Australia Day long weekend

Australia Day long weekend

So dear readers the last week was a short one. Friday, 26 January 2018, was Australia Day and as a public holiday, it meant a short work week and a long weekend! ๐Ÿ˜ƒ๐Ÿ‘

Sorry, if I start to ramble in this post. Iโ€™ll probably meander here and there. Stay with me though, it was a good weekend.

Star Trek Discovery update ๐Ÿ––๐Ÿ’ฏ

Last week was pretty uneventful. Monday night though (for the time being, Monday nights are my favourite nights) saw an amazing episode of Star Trek Discovery (#DISCO) which took Trekkers into unchartered territory. Iโ€™ve not been as excited about Star Trek since the last live action series,ย viz., Enterprise (#ENT) was on free-to-air TV. Certainly, the Jar Jar Abrams movies were a let down. That said, DISCO has taken some of the Jar Jar cinematography like the heavy use of lens flare. I know a lot of fans were disappointed in ENT, but I know Iโ€™m in the minority who loved it. I even love its opening theme. I will happily rewatch it over and over again. I love each character. Unlike most of the other series in the franchise, thereโ€™s not a character who I do not like in ENT.

As far as DISCO is concerned, Iโ€™m loving Captain Lorca and Commander Saru. Lieutenant Stamets is growing on me but Dr Culber is plain annoying. He doesnโ€™t fill me with awe like Phlox or Bones or Crusher or the EMH.

Spoiler alert

The recent two episodes which have brought us into the mirror universe have been fantastic and itโ€™s got me so excited for more. Iโ€™ve been pondering the best way to eat Kelpien. Iโ€™m thinking, Iโ€™d like the threat ganglia raw, avulsed just prior to consumption and served with fresh gagh. Ideally, Iโ€™d be fed from the chopsticks of the Emperor herself in her personal stateroom.

Australia Day weekend

The highlight was obviously travelling to Brisbane on Thursday night and spending three nights with my parents and children.

Iโ€™ve recently shared how aย close relativeย has experienced a diagnosis and treatment of bowel carcinoma and the ensuing post-operative complications including an admission to anthe intensive care unit. The good news is, the said close relative is well on the road to recovery.

QF1550 CBR to BNE

I left work a little early on Thursday evening to board QF1550 CBR to BNE. I enjoyed a nice sweet potato salad for dinner on the flight. On arriving in Brisbane, my vulgar ichthyoid skin began drinking in the sweet nectar that is the sultry humidity of balmy Brisbane. My skin felt immediately better. Itโ€™s nice to exist without physical discomfort.

People often talk of the humidity of the Top End, but I reckon if you can live January and February in Brisbane, you can do any type of humidity.

It was good to see my parents and children when I got to my parentโ€™s place.

Sweet potato salad in seat 14D

Thursday dinner. QF1550 sweet potato salad. Australia Day.

Australia Day

Australia Day has become very controversial and Iโ€™m keeping my opinions to myself. Suffice to say, Iโ€™d like to seeย respectย for all views being observed by everyone, everywhere.

We didnโ€™t have much of a plan for the day apart from eating Breakfast, Lunch and Tea.

After a breakfast of scrambled eggs, I took Mum grocery shopping and I bought some stuff for dinner which I was going to cook.

New thongs. Maroon! Because Queenslander!!! Australia Day.
New thongs. Maroon! Because Queenslander!!!

Photograph of scrambled eggs

Friday breakfast. Scrambled eggs with mixed dried herbs and butter for flavour. Australia Day.

Lunch turned out to be a lot of fun. One of my cousins and her partner were visiting Brisvegas from Sin City so we enjoyed a meal at a localย Thai restaurant.

Photograph of my first of many plates at Kinn + Derm

Friday lunch. Kinn Derm Thai. Australia Day.

For dinner, I cooked a slight Australiana theme with baked salmon that looked like aย Lamington.

Friday dinner Australia Day ๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Poppy and sesame seed crusted salmon with Moreton Bay bug topped kale and avocado slaw salad flavoured with horseradish cream.
Friday dinner Australia Day ๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Poppy and sesame seed crusted salmon with Moreton Bay bug topped kale and avocado slaw salad flavoured with horseradish cream.
Friday dessert. Australia Day ๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Golden Gaytime Gaynetto
Friday dessert. Australia Day ๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Golden Gaytime Gaynetto

You can read a better account of my Australia Day food over atย Yummy Lummy.

I spent part of Friday afternoon shopping with my youngest daughter. She was keen on a dress. I take my hat off to her. Sheโ€™s been looking at this dress, she knew it would go on sale and then she also had a voucher, so, for a $100 dress marked down to $50, she used a $44 voucher and handed over $6. Iโ€™m not naรฏve enough to think the dress is worth $100, but it does me proud to know my children think about how to exploit money as much as possible for the best gain.

We all slept well after a good day of eating.

Saturday sunshine and seawater

The plan for Saturday was for an early start. One of my daughters had to finish some work, so I got up at 5 am and made her scrambled eggs on toast. I think she liked it. Iโ€™m quite proud of the way my scrambled eggs taste. I only use butter and eggs. I donโ€™t use any milk or cream.

We hit the road for Caloundra a little after 9 am and arrived a little after 10 am. The traffic was reasonably moderate the entire drive. During the 100 kph spots, Iโ€™d say we averaged about 95 kph and using the 110 kph spots we travelled a little over 105 kph most of the way.

On the drive, I started listening to my favourite podcast,ย โ€œNo Such Thing as a Fishโ€. I had forgotten thatย JJJ*ย had itsย โ€œHottest 100โ€ย on that day. Thatโ€™s what we listened to on the return journey.

