Day 8: The Melbourne Invasion

The kids made a little noise around 8am but went back to sleep and were still asleep past 9am. Sarah got them up shortly after and they were full of beans and in a great mood. Clearly they needed the sleep and the behaviour of last night suddenly made a bit more sense.

Everyone had a tonne of breakfast from the continental supplies and by the time we got outside, the morning was quickly disappearing – not a situation we’ve been used to in the last week.

We took a decent walk down to Lake Sambell and visited the playground there. Seth climbed up to the highest points of the playground and Rach went down the slide many times. Her hair went static crazy and the rubber turf paths from slide to the next thing meant that she was always getting static shocks. She is usually afraid of them, but they were so frequent that she actually got used to it and accepted it as part of the process.

We went back into town along the lake and at the town’s edge Rachael asked, “Can we stop for a rest, I’m so tired” in a semi-dramatic fashion. She pulled up stops against an information sign for a minute, then was able to continue under the promise of food.

We took some bakery goods back to the apartment; Rach with her favourite “smiley biscuits” and Seth in a haze of sausage roll flakes, of which he insisted on eating well before it cooled down. Seth has been doing the single nod when we ask him if something is good, and the Bee-sting Cake certainly earned one of those in his books.

Later while he napped, Sarah and Rach went out and looked at the honey shop, toy shop, and Rach got a sprinkles ice cream. Rach had brought home a plush bee for Seth (which he now goes “Bbbbb” and then throws it). Rach declared, “I like this holiday better than the other one”, although I suspect she said this because the apartment is much bigger and spacious than the last cabin we stayed in.

We decided to try our luck at Billson’s for some dinner, but they were booked out due to Melbourne flooding in (their first weekend of freedom after COVID lockdown). We still stocked up on some cordial, coffee liqueur (for Patto) and some Pale Ales.

I later did a round trip to order fish & chips and get a few basics from the IGA. Home for a little break then out to get the fish & chips – all walking distance. Fish & Chips were amazing and I said while cracking a Billson’s Pale Ale “I hope this sucks so I don’t feel like we missed out by not getting in”, then a “Goddamnit” after having a single sip of the incredible Pale. All-round amazing stuff for a Plan B. Best potato cakes in the state, and maybe best Pale too! Then “Grace’s Amazing Machines” and getting the kids off to bed.

Rach has been telling us that she’s ready and going off to bed, but I think Seth would stay up and rage on if he had a choice.

R: “Well, at least we now know how to spend it if we need to.”
S: “Spend what?”
R: “…the calories.”