Celebration of life

It was my Dad’s birthday over the weekend. He would have been 86.

He was adamant that he didn’t want a funeral or a wake, so we held a celebration of his life on his birthday instead.

We gathered at the Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay for bubbles, with the pub’s famed fairy light-strewn tree as a backdrop. Then 11 of us sat around a table in one of the pub’s private rooms, feasting on barrumundi and steak, telling tales and toasting his memory.

The stories ranged from my mum winking at my dad from inside a dance hall while he stood outside, refused entry because he wasn’t wearing a suit jacket. Dazzled by her daring, he returned the following Saturday, wearing the correct attire, so he could ask her to dance.

We reminisced about everything from him being BHP’s youngest-ever Chief Metallurgist at age 29 to how he’d run from my grandmother’s place on the riverfront at Hawks Nest, along Bennett’s Beach and up Mount Yacaaba and back again, just for fun.

It was a great night. He’d have loved it.

I was thrilled to have both my kids under my roof for the weekend. A rare and wonderful occurrence. We joined my sister and mum for yum cha on Saturday and she pushed cash into their hands afterwards to go op shopping together.

Later that evening we went out for pizza, then the eldest headed off to a party, while the youngest and I curled up on the couch for a movie together – sneaking onto her dad’s Netflix account for a few hours.

Sunday was wonderful. I went for a walk and coffee with my friend Alice, followed by a stroll down to the harbour with the youngest. Afterwards, I made soup while the kids lounged around nearby and it felt so nice to have my family back under my roof.

Then the kids drove off to their dad’s place and I was pottering around tidying the house when DD called to say he would be there in five minutes to take me on an adventure. I scrambed into some presentable clothes and we headed to Circular Quay to catch a ferry to Manly.

DD reckoned the day was too beautiful to not be on the water.

After a glass of wine at Felons at Manly Wharf, we caught the ferry back across the harbour as the sun set.

Back home, I bombarded DD with crazy cruise ideas then fed him cauliflower, leek and potato soup with toasted olive bread before he headed back north.

I was very sad to see the youngest off yesterday and the eldest is departing this morning on a flight at an ungodlly hour. Neither of us are happy to be setting our alarms for 5.30am. I accidentally woke before 5am, so I have a weary day ahead.

I miss my kids so much already, but geez the food bills were high while they were here!

Hope you had a good weekend.

Song of the day: Eric Clapton “Tears in heaven”