Documenting my day

It was a terrifically normal Saturday here in the brick and concrete depths of suburban Canberra. The temperature was an average 23 degrees, with an average amount of rainfall (i.e. zero). My husband dropped number one at baseball at 7.30 am, then came home, had breakfast and went back at 8.30 for the game. We were rostered on duty today, so he brought the after-game snacks - cut up oranges and I made a chocolate cake the night before. Apparently the under 14s are not too old for sprinkles, so it had chocolate icing and sprinkles. During the game my husband manned the fundraising bbq that goes all morning - bacon and egg rolls ($4) and sausage-in-bread ($2.50). Sauces and onions are optional and free, and if they didn't want an egg he gave them another rasher of bacon instead. My son's team lost 9-8 with the winning run scored in the final innings.

I did a load of washing and took number two son into the mall to buy a birthday present (the Four Ingredients cookbook, apparently the birthday boy likes to cook) for an 11th birthday party he went to later that morning. It was four hours of paintball at Delta Force in Tuggeranong and it was full to overflowing. Cars and kids and adults everywhere - apparently the thing to do on the weekend! News to me. I dropped him and ran.

We took the opportunity to go to Costco (along with everyone else in Canberra who wasn't at paintball) where we spent $705.58 on groceries. A lot in one hit, but it's enough meat and dry goods and cleaning products for the next two months for a family of four. And it did includes at least $100 of unnecessary things (boogie board, vodka).  We do love their frozen prawn gyoza, so we had those for lunch and it was delicious.

After lunch we tidied the house. Then I did some sewing, number one son played on the computer and my husband worked on his model for the annual comp next weekend. He is running slightly behind schedule, but expects to finish it in time. He picked up number two son at 3.00 and we cooked dinner for friends who came over. Before dinner we had cheese (brie) and crackers and olives, with a packet of chips for the kids. We also bought prosciutto but forgot to put it out.

Dinner was roast beef with roast vegetables, gravy, mushrooms, asparagus and broad beans. The friends brought dessert - chocolate mousse with strawberries and ice-cream. We had a vodka lemon before dinner, then a bottle of red (tempronilla) and a bottle of white (chardonnay), both Australian. We talked about work, recent holidays, plans for Christmas, gardens, re-painting the cupboards, quilting, politics and mutual friends. They left their cooler bag behind.

The cat slept all day on a cushion in the sun except from about 5 pm when she wanted dinner. She stalked around while our guests were here because they took her evening spot on the sofa. The dog slept most of the day except for two walks and some random barking in the back yard. She loved having guests over and leapt all over them for half an hour, then spent the rest of the time snuffling under the table and kitchen floor for dropped food.