My Time

Last week, I had a wonderful time from Wednesday to Saturday staying at Anna and Rod Van Dyken’s house. On Saturday, when Wendy (CooksisterNZ) arrived with her two lovely boys, Korban and Luka, I moved to Anna’s parents’ home.

Mary and Rob made me feel completely at home, welcoming me with such warmth and kindness. I had an absolute blast spending time with their beloved dog, Teddy. What a bundle of joy he is! His devotion to Mary is truly heart warming and something special to witness. He even managed to win me over—and for someone who’s not usually a dog person, that’s saying something!

It was fantastic spending time with Anna, Rod, and their son Ethan again, along with their five Sphinx cats—Franklin, Lincoln, Obi, Harlow, and Winston. I managed to get only two of their names right; the rest were a total blur—completely confusing, no matter how many times I asked! 😂

Wednesday – Saturday

Anna and I had so much to catch up on, and it was wonderful to dive into conversation as if no time had passed. On my first morning, she spoiled me with an amazing breakfast—seriously, it was next-level delicious—and followed it up with an equally incredible dinner that evening. Her cooking always feels like such a treat! Being back in their home felt so comforting and familiar, even if I seemed to have brought Melbourne’s weather along for the ride. The first few days were cold, wet, and downright miserable, but thankfully, it warmed up eventually.

We made the most of our time together, hitting the shops and exploring the area with lots of laughs along the way. One of the highlights? Scoring some OMG Donuts! These little pieces of heaven are my ultimate nemesis—totally irresistible and dangerously delicious. It was the perfect indulgence to top off our shopping adventures! WW? What WW 🤣

Saturday

On Saturday afternoon, Wendy arrived from New Zealand with her two boys, Korban and Luka. What a delightful trio! Wendy is such a lovely, down-to-earth person, and her boys, while full of energy and a bit rambunctious, were absolutely amazing. It was wonderful getting to know them and watching their lively personalities shine.

Sunday evening was a special treat—we gathered for dinner at Mary and Rob’s place. The highlight of the night? Mary’s incredible Italian pasta. OMG, it was next level! The flavours were so rich and authentic, it felt like a meal straight out of a little Italian village. Of course, there was a little kitchen drama too! While helping out, I made the rookie mistake of suggesting a dash of oil in the pasta water—something I’ve always done. Mary didn’t hold back, lovingly “yelling” at me while setting me straight. Turns out, adding oil is a big no-no! It stops the sauce from clinging to the pasta properly. Lesson learned—I’ll never make that mistake again!

I wish I could show you pictures of the meal, but I was far too busy savouring every single bite. Trust me, it was that good! It was such a fun and memorable evening filled with delicious food, laughter, and learning.

Sunday

On Sunday, Rod and the gang came along with me to Rockingham so I could visit some family. While they headed off for lunch and a bit of shopping, I spent time on the beautiful foreshore with my son-in-law’s sister, Kira, and her partner, Tim. Tim treated me to one of his signature coffees from his van, Mr Edz Coffee — and let me just say, if you’re ever in Perth, you have to track him down. The coffee was fantastic, and the whole experience felt so special.

It was truly magical to finally meet Kira and Tim on their home turf. Rockingham is such a stunning place, and the day couldn’t have been more perfect. We had lunch at Maverick’s Café, and oh my goodness, I think I discovered the best-tasting coconut yoghurt bowl of my life! It was absolutely next-level delicious. Honestly, Melbourne needs something like that—immediately!

Kira and I had such a great time, laughing and chatting away, until I finally had to tear myself away and say, “I have to go!” It was hard to leave because we were having so much fun. We wrapped up our time together with a FaceTime call to Ivy, my granddaughter, who was adorably confused about why Nanny and Kira were together. It was such a heart warming way to end an already amazing day!

Wednesday

It was a day to reflect on everything we had discussed with each other and with David. A great “catch-up” session, where we shared our thoughts and visions for moving forward. It was truly an eye-opening experience.

Wednesday night, we all enjoyed a delicious farewell dinner at Mary & Rob’s before my 12:55 am flight to Melbourne. The meal was absolutely magnificent—crayfish, calamari, prawns, and incredible salads I had never tried before. My senses were overwhelmed, and I loved every bite.

At 10 pm, I headed to the airport by cab—no way was I letting anyone drive me at that hour. Just as I settled in, I received a text saying my flight was delayed by 2 hours! While the delay was frustrating, the real issue was how freezing cold the airport was! The flight itself was noisy, and when I managed to drift off, we were already descending into Melbourne.

I finally made it home, with Chris picking me up after baggage claim at 9:35 am. I was completely exhausted but relieved to be back home.