The post today is a bit heavy on the cat pictures.  They are adorable and you will totally agree with me when you look at the gallery below.  Sorry I am not sorry for sharing them with you. 🙂

We have kept busy that past two weeks, despite the weather still being unpredictable rainy.  We are cautious when it is sunny and bring our rain gear anyways, since it has been so off and on.  It also can be perfectly sunny and still start raining here so we just plan for everything and hope for the best. 🙂 It never dampened our plans the last two weeks though.

Last Sunday, there was a bike race that went all through the city and right past our house.  Poor cold, wet, bikers.  After church, we stopped for an early lunch of curry and laksa, then went to a Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony at the Royal Botanical Gardens.  It was so elaborate and really cool to see.  Both Brandon and I love Japanese culture since going there in 2014.  So much tradition and symbolism in something as simple as making tea for guests.  It was amazing.  They had two sittings and served the whole room afterward little sweets and a bowl of the tea.  It was along the lines of matcha that the whole leaf is ground and dried and used to make the tea.  We then went the the Plants that Bite display at the Calyx at the Gardens.  They had smoke and made it all spooky for Halloween.  I love the little Venus Flytraps!

After, Brandon went home and I went off to Surry Hills for Birthday drinks with a group of ladies I knew from SLS.  It was a great afternoon; it stayed sunny and we had good, live music, good food and great company.  Wednesday I went to the Chicks at the Flicks, a promotion that the movie theater did for the movie A Star is Born.  They had a nice lounge with a candy buffet and then goodie bags for us at our seats.  I went with another friend from SLS.  It was a good movie, but late for a “school night”.  I was so tired and full of candy on the train home.

Brandon and I have been watching musicals.  We made it through Mamma Mia, Les Mis, and the Phantom of the Opera.  He had never seen any of them.  I love listening to musicals on long trips, so it took all I had not to sing along with them all.  I have been making a lot of progress on my knitting with watching so many movies, I am nearly out of yarn again.

Thursday night, I went to a pop up Smash Room with Nerina and Fi.  We dressed in coveralls and face shield and smashed some bottles off a tee.  So fun and good stress relief.  We had a drink and dinner after; a nice, relaxing evening.  Saturday, Brandon and I had a lunch date degustation.  It was five courses and unlimited Pinot Noir.  It was delicious and fun.  We walked and sat in the park on our way home to enjoy the not rainy afternoon.  We had a lazy rest of the day and watched Hitch.

Sunday, we went to church, then grocery shopping.  We have a Halloween party this coming weekend, so I was trying to find Halloween themed food to bring.  It is really hard when most stores do not carry canned pumpkin.   It wipes out so many options!! I decided on peanut butter cookies with “spiders” on top and these eye ball cheese pastries.  I am excited to be going to a Halloween Party here, since it is not as celebrated of a holiday than in the US.  🙂 Looking forward to it!!

After shopping, we went off to a picnic at the Fish Market.  It was a SLS Oyster club event, but spouses were invited this time.  We all brought snacks and wine and bought oysters at the market.  It was a great day and the weather was sunny!  We has a really nice time with everyone.

Today is Monday and I am off.  I got up early and Brandon and I went out for a fitness walk (aka ok to sweat during).  I did some laundry and cleaning, talked to my parents, and we have a meeting with our financial adviser later.  Hopefully the rain will hold off again today!

Have a lovely day everyone and enjoy the pictures; some of us, but mainly Fiyero!!!  He is so cute and photogenic!!!!