Island Birthday Surprise!

He had hoped to have a sleepover with 4 friends but a day or so beforehand, several pulled out and things looked pretty grim for his 12th birthday.Good old dad to the rescue however! On Friday Himself called me and asked if I'd like to go to Kangaroo Island for the weekend. He'd called in a favour, organised to do a little bit of contra work and got us into one of the lovely garden villas at the Seafront. One of Small Boy's friends (Boy D) was given the ok by his parents and so it was an excited Himself and I and two young boys that caught the 6 o'clock ferry on Friday night. Two trips to the island in less than a month! I couldn't believe my luck.


The birthday plans were simple: sandboarding, skate park and a day with dad with NO WORK interrupting. To his credit, Himself kept to the plan and not a single email or work file was opened on July 17th. For me, I got a day at the villa with no blokes around and plenty of time to work on school work.

I had been planning a 'skate park' birthday cake for the abortive sleepover but there appeared to be no way that was going to happen over on the island. We discussed trying to buy one from Kingscote and seeing if the hotel could organise one but as it turned out, some friends came to the rescue. The proprietor of the resort, and his wife, very kindly asked us over for a birthday dinner with the boys. Small Boy was asked for his choice of dinner menu (meat lover's pizza) and the lady of the house offered to help me make a birthday cake for the occasion.
So while the boys were doing this:

and this:and this:J and I made this!
I casually mentioned the idea of trying to make a skate park cake but the blanche of her complexion and the look of horror on her face quickly encouraged me to thank my lucky stars we were getting to make a cake at all :-D. No matter how easily I think I could have done a novelty cake, I think it would have been taxing the friendship!

So, after a day of sandboarding, climbing Prospect Hill and skate parking, the boys came around to the Old Post Office, where our friends live,

and found more entertainment!

The pizza was great,

the cake a success

and the present eagerly opened

and happily received. Being in close proximity, Himself escorted the boys back to the villa where they happily played the new game until we got home just before midnight. Well, to tell the truth Boy D had already conked out but Small Boy was determinedly plugging away at it, eyes propped open with matchsticks!

The next day was very relaxed although Himself had to earn his living and I marked a whole lot of exams; but we did have time for a round of mini-golf after lunch.

And a walk along the penguin trail.


I'd forgotten how much fun mini-golf is. I am rubbish at it but it was still fun. For the record Himself won (of course), Small Boy second, Boy D third and me last by a whopping 20 shots off the leader :-D Oh well. Family bonding. It was worth it.

Thank you to our friends at The Seafront Resort for giving Small Boy a damn fine birthday! Look how he has matured in one weekend!!

(It's hot chocolate by the way!)