End of days

Friday is a Wordporium-free day for La. Traditionally it’s been la day with the little male Junior Cost Centre (JCC). But that’s all over now, because next week he toddles off to school. *Sigh*. *Sniff*.

So today we had a hoot: swimming at Homebush followed by lunch at Los Grounds, the pastoral oasis in the middle of light industrial Alexandria.

Because pigs (more on them later) might fly before La’d post pics of herself in swimmers, there’s no visual record of us at the Olympic pool this morning.

But here’s how we fared at Los Grounds.

It’s awesomeness as a destination is unrivalled, even on an overcast day. The staff even stride up and hug you when you arrive.

Here’s male JCC investigating the kiddies’ shed, complete with windmill.

You know those times when you wish you had a shedload of fresh mint, you know, the round-leaf type, not that pointy old, harsh spearmint type? Il type that used to grow over my Nana’s sewage tank? Well, look no further than Los Grounds.

In la books, anytime’s a good time for thyme, and Los Grounds are thyme-tastic.

Lavender, anyone? Who the hell needs Provence when we have Alexandria? Srsly.

And, yes, it’s an honest-to-gods strawberry, still attached to la vine. Male JCC had no idea this was how they came into the world. Til today he thought punnets grew on trees. I had to point for David Attenborough-style emphasis.

There’s even a mini bike sculpture nestled in the greens.

And purple basil — so bloody hard to find for los Thai beef insalatas when you need it.

But the pièce de résistance was this guy — Los Grounds’s own micro pig, who’s set to take up residence next to los chooks this weekend. Great timing for the male JCC; we watched ‘Babe’ last weekend. He claims this is the first real-life piggy he’s ever seen. If that’s the case, why the hell do I bother tromping through the stinky beast-of-burden pavilions with him at the blasted Royal Easter Show every year, soiling my precious shoes with hay and dung? Dang blasted kids and their goldfish memories.

Male JCC was happy with his juice-in-a-jar.

And La was very happy with the burger (complete with Big Mac-esque sauce — needless to say, so much better than los Golden Arches).

Slurp.

And my apple crumble was sublime. But, because I am a bit of a…

…La gulleted it before I could remember to take a piccie for you. Next time.

And so we prepare for our littlest famiglia member to leave us for big école. How sad that makes La. He seems both too big to stay home and too small to head off. How can it be?

Like I said…*sigh*. *Sniff*.