Mark's 50th birthday

The day started with a lie-in for Mark and Jack.

The table was set for breakfast, with cards and presents laid out and ready to be opened. Jack lay in his favourite spot under the dining table to supervise proceedings.

And then it was off to DFO for Mark to spend his birthday money at the end of financial year sales... he got some great bargains!

Then it was time for cake: Jay tried something new. Strawberries and cream cake covered in fresh strawberries and strawberry intense Lindt chocolate... delicious.

We took Jack to the oncologist for his monthly check up and restock of his chemotherapy pills and his test results came back great. The oncologist was really pleased with how he is looking and his general health and demeanor.

Back home and it was time for Jay to start cooking Mark a soecial birthday dinner. Entree was feta puffs wirh zesty tomato salad, while for the main course we had grilled haloumi on hash browns, baked broccoli, and lamb stew with chilli gremolata. A big dessert was planned too but as we were all full and it was getting kate we decided to give it a miss and have it Sunday instead. 

By the seaside

On the last day of our long Christmas holiday we decided that a day at the seaside would help body (Jack's been having a particularly bad time with the latest round of chemo) and mind (it's been a Hellish few months for all of us and we are all upset at the prospect of Jay and Mark having to return to work and leave Jack home alone).

Jack loves the water and couldn't wait to wade in, and then thoroughly enjoyed getting sandy afterwards. A spot of snooping at the other dogs frolicking in the surf followed, before a drive to the nearby marina where we ate an early lunch of fresh fish and chips, straight off the trawlers. Mark did some snooping of his own - at luxury boats - and then it was back home for a long, lazy afternoon.

Jack's 12th Birthday - Picnic By The River

Jack's 12th birthday was a fun day full of family, friends and fans of the two, three and four-legged kind. There were lots of canine friends in attendance and everyone brought something to eat and it was a long, lazy day by the river. Jack was exhausted by the time we got home, but really enjoyed making lots of new friends and basking in the attention and adoration.

Mark worked hard on a three tier cake for Jack's birthday

The finished cake had two tiers of fruit cakes for the humans and was topped with a cupcake for Jack, with bacon

Doggie treat bags for all Jack's four-legged friends

Jack, in the car and ready to go to his birthday picnic

Opening presents, but also keeping an eye on the his guests

Mark with his amazing creation, topped with a sparkler

The birthday boy

Party animals!

Relaxed and peaceful, long and lazy afternoon in the park by the river

Keeping an eye on what the other four-legged guests are up to

Family, friends and fans, of the two-, three- and four-legged variety

Christmas Lunch

Our traditional Christmas lunch with all the trimmings.

Hasselback potatoes

Turkey with chipolatas

Festive Brussels sprouts

Bread sauce

Stuffing

Christmas lunch

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Christmas present from Tania and Mike: Dinner at Lure

Lure at the Coro

21/12/2012

Tan and Mike (avec Cosmopolitan) 

Jay and Mark 

Sourdough bread with olive and pistachios 

Mike with a dozen oysters, natural with lemon  

Tania with oysters kilpatrick 

Mark with tasting platter 

Jay with seafood chowder 

Tan with Moreton Bay bugs and scallops 

Mike with snapper with bok choy and prawns 

Mike with snapper with bok choy and prawns 

Jay with Moreton Bay bugs and scallops