Happy 21st Alice!

We went to our first party last night. It was Alice's 21st. (She's Tim the Cyril shearer's partner). Michael suggested two options of presents - a Tshirt saying Tim's a Stud Muffin or one saying Tim likes his roots shorn. She said no to both, surprisingly.

On Friday, I took Alice and Dani (her mum) to the Mount (Mount Gambier) to do shopping for the party. We also had lunch with her sister, Jo. Michael taught Jo last time he was working in Casterton. Mim dropped me like a hot potato and only wanted to talk to Alice and hold her hand. We got to meet Alice's third dog (we'd already met Max and Chloe). This dog was a Kelpie cross who had a genetic problem which meant that she constantly shook. They called her Parker!

As we were leaving, both Caitlin and I noticed a grey thing in the front paddock. I turned the car around and shone the headlights on it. It was a rabbit! It hopped through the fence and toward the road, obviously wants to be roadkill!

It was a 1940s theme and was held at the Racecourse, starting at 8pm. We were half an hour late so it was just getting dark when we were heading there. Go through the small town, turn right, go down a country lane, through the large gates saying racecourse (meanwhile not a house or light in sight - are you sure we're at the right place, Michael?), travel down the dirt track for 500m, see bunch of balloons on stick beside another dirt track (oh, we must turn here, still can't see any buildings or lights), go up dirt track for a few hundred metres, over a rise and Bingo! Large hall with music blaring.

It was a good party, very laid back. Mim immediately deserted us and went to stalk Tim. Alice had put butchers paper over the tables and left crayons out, so everyone could doodle, write best wishes and various other things. She was going to save the best stuff for a scrapbook. Mim and John (Alice's little brother and Caitlin's classmate) had fun with balloons and crayons.

Michael and I talked to Jo, who is 6mths pregnant. Her other half has suggested that if the baby is a boy, he'd like him to be called River. Nice name, but as Jo keeps pointing out, with a last name like Reed, it's not an option!!!!!!!

By 11.30, Caitlin was in the car having a sleep whilst Mim danced with the parents of one of Michael's students to Minnie the Moocher. And with Tim, and with Alice, and by herself.... She's very big on expressionist dancing! We finally left just after 1am.

It's very different driving home with only the stars for company. Not another car in sight on the half hour journey home. Mim feel asleep 5 minutes before home.