Getting older.

I had a fabulous birthday weekend. We got to the Hunter Valley at about 3:30 and found our house. When I first saw it I was more than a little bit annoyed - it had a huge cactus in the front lawn, the type that would definately come alive at night and eat you. You know the type. And then when we went inside it pretty much went downhill. From the homoerotic images in the bathroom to the loungeroom where the 70s came to die, ending in the main bedroom with the king-sized waterbed. But then, somewhere along the line I was so repulsed I swung all the way around and decided that the house was a world of awesome.

I did my best to make up for a month's worth of sobriety but I didn't drink too much. I did realise how quickly I got tipsy though. Not good. Maybe my liver still isn't all there.

Watched a movie on Saturday night called Army of Darkness. One of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. It's the third movie in the Evil Dead franchise and isn't scary at all, just hillarious with lines like, "Gimme some sugar, baby," "Hail to the king," and "Groovy." (last line is said after his bionic hand is created... in the middle ages. too funny)

Spent Sunday going to more vineyards. It's amazing how tiring it is, but then you think about how long you spend in the car and the amount of alcohol you consume and then you get it. I only ended up with three bottles of wine (one thanks to Simon and Bec) and a swear it felt like as I was going that I bought so much more, but it's probably for the best that I didn't buy too much. As it is I bought two bottles of sparkling which was silly because it never seems to be the right occasion to drink it. But it has to be drunk before I go overseas so it will get done.

Speaking of overseas, I was talking to my auntie Joan who came over to my nan's today (oh why do my favourite people come when I have an assignment to work on? It was fine when it was just Dan and Cassie here...) and I was saying how I had to wait to buy my plane tickets because I only have about half the fare. She tells me the best news in ages: usually with a travel agent you just put down a deposit and pay the rest a month or two before you're due to leave. Wow! It's been so long since I've booked anything with a travel agent that I've forgotten how it works.


Anyway, she's going to England in May for 5 months so I'm visiting her. She'll be in Shropshire. Shropshire? 'ow wondaful! Very Exotic. Yep. Quoting a 10 yr-old Moccona ad. That's just how I roll.


Also, is it wrong to not like a birthday present? I was so disappointed by Daniel's present to me: he bought me an rnb Superclub CD. That would have been a great present for me 7 years ago. But I'm kind of over that now. Plus, it's a greatest hits CD so I own every song on the double CD on account of owning all the other rnb Superclub cds... I just had it in my head that he was buying me tickets to Air Supply and I guess I'm just pretty disappointed. Especially because his present PALES in comparison to the awesome stuff I got from my friends this weekend. Anyway, I have the receipt so I'll try and return it, but I don't like my chances because it doesn't have one of those security stickers.

So I had that dinner last night (this post is written over two days). It was good. It was good hanging out with friends but my Uncle Dino was being his typical self. First he was complaining that we should have sat outside because it was quieter. Well, you go sit outside then. Then he was saying let's order, and I'm like, not everyone has arrived, and he's like, that's their problem. Then I changed seats and didn't have to hear anything more. Dan, Cassie, Jonas and Amber just stood around in a group talking while we were waiting for our table, so Mel and I are standing there talking about the weather (but obviously funner). I don't know. Maybe I can't enjoy anything without whinging about it afterwards. It was great having one of my regular chats with Nicole afterwards - we're leaving for London on the same day - I shall attempt to get onto the same flight.