It's B Day

Yesterday was The Boy's birthday. To celebrate the fact that we have survived a year (and what a year) we'd planned a nice BBQ picnic in our local park, what with this being Australia and mid summer and all we thought we'd be safe. But the rain gods had other plans for the day with torrential rain and gale force winds forecast. It was set to be a day like our wedding.

So we started looking at alternative plans and scoped out our two nearest RSLs and a local indoor play-zone called Play Planet. Harbord Diggers has a covered play area but with open sides so we thought - nah. If the weather is going to be anything like our wedding day, the rain would be coming across the horizontal rather than the vertical.

 Then we tried another local RSL in Balgowlah, plenty of space, but the Bistro shuts at 2.30 - exactly when we were planning our do.

So our last hope was Play Planet. We trooped in and were shown around by a clueless young lass, who couldn't say if we could book one of the sofa areas because, 'I don't know how that stuff all works.' She suggested we ring the next day in the early morning to try and book but that we'd still be able to fit in even if someone had booked the two sofa areas.

Dutifully The Norwegian sends out emails and texts to let everyone know. The next day, B day, dawns and we try to ring Play Planet. No answer. We try five times over the course of the morning, until The Norwegian ventures into the storm to drive up there and see what is what. He comes back at 1.0 with the news that it is closed today. A fact the staff failed to mention. Arggh! We have an hour and a half to find another location for seven children under 4 and fourteen adults.

Another ring around unearths The Steyne, a local pub that used to have a reputation for bar brawls but now a family friendly venue. Apparently. At 1.30 The Norwegian send out another email. One friend cancels as controlling her two children in a pub would be a nightmare. So the Norwegian rings everyone and tells them not to worry and that we will try and reschedule.

So in the end it was only two families that joined us in our flat for bubbles and cake and a lovely time was had by all.