Birthday Wrap

Had an excellent birthday weekend this weekend, all thanks to Niki who despite our busy weekend with the girls’ dancing, was able to make me feel good.  It all started on Friday night with a great dinner with just the four of us.  Niki cooked a dish we call “Noodle Stuff” which is basically a pasta bake with rich cheese sauce, bacon, onion and champignon mushrooms – its been a favourite of mine since I was a kid. And to top it off, desert was a home made chocolate sauce pudding… with cookies & cream ice cream!!  Not food you’d eat everyday, but was a great birthday tea.  Niki and the girls also gave me my present – a PlayStation Portable!  Very happy with that, I get so bored on the trains given I have read every book in the house and listened to every CD… will make my trips a lot better.  It came with World Rally Championships and I am not much of a car racing gamer, but it is a very good, realistic game.  The graphics on the PSP are excellent as well, and I’ve been very impressed with it.

Saturday was cricket and Niki took the girls to dance rehearsals so I had the morning to myself.  Of course, I went to the shops and picked up some extra games for the PSP – Madden 06 and the Star Wars Lego game… I bought that as something odd and different and I can tell you it’s a very funny game.  I don’t think I have ever laughed out loud whilst playing a computer game.

Saturday at cricket was excellent.  We came from behind and took 6 for 11 to roll Wenty Waratahs for 80 odd.  We were only defending 128 so that was excellent.  We ran through them so quickly we decided to have another bat and of course yours truly got the obligatory golden duck!  Mistimed leg glace hit high up the bat and was caught at fine leg… ridiculous!  Anyway we set the opposition a target of 160 off 25 overs and they declined to chase and played defensively.  At stumps they were 4/80 odd and we went home with first innings points.  Sees us 2^nd on the ladder.

Saturday night I raced home to catch Kate perform at the Glenbrook Christmas Carols & Fireworks – literally got to the park as she was getting on stage, and saw her do her dance to a huge crowd of people.  We couldn’t stay as we had to get home were Niki had to do hair and sew costumes for the next days full dress rehearsal for Wednesday’s concert.  I of course played with the PSP :-)

Sunday (my actual birthday) was the dancing and I helped out there.  It wasn’t that bad actually and we all had a good day as Niki did the hair and costume changes and I video taped the dances and we got through all the photo sessions.  The girls did really well at the dancing and the concert should be really good – at Panthers this Wednesday night if you’re interested :-)

Then it was off in the late afternoon to Pete and Carly’s wedding at Bexley.  We had a great run from Penrith to Bexley and got there a little bit early!  The wedding was really good – when the bride & groom are relaxed and having fun, it makes a great wedding.  The ceremony was outdoors in the gardens and the reception was at the same venue inside so we basically had a lot of good laughs and caught up.  My mate Steve had returned to Australia with his new wife Kate and we met her – she’s a great girl and made a great impression with everyone and it was really good to see them both.  The boys also made sure I enjoyed myself for my birthday and I was passed a few bourbon & cokes and I did get a little bit boisterous (I actually feel great today – surprisingly!) and during Pete’s speech during the official bit of the reception, he mentioned my birthday and got me to get up and get a bottle of champagne!  Most unexpected – but extremely generous to be thought of.  The proviso of course is I am now dutily bound to remind him of his wedding anniversary!

All in all, a great weekend…. Pity I have to go to work today, but it was a great way to turn 34.

Thanks Nik!!