Birthday Celebration

Late this afternoon the heavens opened and down came glorious wet rain!  We stood and watched it fall and splatter on the paving until every inch of the garden changed colour with its wetness.  We know what rain is and how it falls (and how it pours in Perth) but we have had a mere 3mm since last November.  We are hungry for rain.  We look up at the perfect blue skies, at every passing cloud, we hope when the clouds threaten and sigh when they pass without incident.
I had my washing on the line today as I drove Mel home after our celebration lunch but I didn't care.
"Let it rain," I cried as I used the windscreen wipers for the first time.  I turned on the headlights as the light faded.  I am pleased Ellie is everything I expected!

 Dustin celebrates with family & Grace

We celebrated Dustin's 37th birthday at Penny Gardens Restaurant in the Swan Valley today.  Dustin and his girlfriend, Grace have been dating for six weeks.  She is delightful.  Normally there would be just four of us celebrating, today with Grace there was five.   The restaurant has a pleasant outdoor area with a small man made lake.  The interior is basic but pleasant.  The service is excellent and the waitpersons polite.  Our lunch dishes were pub size and delicious.   We returned home for birthday cake and coffee.  I had made Dustin's cake to his request.  I baked the sponge cakes yesterday and this morning I put the jam and cream between them and made passionfruit icing for the top.  Sounded good to me until I put the cake together and watched the top sponge sliding straight off taking the cream with it!  Whoops!  I think I should have used the whipping cream rather than the thickened cream.  I ended up taking off the cream and instructing the wayward cake to stand tall.   After singing Happy Birthday, Dustin cut the cake and I added the cream and blueberries on the side.  It's not the best cake I have ever made but it gave us a giggle and a celebration of Dustin's birthday.

Cake, cream & blueberries