Happy New Year

I'VE recently had the most awesome weekend. It started on a Friday night with my office Christmas party - IN the office!

Now, having an office based in a house has a great many benefits when it comes to social events. There's a kitchen to prepare the food, a dishwasher to help with the clearing up, a patio area for alfresco socialising with colleagues and bosses, a fridge for the wine and my favourite - a bath filled with ice to keep the beer on chill.

My eyes were on stalks when I clocked this, absolutely hilarious. What wasn't so hilarious was me falling over and rolling my ankle after more than one too many self-measured Jim Beams.

On the way down, I banged my head and cracked a shoulder blade on the door frame - or so I was told. I don't actually remember all that much about the event - all I recall is trying to regain some sort of composure after taking the tumble and thanking my husband and a colleague for helping me get back to a vertical state.

Working with nurses comes with a whole heap of advantages in so far as advising me I'd probably broken my ankle which gave me even more mileage at home to get out of lots of jobs I had little inclination in doing.

The following night, we went to a 40th birthday party. We were flattered when our friend of 9 months invited us to the event at a beautiful restaurant in Mt Eliza. The dress code was cocktail and the lavish affair fed and watered us all until the small hours of Sunday.

As the champagne flowed, there too came an announcement that thanked us all for attending the birthday bash. But this was a birthday bash with a twist. Over the mic came "... now you thought you were all here to celebrate Mel's 40th birthday. But in fact, you're here for her wedding..." at which point the guests shrieked in amazement and in walked our newly gowned up bride - this time in white.

In a state of giddy shock, we all headed down into the garden as dusk began to fall to witness the most beautiful ceremony I've ever seen. There was laughter, tears, happiness and joy and the delight on the bride's face is a vision I'll never ever forget.

Being there to see the lid lifted on such a special secret is one of my favourite Australian memories. I felt honoured, flattered and privileged to be invited as a guest to such an intimate affair and as we looked on at the couple say their vows as the peninsula sun faded behind them, I felt warmth on the inside as well as the out and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

So the festive season has been a good one. Different ... but good. We went to the beach for a spell after the big fella had delivered his gifts and we had a roast with all the trimmings.

On New Year's Eve, we went to our local for early doors and spent a few hours on the rooftop deck all clamouring for the shade as sunset temps averaged 30C. After a lift home, we went to a house party at friends over the road and at the strike of midnight, husband and I jumped in their pool - fully clothed and still clutching a Jim Beam! What a way to welcome in the new year. I wonder if this is how things will be from now on....?

Happy New Year!