The Great Outdoors

A few of my friends are going camping for the week. Maybe if I could do it like this I'd go along too :)

Image via Camping in Style.

Book Depository

My friend Tish tickled an old memory of something I remember hearing about but had long forgotten - The Book Depository. It is the UK's largest online bookseller whose titles usually ship within 48hrs. Are you ready for the best part? The prices are excellent and the shipping is free - ANYWHERE! They focus on selling 'less of more' rather than 'more of less' which means the odds are good of you finding what you're looking for. I have wasted no time and my first book is already here.

It's the autobiography of Stella Rimmington, Director-General of MI5 from 1992 to 1996. It's been out for a quite a few years now (first published in 2002) but I've never got around to reading it. Can't wait to get started on it, as soon as I finish what I'm currently reading, Archer's False Impression, which is very hard to put down. Just the way I like it.

Lovely Leura

We've just come back from the loveliest weekend away in Leura celebrating Mum's birthday. We travelled down on Friday and spent a lovely weekend enjoying the offerings of an historic village and all that entails.

Before enjoying a home cooked breakfast at our lovely B&B we hopped up early on Saturday morning (why is it that I always wake up with the birds when I'm holidays?), rugged up and went for a 10min drive up the road to have a look at the Three Sisters and the majestic mountains that envelop them (naturally my photos do not do them justice). Perfect timing as the crowds were still sensibly in bed and we got the view mostly to ourselves :)

After brekky it was off to explore the main village. Now, while there really is only one main street that runs from top o'town to bottom, the shopping in Leura is not to be trifled with! A few of the places we popped into:

• Elizabeth Rosa Fine Stationery (who incidentally is Australia's only authorised dealer of Vera Wang's wedding papers collection) where I stocked up on paper goodies including some lovely Cavallini & Co bookplates and cute cloth notebook.

Hmm, again my photos do not do justice!

Hear hear.

• Josophan's Cafe & Chocolate Shop where a couple of cheeky cockatoos sidled up to passers by and offered a chirpy "hello" to any who would listen or better still, offer up something to eat.

• Megalong Books where I bought a long overdue copy of Geraldine Brooks' March.
• The Cats Meow Interiors where we found a perfect paperweight for Dad...

...and a perfect purse for me :)

Husbands dragged along for the shopping sprint were kindly catered for.

A coffee stop at the Bon Ton before going on to meet up with the rest of the fam at the Everglades where the kids had the most delightful time roaming and running through the beautiful lawns and gardens.

Image via everglade.org.au

Then off to Leurella Toy & Railway museum where there was great delight in finding Alice in Wonderland memorabilia on special display and a working railway outdoors. Ahhh, something for everyone.

And to complete all things train and rail it was off the ZigZag Railway on Sunday morning where we were greeted by Thomas himself and a fat Fat Controller who patiently had his photo taken with a gazillion children,

Such a lovely weekend.