Thursday, January 11, 2007

Two's Company

It is hot! It has not been below 28 degrees C in over 48 hours, there is no breeze and the humidity makes the air thick. We are surviving in the air conditioning.

Tonight we are childless. Our daughter has gone to the first 17th birthday party for the year. All of her friends will have the licences soon, that will bring us to a new era of parenting - does the joy/worry never end? Then she will stay the night at her friend's house. Our son has gone to a movie and sleepover for his friend's 13th birthday. We won't see either of them until some time tomorrow.

Childless and it's hot...? We're not cooking! So my Pete and I headed to the Strand. This is a really lovely promenade along the ocean front in Townsville. It is always breezy and cool, as the air comes staight off the water. There is no surf in Townsville, barely even waves. The waves break at the Great Barrier Reef because the water becomes suddenly shallow. Inside the reef the ocean can look like a lake or the wind can whip up a swell, but you won't see rolling waves like in the southern areas unless there is a severe storm.



We went to an open air bar which is literally on the water front, just a rock wall between your table and the ocean. We ordered tappas platters and drinks and enjoyed the cool ocean air.



Afterward we sat on the grass and ate icecream (mine is obviously the peppermint) and watched two curlews chasing insects in the lights of the pathway. These birds are quite shy. They mate for life and stay together within a defined territory. They usually run along the ground, although they are capable of flight.



As we walked back to the car my Pete asked, "Was this a date?"



I guess it was.

Was that me a little while ago bemoaning the impending departure of my children?

(NOTE: This is the first time that I have had to take my camera with me when I went out - does that make me a blogger? And that is orange paint on my hand. Oh, and I guess my children can stay a little while longer.)



4 comments:

kirsten said...

My friend, K, blogged about the Strand today, too. And was that C-Bar you were at? I almost feel homesick! Nice date :)

meggie said...

What a nice 'date'.
The first time we were officially 'alone' - DJ had left to live in NZ, & being my baby, I felt bereft.
I made a nice fancy Dinner for Two.
While I waited for GOM to get home from work, one of the children's mates came begging for a bed for the night. I am a softy where kids & animals are concerned, so I took him in.
So much for our plans for a 'romantic night in'.!

Tracey Petersen said...

It was the C-Bar, Kirsty. Not many people so we could sit alone, just a little breeze and the lapping of water. Unfortunately it was too cloudy to see a reflection of the moon on the water.

We didn't pick up any 'strays', Meggie!

Stomper Girl said...

Yay for going on dates with your man. There should be more of it!