Father's Day and statues with beanies. As you do.

What a fantastic Father's Day!

I fell asleep unspeakably early when attempting to make a start of Fifty Shades last night, before I even got to any naughty bits! Doesn't say much for the book but I will persevere.

I don't remember a thing until my phone rang 11 hours later...thanks Cathy for the wakeup call, otherwise I probably would've slept right through Elijah's party pickup time which would've shot my 'surprise' to all kinds to hell.

I don't know what's wrong with me at the moment as I went to bed exhausted, muscle-sore and just brain-dead, and after a mammoth 11 hour sleep marathon, woke up exactly the same way.

Despite the shaky start, it was the most magnificent day and after a coffee or two el-braino was sufficiently defogged to go collect E to go onto our 'surprise'.

So it appears that E had the night to end all nights, with eating followed by laser skirmish (in which he was 'the decoy' and very admirably to hear him tell. In hindsight a white skeleton shirt was not the ideal choice for such an activity), followed by pizza, movie, cake, sleeping in tents (it was 'intense' lol) and waking up to a sunny 3 degree morning to enjoy pancakes, bacon, maple syrup and ice cream.

Jeez throw in a couple of cocktails and I'm moving in.

Anyhoo, so the 'surprise' was supposed to drive to Tenterfield to see Dad for Father's Day. I say 'supposed to' because my father, being smarter than the average bear, decided to read my blog this morning and from my oblique reference yesterday cleverly figured it out. Clearly I'm not the brains of this operation.

Foiled...by my own big mouth.

Father's Day is really special to me. It's my birthday this week and so sometimes my birthday actually falls on Father's Day. So it's always been the day that we get together to celebrate both, just in case we live too far apart to see each other on both days. I think it's pretty fair to say that I'm a confirmed and unashamed Daddy's girl from way back and my father is simply my rock in this crazy world.

We saw him last weekend and he knew E was dying to go to this party last night so told us not to come and see him. My stepmother is currently away in Cairns and the thought of him being alone today was too much and I knew without question that I would be going come hell or high water.

So off we set, E excitedly chattering about his epic night.

So last time dad was here he had told me about a shortcut through Allora, so we drove through and couldn't find the bloody thing. It wasn't a total waste though, as we managed to see the statue in the town square that some clever (and agile) spark had managed to adorn with beanie and scarf.

Once again, clear reference that I need a life.

Because I needed further proof.

So we went to all the trouble of parking around the corner and footing it to the motel, hoping to burst through the door yelling 'any rooms at the inn' (which is so not funny but there you are) only to find dad in reception on the phone and basically...well, expecting us.

Oh well, it's the thought that counts, yeah?

So out come the presents and this plagues me every year...what do you get the man who either has everything he wants or just doesn't care enough about material things to want anything? The old standby - a Bunnings voucher - isn't much help when he lives a few hundred kms away from the nearest warehouse either.

So my wag of a son decided to obtain a charming money box that is for the 'Grumpy Old Man' in your life. Fines for moans, complaints and total tantrums apply. I ended up decided on a box of chocolates. Totally lame-o but seriously, he always has me at a loss. Of course I got blamed for the money box, haha.

I expect my stepmother will raise enough for a first-class overseas jaunt in no time.

Then my lovely stepsister arrived with the kids and simply THE most divine chicken curry complete with rice and pappadums for lunch, followed by chocolate cake, strawberries and a magnificent vanilla and marscapone dipping sauce. I can still taste it now...

Thank you Sandy! You're amazing, and I want that recipe, STAT.

Sadly it was all over too soon and we had to get back in the car for the drive home. Luckily we found the shortcut this time which wiped a whopping half an hour from the trip...thanks Dad! Brilliant as always.

It was so nice to be able to spend some time, even if it was limited, with dad on this special day. He never asks for anything which is why it's so nice to be able to spoil him.

Thanks for a wonderful day dad! I feel pretty damned lucky to be your daughter.

xx