TUESDAY CHAT

It had been rather a quiet uneventful week until yesterday.  It was may half-brother Darrell's 70th birthday.  Those that have followed my blog for several years will know I was adopted and Darrell is the son of the man who was my birth father.  We met up with Darrell about 15 years ago and became good friends and also with his sister Marilyn who is of course my half-sister.

This is a photo of Darrell I stole from his Facebook page.   I think it was taken a few years ago at what looks like another celebration probably down in Margaret River. 

Darrell lives way down in Margaret River (270km south of Perth) and last year Marilyn moved to Dunsborough (245km south of Perth) so we don't see much of them any more but do keep n touch on Facebook.

As well as sending him a birthday card by snail mail I had placed a happy birthday message on Facebook in which I said I was sorry we couldn't spend time with him today.   Not long after that I received a phone call from Darrell to say "I am about half an hour from your house and I will pick you up and take you both to lunch".   Mad panic and Phil and quickly tidied up the kitchen and living room (Phil will scatter the Weekend Australian all over the floor) and welcomed Darrell into our house.  

We sat and discussed where to go for lunch and decided on the Kardinya Tavern which we'd not been to for some years.  It had become very expensive but we thought we'd give it a try.  We realised that times are not easy for businesses these days and the tavern now has a senior's special menu with all the dishes listed priced at $19.95 which includes the salad bar and a glass of house wine (red or white) or cool drink.

Phil had fish and chips, Darrell steak and chips (which he said was tender and cooked 'just right) and I had sausage and mash which I love.  Phil and I both had a glass of house red which was exceptionally good and Darrell a glass of house white.  Phil and Darrell both had salad but I was too full up.   After sitting and chatting for a while we decided on coffee and cake and the lemon cheese cake was delicious.

Darrell then drove us back home but didn't stay as he was wending his way to his daughter's home north of Perth to have dinner with her and her husband.   They had moved from Margaret River to Perth last October so had not been seeing so much of each other either.  He will stay there tonight and drive back to Margaret River in the morning.

He said when he read my message about seeing him today he just had to make my wish come true.  How lovely of him.  He shouted us lunch but Phil managed to beat him to it and paid for the coffee and cake.