One

Have you ever had one of those weekends that felt like a week's holiday? Well, this weekend was one of them.

It must have been the rain :)

I came home from work on Friday evening, and poured myself a warm rose scented bath, before making my way out to Stratfield for a train out into the city. I'd been invited to the Bistro at Wentworth Hotel to try out their menu, and offer my thoughts about the place as a potential wedding reception, and of course, catch up with an old friend and her fiancee after my return from the States.

The hotel was nice. They appear to have done up their lobby as it is different from when I last visited. I enjoyed the colour scheme, and textures created by the interiors.

What I enjoyed most about the evening, was how chilled it was. To sit and relax with friends for a whole evening, watching the rain fall past the windows, very much like a home away from home. It felt good to crawl under the warmth of my doona at the end of the evening.

Sweet, mellow, and slow. I felt like I haven't had a night like that in awhile.

Saturday morning was sweet, mellow, and slow too. I ventured to the shops to pick up some turkish bread, antipastos, avocado, tomato, and ricotta cheese. I enjoy shopping for fresh food. It gives me so much pleasure. More so since I was gathering it as a surprise light lunch for Annabelle. I had planned to drop by an hour earlier to catch up before heading off together to Anita and Phil's wedding.

And what a wedding it was! To see them finally tie the knot, and witness their commitment to each other, before God was a such a joy to share. I felt Anita's tears of joy as she walked down the church towards Phil. What a moment that must be!

The whole church cheered and clapped when they were pronouced husband and wife, and my eyes glowed with happiness for them both.

Andrew Katay's address was poignant. It reinforced a point I've recently been coming to grasp with. The notion of being 'one'. And the prayers! Wow! What wonderful prayers! And the musos! They impressed everyone with their performance of 'O Happy Day'.

I decided it wiser to have quiet one in the evening, and I was pleased to be a home bug for the night. It's been a pretty big week.

I got a surprise call from Lap just after dinner. He wasn't doing anything. I wasn't doing anything. So he decided to drop by -- with ice cream! So together we had caramel and vanilla ice cream with tia maria, and tea. I love these spontaneous nights. The 'hey what's up, let's hang nights'. The ice cream was perfect -- soft enough to melt in the mouth, yet firm enough to bite into. Needless to say the conversation was encouraging.

Sunday. Today. I slept in.

Ahhh.

Sunday school was a fun and games session. A break after finishing our series on Luke. After the Q&A session time, we played tangle, chinese whispers, and bang. It was alot of fun! The kids are great.

The day zooms through -- sunday school meeting, a dip in the pool, meeting prep time with Trish, and 5pm church service - where we heard a sermon on death - that despite the universal nature of death, it is abnormal. Then I headed off to a big family get together at Uncle Joes!!

I love these evenings!!! Getting together with extended family!!! They are few and far between. Especially since my grandmother passed away back in Aug 2001.

Felicity, my cousin's baby girl, has started walking, and talking, since I'd last seen her in April. She gave me a kiss with her forhead which was adorable.

Vitus and Sharon shared their photos from their trip to Paris, Egypt, and England. Seeing photos of Paris brought back alot of memories when I was in Paris back in Jan 2001 with Vitus, and Nat. It was so cool to be able to say, hey we met each other outside the Notre Darm, even if it was only for 10 minutes.

I had a great chat with Nic. He'd just turn 13 earlier this month.

Uncle Joe cooked up a storm. He made chestnut pudding, amongst many other asian delights -- ahhh I love asian food. I missed it so much when I was in America, that when we visited China Town in NY, I went nuts. Well, to put it more eloquently, I felt like I was home.

Back to the chestnut pudding, not only is it yummy, but it serves to remind me of my grandmother (mama). Seeing everyone tonight was a great reminder of the influence she's had on my life, and of the lives of everyone in my family.

I know I've said this before, but my world wouldn't be the same without them, and needless to say, God.