November Wrap-Up

The first Friday of November, the 6th, was as usual the day to meet up with friends at the Portuguese club for the Codfish dinner.

On Saturday 7th, we drove south to Mandurah (about 70km from home) to attend a friends's birthday party. They own a "holiday house" by the canals which they usually rent on Airbnb.  Because of its location by the canals, and the small pool, it's an ideal house for a big party.  

Just before we left the birthday boy took some of us on a boat ride around the canals. The sunsets seen from the canals are spectacular!

On the 12th, I had my second consultation with the eye specialist to check on the progress of my eye problem. Jose drove me as I would be having drops in my eyes to dilate them, so wouldn't be able to drive for a couple of hours. After the scan the specialist said the problem was stable and she would see me again in a years time.

We were early, so on the way there we stopped at the Claremont Quarter, an upmarket retail complex with chain stores, local boutiques & eateries on 2 floors, to have a wander around, and I was lucky to find a couple of murals (which I'll post sometime).

Claremont Quarter (photo from the net)

On Sunday 15th I attended the Women in Business Workshop, organized by the Portuguese Australian Women's Association, held at one of the venue rooms at the Scarborough Life Saving Association.

The Counselor from the City of Stirling - Karen Caddy, gave an introductory speech about women in business and we had 2 guest speakers from the Small Business Corporation. Fifteen female exhibitors were present with their small businesses, and at the end we had a performance by a female Samba drumming school - Ziriguidum band, and a Samba dancer . (in the second performance 2 male drummers took part - video below).

About 70 people attended the workshop, and midway through the presentation we served coffee/tea and a couple of small Portuguese pastries, and then people could walk around and check the various exhibitors. At the end Zelda Hart, a business coach chose one of the exhibitors to mentor for 3 months and the best stand was awarded a prize.

You can check the short videos of the event at the bottom of this post.

Cleide and I behind the reception table, ticking off guests names - photo from Juliana Braz, event photographer

On the 22nd Nov the new Perth Museum - the Western Australia Museum Boola Bardip ("many stories" in the Whadjuk Noongar language) which was inaugurated the day before, was opened to 50 thousand ballot entrants for 9 days of celebrations. 

I was lucky enough to get chosen in the ballot, and on Sunday 22nd Jose and I went to the city for the allocated 2 hour visit at 2,45pm.

From the 30th of November it's officially opened to all, and we will enjoy free visits during the first 18 months.

The museum has tripled in size, with a modern building which cleverly integrates five heritage buildings in the area, like the old Museum and Perth's first jail - the oldest building dating back to 1855.

Old and new

Marli, the swan seen from the Musueum - Prehistoric animals found in Australia and others still around...

Perth and Western Australia being advertised as a tourist destination in the Eastern states

The 24mt long Blue whale skeleton hangs in the old part of the Museum

When we left the museum we had something to eat at Nando's Chicken and then as the Christmas lights were turned on at 6pm we walked around to see some of them. There are about 30 lights, and a "Christmas lights trails" but we had had enough walking for one day.

Friday, 27th I had an early dentist appointment for a clean. The dental hygienist does a great job but she's a bit rougher than the dentist used to be when he did it, so my teeth are always tender for a couple of days.

After the appointment I literally went around the corner to help out a "Buy nothing" new friend to upholster her dining room chairs. I had painted her table and chairs a few months ago and promised that when she found the right fabric I would go and help her do it. I was actually the one that found this fabric at Spotlight and sent her a photo as I thought it would go well with the green chairs, and she went to buy the fabric a few days later.

When I got home I painted the shelves Jose had made a few days before, to house my succulent pots that used to sit on top of an outdoor table.

A friend who recently bought a house wanted to get rid of the old and rusty water feature and plant cage, and she thought I might want it. I cleaned up the rust and painted the water feature, and removed the tangled plant from the cage and painted the wooden bit behind it. 

Jose has now hung those on the patio wall, we just need to get a pump for the water feature, and I will buy some sort of climbing plant or maybe a flower pot to put in the cage.

I bought 2 tiny wooden stools for $10 on Marketplace, which I'm in the process of painting to give to the grandkids.

Water feature and plant cage, and small wooden stools to be painted

The new shelves Jose made for the succulents 

On Saturday 28th, just after lunchtime I joined the Committee members of the Portuguese Women Association in a Cafe in the city centre, for a meeting to discuss the "Women in Business workshop" and to discuss our 1 year anniversary event to be held at the end of January.

I returned home with just enough time to get ready for the Clinic's Christmas dinner at the Blue Water Grill Restaurant at Heathcote Reserve in Applecross. The building that now houses, restaurants, an art centre, etc, used to be a former asylum. A fabulous location, and great views of the river and the city across.

A total of 22 people (staff and partners) attended, and the food and service was superb.  

The wine room where we sat

Our dinner - fish for me, beef for Jose and my Creme brulee with creme caramel ice-cream

Outside the building there was a car from the 50's waiting for the bridal couple who were posing for photos.

On the 29th we drove to the small city of Bunbury, 170km south of Perth, to spend the day there to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary on the 30th. 

We also did the mural trail and I found lots of murals I had missed when we were there in December with the overseas family.

After searching for an Indian restaurant, to have lunch, we found two that were closed, and settled on having lunch at the Funky Monkey restaurant. When we got the menu we noticed they served a mix of Indian, Italian and other bits and pieces which didn't sound too promising...

I asked the waitress how spicy was the prawn curry and she said "none of the Indian dishes were spicy", we could always ask for peri-peri sauce. So I ordered the prawn curry and Jose ordered a mixed platter with a bit of calamari, chips, 2 chicken legs and 2 ribs.

My first bite of a prawn and I start coughing, it was super spicy! I just can't have spicy food it just irritates my throat. So Jose and I swapped dishes and he even said the prawns were extra spicy and he loves spicy food! I don't eat ribs and not a fan of chicken legs either, so I had the chips and calamari.  

Prawn curry and Mixed platter

Then Jose felt like a waffle and we found an ice-cream place that had waffles. We ordered the waffles, chose our ice-cream flavour and sat down. What a disappointment! They were badly cooked, like dry cake and we ended up just having the ice-cream. 

Afterwards we climbed the Marlston Hill lookout tower to enjoy 360 degree views of the city, but because of the wire fence all around it was difficult to take a panorama photo. That I took on the level below.

Apart from the tower climb, the murals saved the day 😉.

photo of the city taken from the lower level of the tower

The Marlston Hill lookout tower and views of the city from the lower level

The Arts centre, the Rose Hotel, a modern office building, the lighthouse and a statue on a roundabout

On Monday, the 30th we celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary with a nice dinner at a Japanese restaurant.

Then and now

Videos from Women in Business workshop, organized by Portuguese Australian Women Association of WA - Ziriguidum band and Samba dancers