This blog is all about me......I come here for respite in between caring for JoJo (our Daughter who has Special Needs)......I am addicted to starting new projects......I am becoming a fabric-a-holic... I love to try out recipes... take a beach walk and breathe in that salty blue air......love to have coffee...sip a glass of champagne......read a book......I am Queen of the Armchair and am inspired by all the wonderful blogs out there!!!

Thursday, August 30, 2012

~Girls Days/Nights Out~or It's All About The Food and ~P A R I S~



Friday morning we went up the Clyde Mountain and into Canberra
The weather was wet......cold......bleak


even some melted snow I spotted


but that didn't deter this group of girls from catching up!
This bunch of schoolfriend gals have been friends since we were under 10 years old
And a couple of us since babies......Hi Kerrie!!!!!!
In the pice above is Angela......me......Kerrie......Lynn and Kathryn


And what did we do
We ate......talked......laughed



The next day we did it all over again 


Started off with Breakfast



Went shopping at Canberra DFO (Direct Factory Outlets) and I happened upon Provincial 


Of course I stopped when I saw this sign P A R I S
You see......my Son had offered me a trip to New Zealand next year for my B I G birthday
and then also gave me the choice of  ~P A R I S~
Holey Dooley!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where to start????????
First up the obvious.......yes of course, let's pack!!!!!
Then the reality......what to do with JoJo

There is no centre based respite here
Perhaps she can go to DS and be helped by his Partner's Mum
but they have full time jobs...
So much to think about
It may not even happen at this stage due to the logistics of it all
but then again I can keep dreaming......can't I?

If you look at my side bar the essay by Emily Percy Kingsley (a Mum of a child with a disability) describes it all beautifully!!!

Emily Perl Kingsley is a writer who joined the Sesame Street team in 1970 and has been writing for the show ever since.

Her son Jason Kingsley was born with Down Syndrome in 1974.  Her experiences with Jason inspired her to include people with disabilities into the Sesame Street cast, including an actress who uses a wheelchair, Tarah Schaeffer, and even Jason himself. Jason's story was the topic of an hour-long NBC television special in 1977, titled "This Is My Son," and with co-author Mitchell Levitz, Jason wrote the book "Count Us In: Growing Up With Down Syndrome."

source ~Wikipedia~



Back to Provincial
a white dresser for crockery


the same in black


and then timber


We went back to our room and sipped some bubbly with strawberries


Went out again


and ate some more






Sunday saw us off to the fabulous Kingston Markets where I had a Hot Spiced Apple Cider


Check out the size of the Cinnamon Bark for the Hot Mulled Wine



Yep, that's right......more eating......Breakfast


lots of wool on sale


Got talking to the lady of this gorgeous stall Provencal Chic


Check out these gluten-free Florentines made by Divine & Delicious


Mr Armchair and JoJo came to pick me up  
and of course trust JoJo to find the musician playing at the Markets
Jazz Latin Guitarist Gavin Rene Libotte from Urban Gypsies
Thanks so much Gavin for your time and we love your CD!!!!!

Now back to the real world for me
A one where people our age are contemplating retiring/kicking back/travelling
we are still doing bedtime and bathtime
 Having said that we wouldn't have it any other way as JoJo teaches us so much and continues to do so

And like Emily says in her essay
There are also beautiful things in Our World!

18 comments:

Unknown said...

WOW what a Great time out with your Friends...all that food looked Delish...Glad you had a agood time.
Ceers

Susan said...

It looks like a fabulous and well deserved weekend. So much beautiful food! I love reading how much you enjoy life. X

Anonymous said...

how nice to catch up with your friends and Paris wow,my DD2 and her hubby are heading to Paris this sat and then having a look around france and Rome,i am so excited for them.xx

Sandi said...

Looks like you had the most wonderful weekend away, and wow - the all the food looks absolutely delicious. Not to mention the shopping and markets, just perfect! Hard to pick which holiday destination.....

Susan said...

What a wonderful getaway! I'm so hungry just looking at all of the lovely food! Hugs!

Judith said...

What à wonderfull get away! You're lucky to have that Many friends to spend THE weekend with. When coming to Paris you might as well pop into Holland and i'll show you Amsterdam and some of our quiltshops! Enjoy your day

Cathy said...

A wonderful post! Now Paris.... Sounds wonderful, can you make it your reality?

Peg - Happy In Quilting said...

