This beef and Guinness pie and a couple of good cheeses and tiramisu; this was our impromptu plan for dinner last Saturday night. We asked another family over and happily, they were free.

I always feel defiant about entertaining at this time of year because the fact is that it’s never going to be as easy and carefree as having people visit during the warmer months – so I feel like we’re kind of sticking it to winter. We can offer comfort food and throw rugs and a movie for the kids while the adults chat over dessert in the eat-in kitchen and while it’s not as effortless and relaxed as summertime entertaining it’s got an ambience of its own.

On Friday my husband took the day off work and we took the kids to Taronga Zoo. It was a beautifully mild day, and being the last official day of the school holidays probably also contributed to it being super crowded there. The kids held up well. One really didn’t enjoy the lack of space. There was a minimum of complaining about the required walking around, and I think that only came from one of the littler ones near the end of the visit.

I go out to things like this with no illusions anymore that everyone in my family is going to have a good time, so it doesn’t bother me if everyone isn’t 100% thrilled with whatever we do: This rated pretty well on the Rodrigues family outing meter, but not stunningly well so I figure we’re good for a zoo visit for another three years or so. I didn’t take many photos, but I seem to always need to take one of the giraffes whenever I see them, hence the photo at the top of the post.

Sunday was the feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel, but it wasn’t mentioned at Mass and I forgot about it until late in the day. I celebrated with left-over tiramisu while reading the readings of the day from the Divine Office before bed.

I hope your weekend went well – it’s back to school and work today!