50thWeddingAnniversary

Why did those very happy years have to pass so quickly?
Sunday, 5th July 2025 It's our 50th anniversary and we celebrate the occasion by going to our favourite restaurant, the Estuary Restaurant at Kangaroo Point. They give us a seat in front of the fire because it's only between 10° and 12° today. Sunday, 5th July 2025 I would not have thought that 50 years could pass so quickly. Every day has been like a dream from which I never want to wake up. Sunday, 5th July 2025 in that 50 years we have both managed to let a little bit of weight creep onto our slender frames. Sunday, 5th July 2025 we are greeted by Kellie who has been with the Restaurant since it opened about 10 years ago. She is super lovely.
Sunday, 5th July 2025 For her anniversary present, I give Jenni some Pearl earrings. She already has many earrings but she wanted a few more. Jenni selected and bought these herself. Sunday, 5th July 2025 No gift is complete without a card with mushy stuff, and so I printed this lovely thought on A4 paper, folded it in four and stapled it at the edges. I'm very romantic that way. My gift Sunday, 5th July 2025 My gift is an Apple Watch. It's a nice piece of jewellery but the problems with it are two-fold 1. I can't read the face without reading glasses, and 2. My hands now shake so badly that I can't operate it with my fingers. Sunday, 5th July 2025 Jenni feigns hunger.
Sunday, 5th July 2025 Kelly is a great Showman (woman). She always seems to be in very high spirits and this is nice. Sunday, 5th July 2025 While we wait for our first course, Kellie serves us with an appetiser with booze for Jenni and I sip orange juice very gracefully. Sunday, 5th July 2025 Finally (well it wasn't ages) Kellie serves us a huge plate of lobster bisque. Our Chef, Toshi, uses all the gooey stuff in the lobster head to make this delicious entree. By the way, I always refer to Kellie as a waitress. To me a "server" may be non-sexist but a server is connected to the web and it is where your Internet pages go Sunday, 5th July 2025 We finish our lobster bisque and resist the temptation to lick the bowl.
Sunday, 5th July 2025 The co-owner is a very charming bloke called Ross. He stops by for a cuddle and a chat. Sunday, 5th July 2025 I also get a cuddle but I'm a little hesitant as you can see. I mean, what if he's enjoying it? Sunday, 5th July 2025 Our main courses eventually arrive, accompanied by the chef, Toshi. He has put his heart and soul into this and he wants to make sure that we're very satisfied. How nice is that? Sunday, 5th July 2025 my main course is a complete lobster cut in half, one half au natural and the other half cooked mornay style. Jenni orders a Wagyu beef, cooked rare and it comes exactly as she wants; cooked to perfection.
Sunday, 5th July 2025 We (Jenni) ordered these meals in advance. This means that the lobster (actually a crayfish) was bought from the markets recently. Sunday, 5th July 2025 I eat a potato cake and leave the lobster for last. That's a habit I've carried over from childhood, leave the best to last. Sunday, 5th July 2025 Toshi also breaks open all of the legs, extracts the meat and makes a garden salad with it. Sunday, 5th July 2025 One half of my lobster is hidden under the tomato relish and the other half rests on a bed of potato mash.
Sunday, 5th July 2025 Jenni's Wagyu beef steak is similarly cooked to perfection. She slows down during the course of the meal and has to struggle to complete it. Sunday, 5th July 2025 Jenni comes up to take a breath. By the way, the toast comes with oil not the usual boring old butter. Sunday, 5th July 2025 This is a very nice waitress called Evie. Evie helps Jenni with important decisions like "Red or white?" Sunday, 5th July 2025 The co-owner is a lovely lady called Sueellen who brings out a cake that they make especially for us. It's called a "Persian love cake". The full cake is not ours but to is to be shared with other customers. Now, we decide to move out to the Veranda and enjoy what's left of the feeble sunshine.
Sunday, 5th July 2025 it's a wee bit cold so they turn the gas on for us. Problem solved. Sunday, 5th July 2025 this is an interesting view from our table of the Hawkesbury River. The orange juice is mine. I still don't touch alcohol (because lips that touch alcohol shall never touch mine). Sunday, 5th July 2025 While we wait, Jenni receives many texts and calls during this period. The English language is incredible because, without saying as much, there's an implicit, "How do you do it? How have you suffered so long?" subtle vibe in every message. Sunday, 5th July 2025 it's probably around 10° or 12° today and just a wee bit chilly. So they turn the gas heater on to warm us up a bit.
Sunday, 5th July 2025 Before pouring the bubbly, Jenni and Sueellen pose for the camera. It's actually quite a nice day except for the temperature. Still, in Bavaria they have six months of snow. Sunday, 5th July 2025 Sue-ellen serves us some generous portions of the "Persian Love cake". Everything is real, even the cream is real and not from a pressure pack can. Sunday, 5th July 2025 The view up the Hawkesbury River is quite beautiful. Sunday, 5th July 2025 That's the railway bridge in the distance and it connects the small town of Brooklyn to Newcastle in the North and Sydney to the south. Brooklyn was once a fishing village, a half day drive from Sydney city. Now it's just a small town surviving on tourism.
Sunday, 5th July 2025 Nothing lasts forever and the time eventually comes when we have to leave and catch our Uber back home. Toshi makes sure that we leave without stealing the cutlery (silverware). Just kidding. Sunday, 5th July 2025 My mate Anthony said that I've been batting out of my league for 50 years and wonders how I did it. Easy I said, "Just occupy the crease for long enough and let the better batter get on with the job."