I think all you did was eat...LOL...looks fantastic, so pleased you had the best time....Paris, oh Dzintra, how exciting...you are an amazing lady I am sure you can make it work...

Rachaeldaisy said...

That looks like the most wonderful time away with your girlfriends. It was interesting to hear about Emily and her son. Fingers crossed for Paris, I'm sure there is a way.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

OH DZINTRA!!!!!!!

Now this is my idea of a fun day/night out with your best friends!!! LOOK AT JOJO and the musician....how is she doing on her drums???

Everything looks luscious as ever and what shopping! Oh if we could all meet in PARIS...the fun would really never end!! Anita

Lynn said...

Yum, so many delicious pictures. It looks like you had a wonderful girls time out. Your post gave me a lot to think about this afternoon. One thing that does seem evident is that you have such a circle of supportive friends and family.

Bev C said...

Hello Dzintra,

What a fabulous post. Lots of lovely food and pretty things to drool over. Good luck with your travel plans. I think you should start mailing your local politicians etc about getting some respite care in your area. Tell them you have a blog and will use it for the cause!!!!
I have my fingers and toes crossed that your plan to travel next year works out, after all you have to send me a postcard from Paris.

Happy days.
Bev.xoxo

Nat Palaskas said...

Dear Dzintra, you know what I think of you, a wonderful mum to JoJo. You are doing a great job. I'm glad you had the weekend for YOU with those lovely gals since school. How fun and fab. food you had. Don't you just love Provincial shop? We have 2 here very close by my house. I have to keep away and restrict myself from it. Do take your son offered. I hope my son offers me a trip to Paris for the second time hehe! I will wish you to be able to take the trip. Have a great weekend my sweet friend - I'm fly to Thailand tonight. Will blog from there - Hugs Nat

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Good morning (to us!) dearest Dzintra! Ohhhhh thank you for your kind words. My blog needs just a little tweaking on the size of the photos and now my bloglist, which was always at the BOTTOM of my page, is on the side...easier for me to see who just posted...but you have ALWAYS been on my sidebar dearest, since the beginning almost five years ago when I started to blog!

Sunshine is probably making its way to you and warm while here, our last days of summer are sweet as ever.

HUGS MY DEAR! Anita

Palomasea said...

So wonderful to be next to darling Anita here!
Dearest Dzintra, where to begin? What a fantastic post, sweet friend!
I admire and respect so much your loving and amazing mothering with dear JoJo. I just love that piece by Ms. Kingsley. Always brings tears to my eyes.

And I do hope you get to go on that wonderful dream trip...what an amazing gift! Hopefully it will somehow work out...
So happy for you for the special time spent with your girlfriends...and to have such a history together!
A gift and blessing indeed.
And you know those food photos have me drooling. Speaking of which...I have in my hands the Winter Donna Hay! Now it's just a matter of choosing what to make...not an easy decision...that magazine is BRILLIANT! But it will have to come after my Fair post...must get going on that. :)
Your days are getting warmer, ours are getting cooler (except today..HOTHOTHOT!)
Happy September, dear friend....and thank you so much for coming to visit me!!
Love,
- Irina

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Dear sweet friend! We are both in transition here, on our ends of the world! Our leaves are turning colors and falling, your blooms are just beginning with the kiss of warmth. Let us CELEBRATE AND REJOICE! THank you for always coming by to grace my comments page with your kind words. LOVE, Anita

trump said...

Look at that food, and what a trip you guys had. Thank you for sharing those moments with us, and I see I'm next to Anita a very classy person and a great blogger as well. Richard

Anita said...

Looks like a great time away! whenever I go away with my girlfriends it involves a lot of food LOL.
I am going to have to look for one of those Provincial stores - looks great!
Thanks for pointing out that essay - I had a read of it - I have to say that it has made me rethink a few things for example the fact that I have been recently bemoaning the fact that my adult children are still living with us.
xx

Welcome To My World

Hello, my name is Dzintra Ingrid ... have been known as Ingrid and since our Sea Change I have started to use Dzintra ... pronounced without the D ... (but still known as Ingrid, I know, it's confusing ...)

Welcome to my world ... a journal of our Sea Change ... Mum to three wonderful children ... bringing up a daughter with a disability and seeing life through her eyes ... being a new Nanna ... photos ... inspiring quotes ... taking on a cookery course ... the odd recipe ... and trying to get some stitching done amongst all this ...