Anyway, I got to the office to find a visiting staff member from Head Office had already arrived and was waiting for me, so I wolfed down my snack of a breakfast and we got stuck into a half a day of me explaining to him, how I do things that end up with his department. It turned out to be a pretty valuable exercise. We both learned things about the tasks we were covering and even quashed a couple of misunderstandings and corrected each others' perceptions. He left at lunch time and I ate a quick lunch while catching up on my emails, knowing a team meeting was coming on in the afternoon to take up even more of my day.
The team meeting rolled around, we started a bit later than usual and our boss brought a big box of Sorini Chocolates to the meeting, which I can only describe as being an Italian version Lindt balls. They weren't terrible but I really wish I hadn't had any, let alone three. Snacks other people bring to foist upon you (obviously with kind intentions) are one of the biggest traps when you are trying to watch what you're eating, and today I fell for it.
After work I headed home and found a chilled Mr Smart escaping the heat inside, he'd driven over early to avoid the rush hour traffic and enjoy the aircon. Tonight we were heading down to Bertie's where the fabulous Cambridge Rower with sous chef Gub were preparing us an amazing three-course feast from fresh ingredients collected this very morning at the Queen Vic Market.
I was greeted with a big cuddle from my nephew and bread tags and empty buckets from Bertie. I offered to snap up some rolls of them for her as it keeps my hands occupied when I watch TV, thus ensuring they aren't available to eat with. I figured it would be a good trick for some nights when I'm bored and just want something mindless to do.
We greeted all and I was served a glass of Wolf Blass Red Label Pink Moscato, my one drink for the evening as I knew I'd be driving later. Mr Smart grabbed a beer with the Cambridge Rower, trying out some different flavours from Matilda Bay. We chatted and laughed while the hosts for the evening busily prepared their delicious creations.
Now as always when I over-indulge, I'm not going to lie to you about it or excuse it, it is what it is. I did overindulge tonight, in fact I probably should've quit eating after entree. I can't say I'm not worried about my eating lately. It seems to be really hard to get back on the wagon after Christmas. I suspect I've stretched out my tummy a bit again and the sugar craving is hard to kick too, but I'm just going to keep trying. If I fall, I'll pick myself up and try again... but on with the tale.
Entree was served shortly after we arrived. Chilli flavoured crisp-type snacks, kind of like prawn crackers but thicker and mildly chilli flavoured, sliced fresh bread, eggplant dip, salmon dip, tzatziki, pickled octopus, snow peas and shortly after I took the photo three cheeses were added, joining this already ample starter: a Jindi Washed Rind, an Applebox Smoked and some Tilba Trilogy.
My nephew was walking around asking everybody "When are we going to the beach?". Apparently he'd been told earlier that we might go to the beach, but it ended up not being the case. To make up for this oversight, he got to go on his trampoline while Bertie chased him around with a bucket of water, tossing some at him periodically as he squealed with delight. Not so very long after that.. Tricky armed him with squirty bottles full of water. Needless to say, we all got dampened somewhat.
As the sun went down and the air began to cool, the boys decided it would be nice to eat main course outside so Tricky and Mr Smart carried the table outside and we sat about until it was laden with food. When the food arrived, it was greeted with gasps of awe. Green salad, pesto pasta salad, Thai-style prawns, marinated and glazed chicken skewers, pieces of succulent roast kangaroo ranging from pink and rare right up to brown and well done and the most amazing barbecue sauce I've ever tasted. Scrumptious!
Conversation flowed around the table, the six of us and my nephew, laughing, cracking jokes, trying to teach my nephew to mark fart noises using his underarm (we're a classy bunch after all). At one point, Bertie told a story about her and Tricky and the infamous 'pull my finger' joke that had tears streaming down Mr Smart's face as he laughed. He stopped just short of begging for mercy. It was so great to have everyone together and happy and clicking with one another.
We made a stunningly good go of the food between the six of us. By the end there were only a handful of prawns and some of each salad left. And then of course, dessert was wheeled out! An enormous fruit platter of passionfruit, grapes, cherries and watermelon and a bag of English chocolate money. Turns out their chocolate money tastes just as low quality as ours.
A while after the sun had gone down, my nephew announced that he was tired and would like to go to bed. He went around the table and gave each person a kiss and cuddle goodnight, then went and got tucked into bed. He's pretty good like that; he's learned that you don't have to stay right to the end of a party. The rest of us of course, weren't willing to let such a great night end so soon.
One of us noticed the stars and we all looked up in wonder. Bertie and Tricky live a little bit further out of the city than the rest of us, one of the bonuses of which is less light pollution and less smog. The sheer beauty of the night sky kept us all entranced as we looked around for familiar constellations within the milky blur of tiny stars not normally visible to us.
Eventually, all good things must come to an end, and tonight ended when we realised that Bertie had only four hours left before she had to get up and go to work. We figured we'd better all leave her to get what little sleep she could at that point. We piled into my car and headed home to bed.
Today's other food was:
- Breakfast was a Savoury Bite from Baker's Delight, eaten in a rush so I forgot to photograph it!
- Morning snack was a white-flesh nectarine.
- Lunch was a Cheesymite Scroll from Baker's Delight followed by approximately 100g of shaved silverside and 135g of Woolworths quinoa pearl barley salad (with pumpkin) then three Brazil nuts, two pecan nut halves, two hazelnuts, four almonds, a dried peach half and some sunflower seeds.
- Afternoon snack was three chocolates in the team meeting and a Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced afterwards.
- After the team meeting I had three chocolates
- Dinner was amazing, see above.
Despite getting home at midnight, I still read some of my book. I just can't help myself!
Jess
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