t notice until our revelry was interrupted by five year old Gracie who strolled past the pool swishing her hips saying “It’s ladies time- it’s ladies time”. We looked around at ourselves: all seven of us were floating on various pool toys, mainly noodles, each with a glass of bubbles in our hands, legs intertwined into a giant noodle-raft. Or noodle convention as we liked to call it.

“Boy, we had some great meals” Dave was impressed and a little disappointed he didn’t get a chance to cook. The BBQ was put to good use- succulent marinated stakes, charcoal chicken, and even Lobster and spicy prawns on Sonya’s birthday.

The evening meals were served outside under a canopy of fairy lights at a long timber table with rustic chairs at the bottom of the garden. “This feels like a scene from Babette’s Feast”. There was magic in the air. Everyone was a little drunk, and a few speeches were made in honor of Sonnie’s birthday. Some heartfelt, some hilarious.

Jo, Kelly and I took Sonya for a massage at the Ace Hotel on her birthday. We could hear the pool side DJ from the car park, this place is seriously too cool for school. This place has seen some parties. We drank a cocktail in the chilled pool while we waited for the massage. Jo had to chase down the waiter to get her change from a $100 note.  Everyone enjoyed the massages, my guy was one of the best I’ve had, and Sonya confessed to falling asleep during hers! She must be tired.

Actors are always entertaining and we have two or three amongst us. The conversations drifted from accent to accent, I heard South African; Irish; Chinese; LA valley; and gangsta rap. Sonya and Bernie have some lovely friends here. They genuinely care about each other and are sharing similar circumstances actors, small kids, all Australian ex-pats.

One night in the hot-tub John told us a beautiful story of loosing his wedding ring in the rock pools of Katmandu while on honeymoon. He was devastated and as they were leaving for a side trip, scribbled on a piece of paper offering a reward of $1000 to anyone who found it, and slipped it under the door of the tour company. A few days later he got a call saying “mate, I think I have your ring”. Some guy drove for 2 hours to the rock pools and snorkelled and for 8 hours until he found the ring at the bottom pool siting on pebbles. The guy laughed and said to John, in that moment he realised that he was Gollum.

Later Bernie, decides to light the fire pit and nearly burns his face off in a fireball. No one sees this happen but we can smell burning hair when he comes over to tell us the story. We take turns smelling his face- he smells like burning hair or pork crackling and is promptly named “crazy crackles curry”. Next the guitar came out and rather than sitting round the fire we stayed in the jacuzzi singing and doing comedy versions of songs.

The days and nights pass too quickly.