Finding a spot to park the car near the beach was like finding a needle in a haystack. We drove up and down the main drag for about 15 minutes before we spied someone about to pull out. In the end, we got an ideal spot, near the beach and near where we had booked for lunch.

Caloundra beach Australia Day

After a liberal application of sunscreen, we sat on the fine sand and enjoyed the sunshine and sea air. After letting the sunscreen absorb into our skin, we ran into the water and it was perfect. Cool but not cold and oh so refreshing. I love the feeling of swimming in seawater. It feels good. It smells good. It is good.

Caloundra beach Australia Day

Iโ€™ve been suffering for many years from two frozen shoulders. I have attended many physiotherapy sessions and over the last year or so after daily exercises, I feel like I have near my normal range of movement, albeit, I donโ€™t have the strength I used to. It was nice to crawl and breaststroke against the current. I doubt Iโ€™ll butterfly again, but it was nice to have that movement in my shoulders.

Gary Lum at Caloundra beach Australia Day

After about an hour in the water, we walked up the beach towards our towels and dried off in the sun. It felt so good having sand between my toes, sun on my skin, and being buoyed by seawater.

Alfieโ€™s Mooo Char & Bar

Regular readers will know myย NRLย team is theย Brisbane Broncosย and inย State of Origin, Iโ€™m aย Queensland Maroonย supporter first and foremost. Alfie Langer played halfback for the Broncos, for Queensland and for Australia. He was the greatest halfback ever. Heโ€™s certainly better than the likes of Andrew Johns from Newcastle, NSW.

Alfie's Mooo Char & Bar Australia Day

Alfie owns Alfieโ€™s Mooo Char & Bar at Caloundra. Iโ€™ve not been there before but my parents and brothers have been and they have raved about how good it is.

I plan to write a review over that Yummy Lummy, suffice to say, I went with the Hot and Cold Platter for two people. I shared it with one of my daughters. It was filling and it was really very nice. The platter is presented in two tiers and consists of a spanner crab, Moreton Bay bug, cooked prawns, deep fried battered prawns, crumbed fish, oysters natural, oysters Kilpatrick, crumbed calamari, hot chips and a nice Queensland nut and toasted coconut salad.

Alfie's Mooo Char & Bar Seafood Platter Australia Day Alfie's Mooo Char & Bar Seafood Platter Australia Day

Queensland nut Oyster Kilpatrick Australia Day
Queensland nut Oyster Kilpatrick

Dinner at Motto Motto

Even though we had a huge lunch, I took Mum and Dad out to dinner at Motto Motto. They really like it there.

Rather than a full main course dish, I just ate a side dish of soft shelled crab along with some Teriyaki chicken wings. We also had wagyu beef and green salad, pork belly ramen noodles and a chicken karaage roll

Wagyu beef and salad

Wagyu beef Australia Day Motto Motto
Wagyu beef

Chicken karaage roll

Chicken Karaage Australia Day Motto Motto

Soft shelled crab with Teriyaki chicken wings in the background

Australia Day Motto Motto Soft shelled crab and Teriyaki chicken wings in the background
Soft shelled crab and Teriyaki chicken wings in the background

Sunday

I had a bit of a slow start on Sunday morning. One daughter had a party to attend on Saturday night and I happily took her there and agreed to pick her up. I didnโ€™t realise how late the party would go for. I received a text message at 1.21 am and after a round trip into Fortitude Valley, got to bed at 2 am. I woke at 7 am and felt a little groggy.

Breakfast

I took Mum and my daughters to Hermosa in Chermside. Weโ€™ve been there before and enjoyed breakfast so I thought weโ€™d have another go.

I like that on the menu there is an option to build your breakfast. The base is eggs anyway you like them plus some sourdough toast. You can then add sides. I went with some chorizo sausage, avocado, and sautรฉed mushrooms. It was pretty nice. Mum and my daughters also enjoyed their meals too.

Photograph of poached eggs on sourdough toast with chorizo, avocado, and sautรฉed mushrooms

Poached eggs on sourdough bread with chorizo, avocado and mushrooms from Her Mosa, Chermside Australia Day
Poached eggs on sourdough bread with chorizo, avocado and mushrooms from Her Mosa, Chermside

The end of a great long weekend

Like all good things, I had to end a great long weekend in Brisbane by leaving for Canberra. I managed to have a light lunch at the airport. It was some tuna and coleslaw.

Sunday lunch. Tuna and coleslaw. Australia Day.

On arriving in Canberra, I went toย Colesย and bought some groceries and meat for dinner.

Sunday dinner

My last meal for the weekend was roast chicken thigh and vegetables.

Photograph of roast chicken and vegetables

Sunday dinner. Roast chicken thighs and vegetables. Australia day.
Sunday dinner. Roast chicken thighs and vegetables.

Final words

It was a great weekend. I ate a lot of food. I enjoyed my time with my family. I loved feeling happier and healthier in the balmy Brisbane humidity.

The week to come will be busy. Catch you next weekend.

Focussing on food blogging and enjoying a Bรขnh mรฌ

10 Replies to “Australia Day long weekend”

    1. Thanks Sue. That breakfast was very nice, made even better having it with Mum and my daughters too.

  1. Wow! I got tired following you, but I can see it was a relaxed sort of tired and not stressed. Cute swim shorts! You look good, I can tell youโ€™ve lost some weight. Congratulations! (Although, you may have gained it back with all those delicious meals! The one you shared with your daughter was incredible!)
    ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’•

    1. Thanks Kris. I hope I can keep the weight off. I think being at the beach takes weight off ๐Ÿ˜ƒ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿ‘

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