The toe

The past 5 nights were spent at Palm Cove in Tropical North Queensland (TNQ). The best use of our money since our last holiday in Tropical North Queensland (Green Island - our honeymoon 19 months ago, 10 glorious nights).

The resorts up here are beautiful, the area itself is calm and relaxing…the perfect place for me to de-stress. Plus, it’s not over developed or too ‘Gold Coasty’.

Next year, they’re opening Australia’s first 7 Star resort here, The Royal Palm Cove, with 57 rooms, each with 7 metre high ceilings, large rooms, your own pool and a private cabana for your meals each day (with your own waiter)….mmm, sounds good, but not sure we can afford that one.

This holiday has been great not only for its calm (I did have a 90 minute full body aromatherapy message and many lazy days by the pool) but also because it put things into perspective for me again. When you’re stressed, you forget what’s important and you focus your energies on all the wrong things…I’ll go back to Sydney a re-energised woman today :)

I’m tired - I need a holiday! Seriously tired. You know it’s bad when you start falling asleep at your desk at work and on the bus morning and evening.

So I’ve booked a relaxing, 5 star holiday…Pat wasn’t too happy, especially since I spent a bit on this holiday, but saying that, he is in desperate need of a holiday himself (he just doesn’t know it yet).

We’re off to Palm Cove, QLD. Staying at Peppers Beach Club and Spa. We’re staying in a suite with a whirl pool/spa on the balcony, overlooking the ocean - how fantastic!

I think we’ll go for a ski weekend soon after - I’m on ‘Wotif’ now looking for a bargain. Somewhere walking distance to the ski lifts would be fab :)

I’m not sure where I get my expensive taste from - I certainly wasn’t brought up going to stay in 5 star resorts…perhaps I’m making up for it now.

All I know is, when you need a good, relaxing holiday, you need a good, relaxing holiday.

With an aching back - Pat and I flew down to Melbourne to attend a wedding in Melbourne on Friday.

We’ve never been interstate for a wedding before - but thought it would be great to catch-up with Sean and finally meet Alicia.

The wedding was fantastic! Pat’s not been to many weddings before (which is probably why planning our own was stressful as we had VERY different ideas about what a wedding should be!). I’ve been to many weddngs, but mostly ‘wog’ weddings.

The non-wog weddings we’ve been to so far - we’ve often struggled to enjoy ourselves and often don’t understand it when couples are obviously defiant to be ‘individuals’ - almost like they want to be married - but they don’t.

The Maltese take marriage extremely seriously. Not to say there are no instances of divorce etc, but a wedding day is the most important occasion! There is an assumption that the marriage will be in a catholic church, that the woman will take her husbands surname as her own, absolutely no pre-nuptial agreements (it’s like your already planning to divorce before you even marry).

Anyway - back to Alicia and Sean. The best wedding I’ve ever been to (besides my own - by default). The love that the two of them share was clear to see. It was ‘real’. Such a beautiful couple.

The ceremony was held at St Peters Catholic Church, Toorak. The church had the most amazing alter which was the perfect backdrop for many beautiful photos (see above).

Reception at Rippon Lea Estate in Elsternwick. The grounds and the ballroom are absolutely gorgeous. Outside the ballroom, there is a covered patio (with ceiling draping and fairy lights) - leading out to a pool. Needless to say, a couple of people ended up in the pool at the end of the night - the first by choice. Then a girl tried to help the man out the pool and ended up being dragged in herself. The groom did end up in there as well - thanks to some friends.

What a great day!

I’m not a fan of Melbourne - I don’t NOT like it, but I don’t love it either. I’m not sure why - I guess I think it’s boring. Plus, it’s not much of a ‘holiday’ destination to me. Beach, deck chairs, cocktails, something exotic - now that’s a holiday.

Melbourne was great for catching up with the family. We’ve not spent much time with our 3 nephews, 1 neice, brother and sister-in-law in the past 6 years (mainly because we were in London for three of those years) - so spending 3-4 days with them recently was great.

There’s Ben who’s 10. He’s a good kid who’s into his athletics and cricket (very good at them). Respectful and quiet (around us anyway).

There’s Matt, 8. He’s Pat’s God son and was our pageboy at the wedding (very cute and while he hates having his pic taken, he’s very photogenic). Matt loves Star Wars and his handwriting is improving.

Emily, 6 - the only girl. She’s a cutie - very girly and has the most amazing cute curly hair and smile. She’s definitely a daddy’s girl and doesn’t take no crap from her brothers. I like a girl who can hold her own :)

Lastly, Tommy - 2. He was born while we were in London, so we only met him for the first time a couple of days before our wedding last year. He’s got reddish, curly hair and is full of beans. I’ve never seen a kid eat that many donuts before. He’s almost as tall as his 6 year old sister, always gets himself a tissue to blow his own nose and won’t say his own name, instead he calls himself ME. Gorgeous - the kind you want to keep :)

Mel and David are fantastic too. Great parents to their 4 kids, and excellent in-laws to me. Mel is my saving grace in the Kennedy family (which is full of boys).

So why Melbourne… that’s why!

I love skiing. I’m crap at it, I fall, I get scared, I get ice all up my back (and occasionally down my trousers - I still don’t know how) and worse of all - I whinge about the cold and uncomfortable-ness of the equipment (damn the boots!).

But I love it!

A group of six of us went down to Tredbo last week (actually, we stayed in Jindy cause we were cheap-ass). We hired our boots and snow blades and got out on the snow, more like ice and mud in most parts - but great weather for sunnies and t.shirts.

This year I set my self some objectives.

1. Do a 360. One of our friends can do a 360’s and I’ve always tried to do it - this year I did! But not just any ordinary 360, apparently I look like a fairy on the snow. Hubby labelled MY 360’s ‘Angel turns’.

2. Jumps. I want to join in with the boys doing jumps - nothing outrageous or hugely dangerous - just getting a little air between my blades and the snow. AND I DID! About 5cm worth I’d say :)

3. T Bars. After a terrible accident on the T Bars (a bad stack in Switzerland), I finally mastered the T Bars and more so, my fear of them. Bring it on!

So, that’s another year gone skiing - I look forward to the next :)