Last month, Veronica a friend of mine or as I say with much fondness 'that we put up with each other', asked if I wanted to go to Ipswich Cup. After some thought I said yes and so the build up to the day began.
I can't remember if I told you that I had bought a dress for my party while on holidays at the Sunshine Coast. A lovely electric blue dress with black beads. It was originally $110 but I got it for $25 on sale. Bargain!! So I decided to wear this to the Ipswich Cup.
As I am not a big shoe person, I already had my standard sandals to wear and I had a bag to match. So that only left a hat. I dragged Peter around and we found that since it wasn't Melbourne Cup time, hats were not to be found. In the end I found a hat at Target on sale. The flower on it was the wrong colour, so I bought another, some feathers, blue diamantes and walla!, a hat was born. Earring to match - yes on sale and my whole outfit cost me under $40.
On the day Peter drove Veronica, her husband Doug, Joel her daughters boyfriend, her friends Maree and Michelle and myself to the cup. We met Veronica's brother Brendan, or as he is affectantly known 'cranky pants'. I must say, we were a very smart looking bunch.
After a short trek down the street, over grass and across the track, we arrived at the Breezers Marquee. It was easy to find a table for us to sit at, scoop out the surroundings of all the important areas - betting area, check, bar area check.
We had tips from a friend of Veronica's (Warren if you are reading this, Doug and I thought your tips stunk lol). I thought instead of going back and forth I would put the whole days worth of bets on all at the beginning. Probably a wise idea as I knew then how much I had spent and didn't get carried away like some of the guys I saw there, when going back and forth to place bets.
One thing I had thought of doing was to have a big breakfast, since I knew I would be drinking. This I think saved me any embarrassment. You have heard me say I don't drink very much, with 2 or 3 drinks in a session my limit. Yesterday was my once in a blue moon exception to this. I started with a bottle of wine (was equal to 2 standard drinks in the bottles), 2 bottles of champagne by which time my throat was starting to burn from the acid in the drinks.
When I was younger I use to drink Barcardi a lot, but in the last probably 30 years, have only had it once or twice. Since I am not a barcardi and lolly water type of person, I opted for the cans of Barcardi and Cola. It was like saying hello to an old friend. I think I had about 5 of those by the end of the day.
Drinks were included in the price of the ticket for 6 hours and finger foods included for 4 hours. Finger food consisted of pies, sausage rolls, sushi, wraps cut into inch rounds with ham, roast beef, cheese and lettuce. There were spring rolls, money bags, prawn twists and probably other things I have forgotten.
The porta loos were an experience and goes to show I don't get out much. I figured out how to get the water to wash my hands after a while, but had to ask how to flush the toilet as I couldn't figure it out and didn't want to push anything that might have the toilet falling through the floor.
Veronica and I went for a wander around, found the beauty tent where they wanted to fix our hair and make-up. I asked them if we looked that bad and she didn't reply, just gave me vouchers for their salon haha. I got to put a bet on with a bookie, which didn't win.
Doug who had been MIA returned but really just to go to sleep at the table. A group of guys seated near us were entertaining when they got on their chairs to belt out Sweet Caroline.
All in all it was a fantastic day and one that I will repeat again.
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Again I have updated my list. One of the things that isn't on here but I achieved recently is crocheting a knee rug. Every year I buy wool and start a rug and don't even get through one ball of wool before I stop. This year I got some lovely chenille wool and for a week set a task of 2 balls a day, and am very pleased to say I finished it.
So now for this winter I have a lovely warm blanket to keep my legs warm.
1. Read
3. Go on a holiday, hopefully to Melbourne. I was last there in 1984, so just a few years ago lol
5. Go down another 20kgs (gotten a bit stuck at the moment)
6. Get a lot more writing from my autobiography done - Been doing heaps of that
7. Have lunch or dinner at Bretts wharf or Aria Brisbane - Peter's boss said he is taking me for my birthday
8. Go through the glow worm caves at Springbrook hopefully when the glow fungi is out as well or the fireflies
10. Have a tarot reading - have the name of someone really good in Fernvale
11. Go to a musical (booked for Jersey Boys in July)
1
15. Go to a zoo
16. Go to brisbane city markets
17. Brisbane's koala and river cruise
18. Toowoomba carnival of flowers
1
20. Go to Q1 lookout
21. Have a flying lesson - can't do stimulation due to weight restrictions so will have to think of something else for this one.
22. crystal castle at mullumbimby
23. do a cross stitch
28. be part of a flash mob - now where does someone find these people
29. Drive a convertible with the top down and music blaring.
30. Get family tree in order - got heaps of this done
31. Go on a retreat
34. Swim in the ocean - haven't done this for many many years
35. Go to an opera or listen or an opera singer - don't know if I could sit through a whole opera.
36. Spend a night at maleny/montville
37. Hold a snake - to overcome a fear (Went on the Brisbane wheel to overcome fear of heights but had to get off, so only went around once. Never again lol )
38. Attend the good food festival
39. feed the homeless - was looking into this a couple of months ago but didn't do anything about it. (contacted agencies but none have gotten back to me yet)
40. do a belly dancing class - well I have enough belly to wobble haha
42. queen mary falls walk
44. host a murder mystery dinner party - have the game here, now to organize
45. Put $5 a day into money box - use it for something special at the end of the year. - been doing this
46. Have a games night with friends
48. Trike ride from Gold Coast to Mt Tambourine wineries
49. Ride on a carousel
50. Have a kick arse birthday party (venue, dj, food sorted. Decorations started)
