Sunday is a feast day

We walked to church – St. Luke’s Mosman again, to find the entrance blocked by a group of about 15 young adults and half a dozen children. Baptism parties hardly ever come into church until the last minute. This one was unusual, though, as there were no maternal grandparents there. They were in South Africa arranging the funeral of the baby’s great grandmother, who was included in the prayers and for whom a number of candles were lit. The priest was very good with Angus, though he rightly predicted that he could do something about the fact that Angus was sleeping immediately before he poured the water on his head.

After Mass we stopped off at a couple of stores to buy some essential items that we had identified as being missing from Ruth’s flat, namely a clothes drier and a bottle of bubbly. We also stopped to have a second breakfast in a café. There is something decadent about going out for breakfast, but we are on holiday.

Ruth and Bob had been far more virtuous, playing tennis after their weekly trip to the market and they were already back by the time we returned and very soon Bob was beginning his preparations for a grand Sunday lunch to which Vanessa was also invited. It was feast which I’ll leave Elaine to describe, but suffice it to say that it was to his usual high standard. Perhaps Elaine has been giving him secret lessons.

Elaine: Not at all. Bob is an excellent cook in his own right and has already taught me a few things like how to make wonderful mashed sweet potato! We had this with slow simmered lamb shanks in wine with leeks, and broccoli.

While the food was being cooked Elaine and I began to pack, as later in the day we were going to begin the next stage of our holiday. This time staying with Vanessa, Elaine‘s sister and her husband, Leon, for a week.

Elaine: In the evening, the men watched rugby. Bob, being a Huddersfield man, supports Rugby League which is quite big in Australia. I watched Cinema Paradiso on DVD. It’s a wonderful film, a real tear jerker!