hoteliday ---<>--- christmas

Tamara and Ella's Recipe for a Hoteliday*

Take:

one girl

one mummy

one hotel room

one christmas 'tivities' plan

some chips

some fizzies

one spa bath

lots of little hotel packets

some fabulous outfits

a surprise auntie

Method

mix it all up - have lots of cuddles - discuss everything - befriend people - take a taxi and a tram - read in bed together - get room service

The mum and girl should be exhausted by end and ready for quiet night in and a bit of regular bedtime.

---

This recipe is quite adaptable actually - any combination should be great - as long as you don't miss out the little hotel packets.

*Hoteliday = a holiday in a hotel for a day

you spin me round round

Here is Ella at Kinder for the last time. So beautiful - dressed up to the nines - spinning a full circle on the trapeze and yelling to her friend Felicity to 'leap onto me!'

thirst for change

Remember these guys? Well we went back to see the finished mural. It was beautiful - although slightly hidden away. The text reads: "Do not waste water even before a flowing river." Once in Hanoi, where we had stopped for a day on the way to Europe, I saw an old man squatting by a lake in a public park. He was washing his hands with great care. He used one teacup of water.

In our house we are conscious of the sound of rushing water, dripping taps. We catch the warming shower water in a red watering can and water the strawberries out the front. I cannot imagine the kids playing with a running hose. But still our taps gush, we waste more than a drop or two.

Homeless World Cup - Melbourne 2008

So what are you two up to then?

Well we are eating some chips and then we are off to see the
Homeless World Cup.

A mini-stadium set up in Birrarung Marr. 56 nations competing. 15 minutes games.
This is Australia playing Zimbabwe.

At first it's boiling hot and we are running back to the car for forgotten hats and suncreen.
Then suddenly - a little rainstorm - just ten minutes. The little stadium cleared but we sheltered at the back underneath the flags. It was lovely. Soon it stopped.

Ella afterwards asked 'what is homeless?' And 'who won?'
Everyone.

my beautiful friend

Married in a tranquil garden with a stormy sky and rainbow-bouncing bubbles.

the smell of green

We've had lovely rain lately.

street seat

We went for a city walk and found: a big-issue seller with a lovely voice, some street-seats at the top of Centre Way, a very long queue to see the Myer Christmas windows, some new and completed street art, and our favourite curry house.